Julien Moreau 6:30 p.m., February 16, 2023

French watchmaking is a sector in which there are too many candidates, but not enough positions.

In Bar-le-Duc in the Meuse, watchmakers are in the process of creating a watchmaking training center and eight million euros are on the table so that it can open in 2027.

The Alsatian watchmaker, Pierre Lannier, has just launched a watch model made up of numerous elements from French companies.

A paying decision since this watch will be a success.

Consequently, Pierre Burgun, CEO of Pierre Lannier, wants to launch a collection of around twenty models.

But the latter, guest of the program "La France moves", recalls that the profession is experiencing some problems.

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 How can French watchmaking revive?

Fill available jobs

"Obviously it's good to reindustrialize and relocate. But you also need to have the workforce, the employees to be able to do it. And currently I think that in France we have a lot of unfilled jobs, so we is not going to add to it yet. And it is true that there is a particularity, there are too many candidates compared to the positions of watchmakers which are to be filled in the training courses", declares the watchmaker.

"So there's a lot of work. There are great high schools that do great training, but unfortunately there's not enough for all the candidates who want to do it. So I think that's It is also a challenge for the years to come", he adds.

A watchmaking training center 

A project is currently in the creation phase in Bar-le-Duc.

Loïc Alif joins forces with Samuel Pasquier, a watch engineer to create a training center.

This rather crazy project will open its doors in 2027. For Pierre Burgun, training is important.

"The majority of people with us are trained by us. So we have a particularity, it is that we have an average seniority of 20 years. We have a fairly high average age despite everything. And with us, the seniors are working. There are many people over 55. This also leads us to find alternatives for the future", reports Pierre Burgun.

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- Lycée Edgar Faure, in Morteau in the Haut Doubs, which has been training in watchmaking professions for more than half a century

A sector that helps each other

On this aspect of training, Ambre Hadjez, co-founder of Millow Paris, manufacturer of mechanical watches for children, works with many French suppliers.

But she will have needed time before finding her happiness.

"I think I made 200 phone calls. It was very hard. But at the same time, once you find one and have a foothold in the area, it's an area that help each other. It's a job where we talk a lot," says Ambre Hadjez. 

An ecosystem is in the process of being set up.

"It is an absolute necessity. The watchmaking market in France is worth 1.5 billion euros in turnover. Only 2% of watches are made in France, so there is a large what to do. There aren't many of us, there aren't many of us. We have to show solidarity and that's essential. I'm campaigning for that, so that we're all aware that if we're together, we can do it", adds Pierre Burgun.

Developing French watchmaking

And the CEO of the house Pierre Lannier concludes: "We are going to have a French pavilion again at a watch fair in Munich. And we will be seven French manufacturers to be together on a French pavilion to highlight French manufacturing and try to develop French watchmaking".