dnane Kerd, the founder of Guebly, comes from a truly international background. We meet him at the Hôtel d’Angleterre in Geneva, where he recounts his journey, from growing up between Tunisia and France to moving to Ningbo, China, to work in import-export, before relocating again to London and Casablanca.

“But there was one constant throughout my career: I’ve collected watches for as long as I can remember,” he recalls. “In fact, it started when my father took me to a flea market as a child, and I bought a Swiss-made watch featuring a miniature painting of Tintin. At just nine years old, I was already using a loupe. As a collector, you always fantasise about your dream piece. If you know how to draw, you sketch it. And I did exactly that, in 2016!”

His studies in micro-construction, specialising in design and industrialisation in microtechnology, gave him an advantage in transforming that sketch into a conceptual design. But there was a hurdle: breaking into watchmaking and bringing an often-idealistic drawing to life in production. Kerd admits, “Watchmaking fascinated me but it was daunting to enter this field. When you’re passionate about something, you dream… Yet, I was very intimidated.”

“As a collector, you always fantasise about your dream piece. If you know how to draw, you sketch it. And I did exactly that, in 2016!”

A life change

Kerd began by making rough sketches to see where his ideas might lead. He then moved on to designing in SolidWorks, which he had mastered during his training. He also explored the potential of 3D printing, which was rapidly advancing at the time, allowing him to produce a first prototype that he showed to other enthusiast friends. And they challenged him: if he could make it into a real watch, they would purchase it.

“I designed it with both aesthetics and functionality in mind. What I envisioned is, give or take a few lines, the same watch as the piece I’m showing you today. The ultimate validation is when someone buys your product; they’re giving not just their money but also their time. That really encouraged me to keep going with my project.”

Adnane Kerd with Hamdan Bin Humaid Al Hudaidi, founder of the Perpétuel boutique in Dubai.

But he could no longer pursue it solely in his spare time. In 2017, he decided to sell his company and return to school to take watchmaking courses in Besançon. He states that he did it out of ’pure passion’, as ’becoming a watchmaker means nothing without ten or fifteen years of experience’, and therefore, it is a title he does not claim.

“At the same time, I met with many professionals, and my standards became more refined over the years,” Kerd says. His initial idea of a ‘beautiful watch’ evolved into haute horlogerie. “As I also continue to collect and grow to appreciate this craft all the more – its attention to detail in finishing and the respect for independent artisans over brand names.”

A dream team

But all this took time, and as he was testing several suppliers, years went by. Kerd says, “After a while, people started to think I was crazy: this guy who talks about his project every day, but nothing concrete ever seems to come of it… There was a kind of indirect pressure, but I knew I could do it. I just needed to meet the right people, because above all, I wanted to surround myself with the best, whether it was for the watch itself, the strap, or even the box.”

Little by little, he built his horological ‘dream team’. “They had to meet my standards and, more importantly, those of my collector friends to whom I had made commitments. This meant being on par with, or even surpassing, the quality of what I collect. Each step had to be entrusted to highly skilled artisans, and I quickly learned that the most talented ones always work for themselves. It’s a bit like a poker game; you’re looking for the right cards and, in the end, you must have the royal flush!”

The first person he turned to was Nathalie Jean-Louis, a former Greubel Forsey employee who became a specialist in anglage (bevelling) and decoration. Next came Jérôme Crevoisier, a director at Voutilainen, in charge of the watch exterior; Christophe Beuchat, former head of Comblemine, partnered with Sylvain Pinaud for machining the bridges and mainplate; and Atelier Jean Rousseau for the straps. Kerd reasons, “Skills matter, of course, but they also share a common trait: they’re exceptional individuals, friendly, approachable, and a pleasure to work with. This is equally important because my project embodies family values!”

Guebly: the original name comes from a desert wind.

So, where does the name ‘Guebly’ come from? It refers to a warm desert wind that blows gently but can quickly lead to heatstroke if one isn’t careful. “In Tunisia, during the summer, from 11 AM to 6 PM, we stay indoors to protect ourselves from it and enjoy family life… meanwhile, unsuspecting tourists suffer from heatstroke and sunburn,” explains Kerd. It’s a wind for those ‘in the know’ or ‘the informed,’ so to speak. “And it’s what always brought us together as a family,” he adds. “In much the same way, this watchmaking project became my second family, made up of artisans.”

“I quickly learned that the most skilled artisans always work for themselves. Gradually, this watchmaking project became my second family.”

And finally...

As time went on, the project evolved in its finishes and certain details, such as the logo, which went through four iterations before arriving at the final version created by typographer Johann Terrettaz. As for the final design of the piece, it was refined by Eric Giroud, based on sketches developed over the years by Kerd himself. “Eight years of work,” he notes, “and in just three hours, he pinpointed exactly what needed to be adjusted to make the design complete. You have to work with people who have a lot of experience. Lost time can never be recovered… Besides, even bad encounters served as training, as every experience pays off in the end.”

Kerd says he didn’t immediately ‘accept’ this watch. “You always have doubts after such a long development process. Do you really have the right product in front of you? But it reflects who I am. And now, I’ve come to find it very beautiful (laughs).”

The Prologue model can be described as sport-chic, with its titanium case, deep blue dial, and retrograde seconds. The construction of the automatic movement, equipped with a micro-rotor, was carried out by Olivier Mory and finished at Sylvain Pinaud’s workshop. Assembly takes place in Geneva. According to its creator, it’s ‘an everyday piece, pleasant to wear and to look at, no matter the context’. He also mentions that he spent ‘a great deal of time’ finding the Pantone shade for the dial: a timeless blue that makes you dream. “My supplier asked me: do you want Patek blue, Vacheron blue, or Journe blue? But I wanted my own blue! You could say I’m a perfectionist…”

He also emphasises the importance of his preparation work: “If you don’t fully understand the nuances, you risk choosing the worst component at the highest price. Knowing the difference between diamond-cut and machine-polished indexes is essential. We applied a white undercoat beneath the SLN to enhance luminescence, which meant doing the decal first. As for the material, I wanted to create a watch that’s easy to wear – something you can almost forget you’re wearing, while still knowing it’s there. Titanium was a natural choice, including for the movement, in order to maintain maximum consistency in colours and finishes.”

Consistency, as one might expect, is the bare minimum for this purist. The model, produced in a limited run of 20 pieces priced at 32,800 CHF, is already sold out. The company partners with a network of retailers specialising in independent brands, such as Perpétuel in Dubai and The Limited Edition in London. Kerd asserts, “After all this effort, we had to work with people who truly understand what we’re doing.”

“My supplier asked me: do you want Patek blue, Vacheron blue, or Journe blue? But I wanted my own blue! You could say I’m a perfectionist…”