Charlie Paris, a watchmaking company in search of meaning and quality, Interview with Adrien Sanglé Ferrière , co-founder of Charlie Paris


Charlie Paris, a watchmaking company that wants to stand out by combining quality and responsible manufacturing. Indeed, founded in 2014 the watchmaking house made in France wants to give meaning to its adventure. In particular, it wants to change consumption patterns in society in order to make it better. To do this, the brand is committed from the beginning to have a positive impact on the latter. This impact takes place on several scales, both environmental and societal. With simplicity and without great frills, the brand conducts its daily actions to offer trendy watches and made with meaning in France. The models are simple, elegant and above all durable over time. Adrien Sanglé Ferrière looks back at the beginnings of the Charlie Paris adventure and tells his success story in simplicity.

Founders Charlie Paris Adrien Sanglé Ferrière partner
Adrien Sanglé Ferrière and his partner in front of the Charlie Paris boutique. Photography: Charlie Paris


The Charlie Paris adventure is a success story. But how did the Charlie Paris brand come about?

Charlie Paris is a young French watchmaking company. As the name suggests, it takes its cues in the capital, Paris. Since 2014, the young house has been charting the lines of its adventure, which it masters point by point. The brand was born under the leadership of two students, including Adrien Sanglé Ferrière. The project of the two students came to fruition with the implementation of a crowdfunding.

If today crowdfunding is well democratized, at the time, we were the first to use this method of financing.

Adrien Sanglé Ferrière , co-founder of Charlie Paris

But it is not without reason that the two young creators decided to set up their project. Indeed, they have made a statement. Having a beautiful watch is often expensive and watchmaking is often a luxury. In this sense, they decided to offer watches that appeal with quality materials. The aim is to make quality watchmaking more accessible. At the same time, there is also a desire to break the codes of consumption to make it fairer.

What are the ambitions of the Charlie Paris brand?


Thus, the two young entrepreneurs enter the world of watchmaking with a watch brand that wants to be timeless to please everyone. For this, it offers sober watches with quality materials.

Charlie Paris watches have a remarkable design. This is what makes them unique, unique and durable.

Adrien Sanglé Ferrière , co-founder of Charlie Paris

In this sense, they are taking their first steps in an area of enthusiasts by starting with a first mixed collection. The watches are, as it were, the image of the capital, simple and elegant. It goes to say that French elegance is not a myth… With Charlie Pariswatches, nothing beats the right measure and elegance of raw and quality materials. Over the years, Charlie Paris has developed its offer and its models. However one point remains, sustainability. Indeed, the collections are permanent and last over time.

Today, our watch models vary between 100 and 800 euros depending on the movements or materials used.

Adrien Sanglé Ferrière , co-founder of Charlie Paris
Elegant men's model watch Charlie Paris
Charlie Paris watches evoke the right balance between sobriety, modernity and elegance. Photography: Charlie Paris

How are Charlie Paris watches made? What makes them unique?

If Charlie Paris watches have this little “I don’t know what” special, it’s also thanks to a remarkable value for money. Indeed, watches are offered at affordable prices without putting aside the quality of the components or the know-how.

Thus, the watches are assembled in Besancons by experienced watchmakers.

In France, Besançons is the cradle of watchmaking

Adrien Sanglé Ferrière , co-founder of Charlie Paris

This choice thus reflects a desire to highlight heritage while combining modernity and tradition. However, in the long term Charlie Paris would like to internalize its production in Paris to be in line with its values of centralization. In terms of the techniques used, Charlie Paris watches develop mainly around two mechanical movements in accordance with their responsible values. These are automatic movements and solar movements.

We really want to push these two models in line with our responsible approach

Adrien Sanglé Ferrière , co-founder of Charlie Paris


Moreover, if the Charlie Paris watch models are meant to be timeless, the brand still tries to limited editions with more marked and powerful models.

We collaborated with Matthieu Tordeur, the world’s youngest explorer

Adrien Sanglé Ferrière , co-founder of Charlie Paris


These collaborations remain strong with meaning with passionate profiles and committed by and for the environment.

So you follow a responsible approach, what actions are put in place?

Thus, Charlie Paris follows a responsible approach as an economic actor. To do this, the watch company is committed to various points, including production, packaging, raw materials and recycling methods.

Indeed, it produces its watches live, without the use of intermediaries. There is no overproduction and it plays with a controlled balance between permanent collections and limited editions. For packaging, it is eco-friendly. This involves ISO 14001 certified cases, designed from recycled cardboard and FSC-certified paper. The leather bracelets come from leather Working Group certified gold tanneries. The same goes for the bags that Charlie Parisalso offers.

In addition to watches we offer leather goods with leather bags produced in Spain in respect of the materials

Adrien Sanglé Ferrière , co-founder of Charlie Paris


Finally, the brand engages in a circular economy system. Thus, used watches are valued so as not to accelerate pollution and to be reused intelligently.

Men's watch Charlie Paris
Charlie Paris timeless watches leave no details to chance

How did the Charlie Paris brand develop with the principle of phygital?

The Charlie Paris brand is banking on a phygital strategy. Indeed, it has established itself from the beginning with a website. Initially, she did not own a shop per se. The only physical place was the offices. However, fairly quickly, clients needed a close experience and human contact.

Customers came to our offices to see the watches, they were in demand and needed this experience. Today we make 80% of our turnover live and 5% via partner shops.

Adrien Sanglé Ferrière , co-founder of Charlie Paris


Aware of the importance of a physical presence, the brand started with pop-up stores to present its products in addition to selling its products in partner stores. Indeed, in Bordeaux it is possible to find Charlie Paris watches at Horel at 28 rue de la motto. Following, she opened a shop in the swamp. Today, the outlet has been established in the 6th arrondissement.

We opened a new shop in the 6th arrondissement, three times bigger and on a street three times as busy

Adrien Sanglé Ferrière , co-founder of Charlie Paris

Indeed, if the brand is present from the beginning on digital, the customer experience is a point that it wants to greatly value. In this sense, it relies on a welcome in the shop and on the experience lived within the place in order to develop closeness with its customers. For this, she chose a space of 60 square meters, inspiring and completely redesigned by an interior designer. The venue is home to offices, assembly workshops and SAVs.


As a phygital brand, has COVID-19 impacted your business? What are your future prospects?

Even though Charlie Paris has been digitalized since its inception, it will be said that COVID-19 has not spared its activity. However, for Adrien Sanglé Ferrière, the situation needs to be put into perspective.

The crisis has had a big impact. Indeed, we have many customers who come to the shop to try their watch. With the closure of non-essential businesses, this was no longer possible. But we’ve had an increase in orders on the website. As a result, we are focusing our efforts on digital communication

Adrien Sanglé Ferrière , co-founder of Charlie Paris


Moreover, while the crisis has impacted Charlie Paris’business, it has not stopped the brand’s ambitions. Some projects underway before the pandemic have simply been postponed and hope to see the light of day as soon as possible. Adrien Sanglé Ferrière says he hopes to set up a laser engraving project. In addition, between May and June, a project is expected to be created. This is the release of a new edition of the Concordia watch that took the brand to Nazaré in Portugal. Indeed, this new model was designed with Thomas Traversa, Windsurfing World Champion. In addition, in September Charlie Paris watches are expected to be adorned with ambitious new designs thanks to an original collaboration with artists and an art gallery also located in the 6th arrondissement.

Sources:

Interview with Adrien Sanglé Ferrière co-founder of Charlie Paris, 31 March 2021

charlie-paris.com

Abonnez-vous à la Newsletter