is father, a draftsman, taught him how to draw the “old-fashioned way” using a Rotring pen on tracing paper. That’s when Andrea Furlan discovered a passion for sketching objects – any kind of object but especially the line and detail of automotive design.

His love of watches originated with the Rolex his grandfather never took off... except when his grandson wanted to sketch it.

His grandfather’s vintage Rolex on the watchmaker’s cabinet he gifted to him and which once belonged to Albert F. Piguet.

Furlan’s interest in timepieces grew through a series of internships, including at Hublot, at HD3 Complication (alongside designer Jorg Hysek) and at Chopard where he produced the gouaches for a pendant which the brand gifted to tennis player Roger Federer. He went on to study industrial design at Ecole Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL).

One of the main takeaways from his studies was “learning how to use 2D and 3D design tools. It meant I could develop the brand fully and do most of the work myself rather than going through an agency.”

Creating a brand was “a childhood dream. Fresh out of ECAL I was lucky enough to work alongside Dominique Renaud on the DR01. After four years working with Dominique I decided to take off and travel around Asia. I wanted to get a feel for industrial production and understand how it was different to the Swiss way of doing things. My goal has always been to make watches that are affordable without compromising on finishing. My business partner Hamad Al Marri thinks the same way.”

“My goal has always been to make watches that are affordable without compromising on finishing.”

A 2021 Kickstarter campaign to fund the launch of Furlan Marri reached its CHF 75,000 goal in less than a minute and ended up raising CHF 1.2 million in 30 days. Leaving nothing to chance, the two entrepreneurs had laid the groundwork and, prior to the campaign, sent their watch to collectors, asking for their opinion. “This gave us the green light and it snowballed from there,” Furlan says. “We were able to get the project off the ground and establish the brand.”

The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève Horological Revelation Prize in November 2021 put Furlan Marri squarely on the map. Just two and a half years later, production has already passed the 20,000 watches mark.

The first Furlan Marri film features the watchmaker’s bench and cabinet given to Andrea Furlan by his grandfather. They once belonged to Albert F. Piguet, the master watchmaker behind such legendary calibres as the Lemania 27CHRO C12 chronograph, developed in 1940 for Omega. A slice of history which the brand continues today.

Alongside its entry-level mechaquartz and mechanical watches, Furlan Marri is developing a range of affordable, hand-finished complication timepieces, with patents pending for annual, perpetual and secular calendars. A dead seconds model is also in the pipeline. All have one thing in common: “spread the love of watches through a combination of mechanisms and emotions.”

Alongside its entry-level mechaquartz and mechanical watches, Furlan Marri is developing a range of affordable, hand-finished complication timepieces.

About the GPHG Academy

The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) Academy was established in 2020. Its 840-plus members are men and women who believe in the common destiny of watchmaking. Experienced and respected stakeholders in key sectors relating to the watch industry, Academy members preselect the watches that will compete in the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève and, alongside the Jury, vote for the year’s winners.