byrne manufacture
From a passion for restoring timepieces to their creation
From repair to design
It's the continuation of a family history that began, some thirty years ago, in the restoration of timepieces. Over the years, creator John Byrne has immersed himself in all watchmaking techniques. To this day, John advises his customers, collectors and enthusiasts, as well as their children. He works alongside master watchmakers who can create bespoke nano-pieces to restore a family watch thought lost. With all the experience he has gained with his customers, he is obsessed with creating an extraordinary object. So he began studying Industrial Design.
The Musaget Apollo
In 2015, it was while attending a ballet at the Paris Opera, George Balanchine's "L'Appollon Musagète", that he conceived the idea for the Byrne Watch. That evening, the inventor was captivated by a tableau of the Stars who, placed one behind the other, moved so fast that they gave the impression of being a woman with four faces.
A new chapter
He talks to his wife, Claire, a Retail and Luxury Specialist, who decides to accompany him on this adventure. They travelled to Switzerland and were welcomed in one of the cradles of Haute Horlogerie in Fleurier, Val Travers. It was here that the Montres Byrne adventure began, a fusion of long experience in the restoration of haute-horlogerie timepieces and the know-how of a Manufacture created by great captains of the watchmaking industry. It has taken many years to sublimate the case and perfect the GYRO DIAL movement. In 2021, the GYRO DIAL enters the world of watches, and the Byrne Watch can make its enchanted merry-go-round fly and activate its magical complication.
From the 911 to the BYRNE 311
A sporty, pure and racy curve. A dynamic design concept. A Gyro Dial with instant propulsion from our Manufacture.
"EXTRAORDINARY HOROLOGICAL CREATIVITY, A TECHNICAL FEAT WORTHY OF HAUTE-HORLOGERIE."
CHRISTOPHE LUTHI
CEO of Temps Manufactures creator of Harry Winston Opus 12
TWO OF US
A COMPLEMENTARY DUO
From the crazy idea of the GYRO DIAL complication to its realization, it took a complementary duo to bring the Byrne watch to life independently. During the silence necessary for any creation, he could count on her to maintain good relations with their partners. And she can count on his inventiveness to integrate this unique movement into a flawless case design.
John Byrne
DESIGNER
Fascinated by the world of watches from an early age, he was lucky enough to cross paths with mentors who opened the doors to this world. A specialist in the restoration of both antique and modern timepieces, he can spend days thinking about how to revive a watch for the pleasure of announcing its mechanical prowess to its owner. A trained designer, he has a technician's uncompromising eye for objects. From the first idea to the birth of the first Byrne prototype, he has attended to every detail, obsessed with creating a watch that is surprising, elegant to wear and perfectly run-in.
Claire Cohen
CONSULTANT
An expert in distribution and luxury goods, Claire Cohen has spent her career as Retail Director for major French and international brands. Over the past 10 years, she has set up her own agency, where she advises, trains and coaches companies in fields as varied as fashion, beauty, banking... Claire teaches at the Institut Français de la Mode. As President of Byrne Watch, she uses her knowledge of distribution networks and partners to deploy Byrne watches in the best possible environment.
