InSync Watches, April 2008
For Jorg Hysek and the HD3 Team, the watchmaking ideal has come true since the design consortium and boutique watch brand has moved into the small village of Luins, about 30 minutes from Geneva, in the middle of the vineyards that front the Jura. From the offices, which include separate spaces for the three HD3 designers, meeting rooms, a kitchen, room for the assemblers, expansion for watchmaker space and storage, there is remarkable view of Lake Geneva in front, the Jura behind, and on a clear day the glorious French Alps across the lake, including the Mont Blanc, are visible. It's quite a change from HD3's former space, a rented office next to a pasta factory. “We are much better here than in Morges (outside of Lausanne)” Hysek says. “We had a good start, because we are a good team working together, but the place was terrible.
Here, I will be able to entertain clients and make a good impression”. The house HD3 now occupies is actually the family home of Valerie ursenbacher, Hysek's wife and partner in HD3. There is a vineyard on the grounds, and the house is where the wine was made and stored in years past. The house has been completely redone, with Hysek doing much of the work himself. The only rooms of the original structure that remains are two bedrooms, both currently being used as office. It took Ursenbacher a little while to get used to coming to work in her childhood home, but now she sees it as a nice link to the past. “We stared redoing the house at the beginning of January 2007”, Hysek details. “ I worked on it myself on weekends, with two other guys, and I really enjoyed the work. You see and appreciate the changes. The most terrible day is when it is finished, but it's still not finished, which is why I am happy.”. “ I liked the destruction of the hose the most”, he continues. “In the old house, we had so many walls. The destruction give you space. Then, when you construct, it looks very big at first, then when you put the walls back in, it's small. The middle is the most terrible, because you have the feeling that it's not going to work”. Now, the facility is almost done, and it's wonderful space for the designers and the other people in the HD3 company.
There are many special touches, like the conference table that Hysek designed himself, the balcony with a great view of Lake Geneva, the exposed stairs and la cave where the wine is stored is in the center of the building. A farmer who rents the land is still working the vineyards, and he still uses a portion of the house and the barn for the storage of the wine and equipment Within a year, all the apparatus and storage will move off-site, so there will be enough room for HD3 to expand. The plan is to redo those areas into watchmaking spaces and find two or three of the best watchmakers. “When we bring them in, they will be doing prototyping, casing and final assembly”, Hysek says. “ I do not want to make movements ; that's not my strength. I can imagine movements, but not the technical drawings. To control the parts is not my experience. I might say it looks good, but without the right technicians, it might not work”. HD3 works with the best movement suppliers, companies like La Joux-Perret and BNB, which frees HD3 to concentrate on the designs and unique functions of the watches. “We may some day assemble simple movements here”, Hysek adds. “We do the final checks here, which give us confidence in the watches before we send them out. We don't have too many problems with after-sales service. It's dangerous when you start with a completely new movement, because you have to do extensive testing.
It's better for the client to wait two months more than to send out a defective product.”HD3 is poised for a busy future. In the new facility, conditions are near perfect for the design of great watches, and now Hysek, Ursenbacher and Fabrice Gonet (the third designer in HD3) have to continue to invent intriguing products and then deliver them. “We are now delivering the Three Minds, the watch we debuting in Baselworld 2007,” Hysek says. “We were delayed, but it is now ready to be delivered. In 2006, we made a total of 150 watches, and in 2007, we made 250. When we reach production of 500 pieces per year, that will be it. We don't want to be bigger. The space will say stop”. Hysek is determined to limit HD3's growth, keeping it extremely exclusive. “Going to fast can be dangerous”, he says from experience. “You need more money that what is coming in. The company looks good, but it's difficult to keep it growing so fast. You don't control the company; the financial people do. When you grow fast, it's because you are talented, but the financial people often don't understand this”.
With HD3, Jorg Hysek is having the time of his life, creating new watches and other products in a beautiful new facility. He has no plans to go anywhere else. “I will still be here in five years: this is my last step, “ he says. “ I am very happy here, and I will do it as long as my health is good. My son is now involved with the company, and I have a new baby now, one and a half years old. Every day, I enjoy my life – it's a completely new, wonderful experience.”.
