It was last year’s unidentified watch object: Pirro. A single brand, a single family, a single man at the helm, a single watch, all from Albania. Needless to say, it was a small explosion in the watchmaking microcosm, not accustomed to seeing watches of this scale come from a small country, certainly known for its art, but until then little inclined to challenge watchmaking.
And since then, and above all: what about tomorrow? Pirro continues to intrigue. Its present confounds, its future raises questions. In a landscape saturated with marketing where every manufacture strives to be as legible as possible, the UFO Pirro surprises and detonates.
30 Years Already
It would, however, be a mistake to underestimate the emerging trajectory of Pirro. This year, the family house, gathered around the father, Pirro Ruço, is celebrating its 30th anniversary. The man has been specializing since 1985 in the making of medals for Albanian leaders, then expanded his activity into jewelry. Pirro is, moreover, with this aspect of art jewelry, one of the very few workshops in Albania that designs and produces bespoke pieces itself. All these assets have allowed Pirro to establish himself as the backbone of all government gifts, thus ensuring Pirro Ruço a progressive income that he has dedicated to the development of his own artistic passions, notably watchmaking (with the Passion Primordiale) which synthesizes craftsmanship and the pursuit of a new artistic purpose.
« We have several projects in progress, » explains his daughter Alba. Asked about a potential future watch collection, the young woman dodges the question: « We have something in preparation, but my father is not yet satisfied with the movement, » she says. The future piece will always bear the family seal, and not commercial imperatives or fleeting fashion trends. A regular collection is expected, along with unique, very high-level pieces.
Finding a Universal Language
But that is not the main focus for Pirro, who once again steps off the beaten path to prioritize its own creative direction. « What matters to us is to tell a universal story, but in our own words, » continues Alba Ruço. « Our culture is Albanian, our know-how as well, but the roots of our clients are elsewhere, all over the world. We therefore need to find the perfect expression of our essence that, through the right story, the right design, the right techniques, can speak to everyone. To achieve a certain form of universalism. »
It is rare to hear, stated so clearly, the essential concerns of such a young watchmaking house – concerns that, very often, accelerate product releases to quickly reach financial balance. Pirro cares little about this, since the family company is still mainly funded by its medal and jewelry business. This relies in particular on the art of filigree (metalwork created by shaping a piece of wire, usually gold or silver, into an ornamental pattern).
Exclusive: a New Model in Preparation
For the moment, the brand confirms its watchmaking trajectory with a first limited series made in gold with an onyx dial engraved with a labyrinth pattern. Work on enamel is also underway. Other versions may follow, using alternative materials and other patterns, always marked with the seal of Albanian culture and able to claim a certain universality.
For now, that will have to suffice, and the customer accustomed to traditional Swiss Made watchmaking will have to wait: Pirro takes its time, the time to do things well, and in its own way. Enough to stir a few more desires…
