From the beginning…
to this very day
November 2020
The birth of Apose
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Luxury watchmakers had entered a relentless race toward sophistication and extravagance.
Their work, though technically remarkable, led to spectacular creations far removed from the purity and understated elegance that define the French style.
This trend only grew stronger, for nothing opposed it: French watchmaking creativity had been dormant for nearly fifty years.
Designer Didier Finck and physicist Ludovic Zussa, both at the heart of this industry drifting toward ostentation, decided in 2020 to go against the tide.
They set out to meet two ambitious challenges: to bring back the purity of high-end watchmaking by embracing the codes of the French style — the only one capable of expressing that discreet elegance the world admires, though France itself seemed to have forgotten it — and to produce a truly high-end watch made entirely in France, a task most experts deemed impossible.
May 2021
The watchmaker of Apose
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In May 2021, watchmaker Romain Thiriet joined Apose to assemble the 400 timepieces of the inaugural edition.
The many distinctions he has earned reflect his precision and high standards, perfectly aligned with the spirit of the brand.
His passion is a remarkable asset in shaping Apose creations and fostering innovation.
His expertise allows complete mastery of every stage in the making of a watch — from design and production management to assembly, quality control, and after-sales service.
October 2021
Apose x Longchamp
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As a true aesthete, Jean Cassegrain, grandson of the founder and current President of Maison Longchamp, discovered the Apose adventure, praised the boldness of the project, and recognized the quality of the timepieces already released.
Deeply committed to reducing his brand’s environmental impact, he offered Apose the opportunity to recover the exquisite leather offcuts from Longchamp’s finest materials to create straps that are entirely French-made.
The founders of Apose immediately embraced this opportunity, designing and crafting two entirely new strap models: a two-piece design and a single-piece NATO-style strap.
July 2022
French Touch distinction
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At the presentation evening of their new 100% French-made watch in Eastern France, Apose founders Ludovic Zussa, physicist, and Didier Finck, designer, received the French Touch distinction from Bpifrance, recognizing their creative innovation.
The French Touch is a movement that brings together and connects talents from France’s cultural and creative industries — particularly in fashion and design.
Its mission is to showcase French craftsmanship and creativity, both in France and internationally.
Since its creation in Mulhouse in November 2020, Apose has been relentlessly committed to entrusting the entire production of its watches to exceptional French manufactures, many of which now supply the most demanding Swiss watch brands.
November 2022
Apose’s First Boutique
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From November 2022 to March 2023, Apose opened its first boutique in the historic heart of Mulhouse, just steps away from its renowned Christmas market.
The watchmaking workshop was also installed on site, allowing visitors to witness firsthand the artistry and precision of high-end French horology.
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March 2023
Apose x Anneau du Rhin
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To mark its partnership with the Anneau du Rhin circuit, Apose created the n°68, a limited edition dedicated to the renowned racetrack in the Haut-Rhin region and to Yann Ehrlacher, the Mulhouse-born driver and two-time World Touring Car Cup champion.
The number 68 naturally refers both to the department and to the champion’s iconic racing number.
The Apose n°68, an exclusive and individually numbered timepiece, was produced in a series of only 68 pieces.
November 2023
Apose x Longchamp events
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Maison Longchamp and Apose watches came together for a joint event to showcase their respective collections within their boutiques in Nice and Strasbourg.
Since 2022, Longchamp has supplied Apose with offcuts of its finest leathers, which are transformed into straps for creations that are 100% French-made.
December 2023
Limited Edition – Inaugural No. 3 Radial
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The Radial inaugural series introduced the fluted ring as a signature element.
Produced in only 50 numbered pieces, this foundational creation sealed the bond between Apose’s creative audacity and the wonder of its first collectors.
Both subtle and assertive, the ring became the symbol of a beginning — the birth of a collection destined to shine.
April 2024
Presentation of the new n°3 range
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This year, no fewer than three new collections joined the Apose catalogue: Pur, Douz, and Radial.
These ten timepieces each reveal a unique interplay of colour, reflection, brilliance, and texture.
This release also introduces a new, slimmer case with refined finishes that are more elegant than ever.
Thanks to this new construction, a steel bracelet can, for the very first time at Apose, be perfectly integrated into the design.
June 2021
The first Apose watch – 80% French
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The pieces from this inaugural series introduced the Apose style: neither round nor square, with a 40 mm diameter.
The Franco-Swiss Newton automatic movement was developed by the Soprod manufacture, a Swiss company with operations in France.
It required three years of development, contains no components sourced from Asia, and is produced between the Swiss and French Jura regions.
The dial is Swiss, and the strap is Italian.
The inaugural No. 3 model is 80% French — already an achievement in itself.
The success of this first collection confirmed the strength of its design and the refined attention to detail that defines Apose’s elegance.
Deliveries began in June 2021, and the verdict was unanimous: people loved them.
August 2021
Presentation of the n°3 collection – 80% French
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The first collection was launched in August 2021.
It comprised six models which, true to Apose’s design philosophy, differ in their visible materials and colour harmonies.
Women who fell under the charm of Apose’s elegance expressed a clear preference for a diameter larger than the 38 mm of the inaugural watch.
The n°3 collection was therefore presented in a single 40 mm format.
April 2022
The No. 3-100, challenge achieved
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The media gave a very warm reception to the No. 3 collection launched in 2021.
Apose’s reputation continued to grow, and its image was already excellent.
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At the beginning of 2022, two key events considerably accelerated the brand’s pursuit of excellence.
Apose’s neighbour in both geography and spirit, the renowned French manufacture Pequignet was finalising a French automatic movement that met Apose’s demanding standards.
This movement, developed exclusively for Apose by Pequignet Horlogerie and based on the Initial calibre, was now ready to beat within the No. 3 collection.
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The second event came from within Apose itself.
Since no French dial maker could meet its requirements, the team devised a completely original process for producing dials.
By combining the talent of artisans with cutting-edge technologies, this approach allowed the creation of dials of remarkable finesse.
For now—and for as long as possible—the process will remain confidential, as it could easily attract great interest.
Interestingly, it involves workshops not originally specialised in watchmaking, yet now eager to take part in this craft.
This new step aside from convention seems full of promise.
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The No. 3 collection now benefits from these simultaneous advances, both of which seemed almost improbable.
It is the first watch entirely designed, developed, manufactured and assembled in France, in the purest French style.
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Apose has won its bet.
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October 2022
Delivery of the inaugural No. 3-100 series – 100% French watches, in 200 numbered pieces
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Each new Apose collection is born from an inaugural piece.
Produced in only 200 individually numbered watches, this limited edition embodies the creative audacity of the Maison and paves the way for an entire lineage of timepieces.
A true aesthetic and technical manifesto, it captures the singular moment when an idea becomes a collection.
November 2022
Presentation of the N°3-100 collection
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The N°3-100 is the first watch of the 21st century to be entirely made in France.
The initial collection features seven models, each chosen for its colour harmony — at once contemporary and timeless.
April 2023
The revival of France Ébauches
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Apose joined forces with the technical teams of the industrial division of the Festina Group to revive the historic France Ébauches movement manufacture.
The mechanical movements, produced in Maîche, are inspired by the original France Ébauches 4600–5600 calibres and have been refined to offer greater precision, reliability, and aesthetic balance.
This French movement now powers the No. 68 limited edition, as well as two new models scheduled for release in December 2023.
December 2023
Elegance at its peak
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Apose created a personalised timepiece in honour of Sébastien Vauxion, the first pastry chef to be awarded two Michelin stars.
He is the creator of an extraordinary culinary experience served at Sarkara, the remarkable restaurant of the K2 Palace in Courchevel.
Everything seems to set him apart from Apose, except the essential: an unbridled passion for excellence, originality, boldness, and that singular step aside.
January 2024
Installation at Building 36, Mulhouse
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Apose established its operations in Building 36 in Mulhouse — a site of industrial heritage that once belonged to the SACM (Société Alsacienne de Constructions Mécaniques).
September 2024
Apose x BRI
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To mark the thirtieth anniversary of the Brigade de Recherche et d’Intervention (BRI) of Strasbourg, Apose — the only high-end watch brand entirely made in France — will release in September 2024 a limited edition of 130 pieces in the colours of this prestigious police unit.
Through this unprecedented partnership, Apose pays tribute to shared values of excellence, performance, and determination.
Eighty pieces will be reserved for current and former BRI members, while fifty will be offered to the public.
June 2025
The Birth of the Apose 37 mm
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Conceived as a natural evolution of the Apose aesthetic, the 37 mm embodies a new sense of balance.
Its proportions, drawn to gently embrace feminine wrists, reveal a softer, more measured form of beauty.
Every component has been reimagined, every curve redrawn, to create a watch that feels light, precise and deeply distinctive.
A gesture of watchmaking — in a feminine form.
June 2025
A double gold medal watch
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Apose created an exceptional timepiece for the French national volleyball team, in celebration of their remarkable performance at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Benjamin Toniutti, captain of the French team and a friend of the brand, helped strengthen the connection between sport and watchmaking — a bond defined by shared values of tenacity, enthusiasm, and a passion for effort.
October 2025
Chapter 2
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Time paused for a moment... so that everything could find its meaning.
The brand opens a new chapter in its story as it changes hands. Watchmaker Romain Thiriet, who joined the Apose team in May 2021, will continue to carry the brand forward.
This transition is a promise: to strengthen a distinctive identity, to redefine the experience, and to create timepieces that remain true to French excellence.
My goal is simple: to preserve the soul of the brand while giving it new momentum — to write, together, the next chapter of its story.