Alexandre Hazemann and Victor Monnin, Co-founders of Hazemann & Monnin

Hazemann & Monnin is an independent watch brand founded by Alexandre Hazemann (right) and Victor Monnin (left), who met while studying watchmaking in Morteau, on the French-Swiss border. Their collaboration led to the creation of the ‘School Watch’, which won the 2003 F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition and laid the foundation for their brand. © Hazemann & Monnin 

“We try to create watches that tell an honest story.”

What were your backgrounds before starting Hazemann & Monnin?
(Alexandre Hazemann and Victor Monnin, Co-founders of Hazemann & Monnin) We both studied at the watchmaking school in Morteau, a small village on the French-Swiss border, where you learn how to work on a watch from start to finish, from raw material to casing. It’s a very comprehensive program that teaches you how to create a timepiece entirely and how to manage horological projects from design to fabrication. What connects us is a shared passion for always wanting to understand, to create, and to work with our hands.

How did you guys first meet, and what were your impressions of each other?
(AH and VM) We crossed paths early on in Morteau and became friends very quickly. We realised that we had the same way of working and approaching life. From the start, we felt we could complement each other and, above all, inspire one another. There’s a real friendship between us, but also a deep professional respect. We’re not trying to imitate each other, we’re pushing each other to grow and become better.

“The ‘School Watch’ is an homage to our early days, to that period when you learn by making mistakes, by starting over, by doubting, but always moving forward.”

How did the ‘School Watch’ get its name, and please tell me more about this watch.
(AH and VM) The ‘School Watch’ is an homage to our early days, to that period when you learn by making mistakes, by starting over, by doubting, but always moving forward. Traditionally, each watchmaking student has to create a watch from A to Z. It’s both a graduation project and a rite of passage. We wanted to continue that idea that gave birth to us, but with a professional finish, as if two former students returned to school to build a watch, but this time with their own rules and identity. It’s a watch about learning, but also about standing tall.

“It’s important to us that the name says exactly what the watch does, without embellishment.”

How did the development of the ‘Sonnerie au Passage avec Heure Sautante Instantanée (passing chime with instantaneous jumping hour)’ evolve? I love how intuitive the name is.
(AH and VM) Thank you, it’s important to us that the name says exactly what the watch does, without embellishment. The differences are significant, both visually and mechanically. We developed our own movement from scratch, without relying on any existing geartrain or architecture. When we say we are independent, it’s because we truly want to be, both in terms of strategic decisions and technical choices in the watches we create. We also moved from a 42 mm diameter to 39.5 mm, which is a strong and natural evolution from our school days. It makes the piece far more wearable and comfortable on the wrist. We were fortunate to wear the watch for many months before launching our subscription pieces, so we had time to reflect and understand what really needed improvement.

“Watchmaking, to us, is a language, and each watch is a sentence. We don’t want to shout, we want to move people.”

What key aspects are you aiming to express through your creations?
(AH and VM) We try to create watches that tell an honest story. It’s not about technical prowess or flashy design. We want to convey a more human and sensitive vision of time. Each piece should carry intention, almost like a handwritten letter. Watchmaking, to us, is a language, and each watch is a sentence. We don’t want to shout, we want to move people.

How would you describe each other’s styles?
(AH and VM) What’s great is that we have very similar tastes and usually agree on every design decision we make. We don’t have separate styles, everything starts with a conversation, and we carry on sketching our ideas in a notebook. We work based on intuition, we follow the feeling.
If it clicks, we know we’re on the right path.

Please tell me why Hazemann & Monnin is based where you are now, and why Neuchâtel holds such importance for you in watchmaking.
(AH and VM) Neuchâtel is a land of watchmaking, Breguet was born here. But beyond its history, it’s a place where you still feel the energy, the expertise, the artisans, the passion. To us, it’s not just a dot on the map; it’s a community. Being here allows us to grow without losing our roots. We’re not in Geneva; we’re in Saint-Aubin, at our own rhythm.

What are your goals for Hazemann & Monnin in the coming years?
(AH and VM) First and foremost, to remain sincere. To keep creating watches we’d be proud to wear and proud to have built. We also want to structure the workshop so we can welcome new talent and pass on what we’ve learned along the way. We want to explore new forms and materials, to respect the watchmaking we love, but most of all, to express our own take on it. Always with one clear idea in mind: less is more.

“A watch is a blend of fragility and precision.”

Why do you love watches?
(AH and VM) Because they concentrate everything, time, craft, memory, perception, knowledge. A watch is a blend of fragility and precision. It lives, it ages, it accompanies. It’s a link between past and future, worn in the present. We put our whole heart into what we do, in the present, with the desire to move things forward, in our own way. That has no price.