I was born and still live on the island of Elba, a magnificent location where the sea, the mountains and human culture are interconnected.
From a very young age I developed a great love of nature, as well as for art and design.
Although I dreamed of being a forest ranger, I later followed my father to Milan where he taught me all about the leather goods and fashion industries. Those were years of great creative development when the very best Italian stylists as well as Italian design and manufacturing ruled the world.
My first encounter with watchmaking was overwhelming; I was instantly fascinated.
A watch is not just a designer product, but also a highly complex technical instrument that is brought to life by a pulsating heart that marks the passing of time.
Like in nature, in watchmaking every shape is moulded and evolves to achieve perfect functionality.
That is what creates true beauty. There is no technology more evolved and wonderful than that which is concealed within every aspect of nature. Nothing is left to chance; every detail has a precise role. The same can be said for watchmaking, where the quest for technical perfection is inherent in every component and every model tells a story of beauty and tradition that can only be interpreted by highly skilled, passionate people.
I have been lucky enough to work with great professionals, learning this fascinating art from them.
My first associate, Fulvio Locci, was a skilled designer; then Carlo Crocco, the president and founder of Hublot, a brand that revolutionised fine watchmaking, joined the company. His passion for rigorous design and the use of innovative materials was highly stimulating.
I also owe a great deal to the teachings of Luigi Macaluso, a watchmaking genius who has relaunched brands such as Breitling, Hamilton and Girard Perregaux. I have met and worked with incredible watchmakers and designers such as Franco Giolla, Gerald Genta and Sergio Silvestris from Pomellato.
But above all, I must thank Luigi Leandri, the founder of Genesi together with his brother Armando, who combined extraordinary creativity with mechanical watchmaking experience built up over decades working with Swiss manufacturers.
Once upon a time, behind every watch brand you could sense the technical passion and creativity of the people who were the true spirit of the company, and that’s how I have always wanted to share my experience. A watch is something that makes your eyes light up; it courses through your veins, causing you to wake at night thinking about how to balance a hand or perfect a detail.
Every day I draw inspiration from beauty and the nature that surrounds us in order to develop the technical and creative side of my work.
After all, passion for watchmaking began with Dante Alighieri and is destined to stand the test of time.
Marco Mantovani