he daughter of Pascal Raffy, owner since 2001 of Bovet, Audrey Raffy is a global citizen. Raised in France, where she was born, Spain and Switzerland, she then moved to the United States where she graduated in Business from University of Miami. Encouraged by her father, she went on to study at Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago. A career in intellectual property or artificial intelligence awaited, but family ties proved stronger.

She remembers, as an eight-year-old, always asking to see the watch her father had chosen to wear that day and marvelling at the latest models, but as a young girl, she had other dreams.

Pascal Raffy imagined the Miss Audrey with his daughter, Audrey, in mind. The dial of this Miss Audrey Sweet Art is made from sugar, using an innovative process. It won the 2020 GPHG Ladies’ Watch Prize.

“First I wanted to be a professional singer or dancer,” she says. “In my teen years I was mad about karting. When I was twelve and living in Spain, I was racing at almost professional level. My love of Fine Watches came little by little. After ten years in the US, I wanted to be part of Bovet but not as ’Pascal Raffy’s daughter’. I wanted to bring something to the business.”

On graduating from Northwestern in 2020, Audrey Raffy joined Bovet as vice president and legal counsel at the Miami subsidiary. A fast learner, soon she was handling contracts, recruitment, customer relations and communication for the brand.

Bovet won the 2018 GPHG Aiguille d’Or with the Récital 22 Grand Récital.

Ms Raffy has energy and enthusiasm to spare, but admits she doesn’t have her father’s outgoing nature. “I’m quite a shy, reserved person. The first time I travelled to SIAR [Salón Internacional Alta Relojería, the fine watch show in Mexico City] by myself, in 2020, my mind was racing but it turned out to be much easier than I had imagined. I simply talked to people about art or whatever their passion was and the conversation flowed. The desire to convey your passion to the other person takes over.”

Bovet’s latest grande complication watch, the Récital 28 Prowess 1 is the first watch to solve the problem of daylight saving time.

She now represents Bovet at fairs, liaises with partners, dines with collectors around the world, gives her opinion on global communication and is more and more involved with the operational side of the business, including in Switzerland. She has found her place within the family firm… and the industry, as a member of the GPHG Academy. “On a personal level, it’s an immense honour to join the Academy and be part of everything it stands for,” she says.

Does she have a favourite watch? “The Miss Audrey, of course, which my father designed in 2014. I tend to prefer larger watches and grandes complications, but I love the delicateness and refinement of the Miss Audrey, especially when worn as a necklace. It’s unusual, practical and beautiful.”

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.