Wei Koh sits down with Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, President of Chopard and Ferdinand Berthoud, at Watches and Wonders 2026 to explore the philosophy behind the Chronomètre FB 2TV—featuring a flying tourbillon, fusee-and-chain transmission and a zero-reset seconds mechanism—highlighting the maison’s uncompromising pursuit of precision, craftsmanship, and mechanical integrity.
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Questions asked in this interview
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0:07and the specific award is for the watch of the year. Right?
2:21I know this was not an easy journey, but how does it make you feel today that Ferdinand Berthoud is considered to be one of the very top in the entirety of independent watchmaking?
7:01It's uh, may I ask you to how how it functions?
9:14You know, actually I was thinking also that in the realm of super high watchmaking there's actually remarkably few watches that are also chronometer certified, yeah?
So, I guess the first thing I need to do is present you an award. These are called challenge coins, so you can actually open them up and they're they're little coins.
and the specific award is for the watch of the year. Right? And it's for the watch number three. Oh, wow. And I have to say what it was unanimous when we spoke to all of our editors. This was one of the most incredible accomplishments in watchmaking in recent memory. I think the idea that you first bought these machines and set up an atelier years ago. Then had to update and repair these machines, build tools to repair the machines, then hire a whole new generation of artisans who then had to educate themselves on this before you could even start to begin to create the first pinion or wheel, and then create such a magnificent watch that is totally handmade, and then to make it meaningful because you have a split by metallic balance wheel which incidentally no one had made in I think 100 years plus. Figure out that technology and then of all things submitted to cost and then do exceptional there. It was really something that from someone who loves watchmaking it is one of the most inspiring things that has ever been achieved. So, bravo and that's that's for you.
Wow. Thank you. We and uh and thank you on behalf of the whole team. Because obviously I didn't do this myself. We it was a very big team. Or it is rather a very big team because we continue this efforts because we decided that this was really only the beginning of wonderful journey that took us the better part of almost 4 years, as you know, 5 almost 5. And this was more than a watch at the end of the day; it is really an incredible experience for the entire team. And I guess that was the biggest take for me. And we are really honored. Thank you.
We're honored, so bravo. Thank you. So, I guess the first thing I'd like to discuss with you is when I speak to collectors and I had the opportunity to meet some of the most extraordinary collectors here last night. Ferdinand Berthoud now has been uplifted and held in a position where it's one of the clear leaders in independent watchmaking in terms of meaningful horology. So, authentically connected to the roots of Ferdinand Berthoud and his specialization in marine chronometers and of course accuracy. And the idea that you're trying from a mechanical system that's hundreds of years old to ring the last drop of accuracy in the best way possible, but in combination with that the craft of extraordinary finishing. I know this was not an easy journey, but how does it make you feel today that Ferdinand Berthoud is considered to be one of the very top in the entirety of independent watchmaking?
Well after roughly 10 years after the first introduction of the FB1, the first Ferdinand Berthoud wristwatch ever made, you have to consider that we spent another 6 years before that trying to figure out what Ferdinand Berthoud would have done.
If he were to make this wristwatch. And trying to figure this out was really what gave us the initial philosophy that never changed. Because we retained that Ferdinand Berthoud was obviously the most innovative watchmaker, scientist, and teacher, writer, and so on. For him, it was all about precision and it was all about some kind of simplicity in his constructions. And everything was just looked in place beautifully made. And this was the initial inspiration we kept all the way through the last 10 years and obviously also for watch number three. While doing so, we kept on repeating to ourselves 'there's no compromise' and we can still improve. Basically that's the result. It's a wonderful journey even though a difficult one.
Well, I know that you have always taken the long-term view, and I think that challenges or going uphill because I know that's the way you like to do in your leisure time has never bothered you. But really not many people would take that journey with so much integrity, so bravo. And if I may ask you about the watch that we have in front of us.
Well, here I think you also have a very meaningful new construction because it is based in a way, it is inspired by the first the FB1, and we had all through the years so many clients asking us if we could feature all this interesting fusee chain and tourbillon and all of this visible from the front. I remember. So it stuck to our minds and we spoke about it for quite a few years actually before picking up the idea and really setting up to do it. And you find the essence of FB1 turned around looking at you. That's amazing. And we added a very nice feature which is the flyback, which makes the backside also look rather interesting indeed.
Scheufele, K. (2026, April 16). Ferdinand Berthoud at Watches & Wonders 2026: The Pursuit of Precision with Karl-Friedrich Scheufele [Interview transcript]. Revolution Watch. CEOInterviews.AI. https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/1027238/
MLA
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele. "Ferdinand Berthoud at Watches & Wonders 2026: The Pursuit of Precision with Karl-Friedrich Scheufele." Revolution Watch, 16 Apr. 2026. Transcript, CEOInterviews.AI, https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/1027238/.
BibTeX
@misc{scheufele2026_1027238,
author = {Karl-Friedrich Scheufele},
title = {Ferdinand Berthoud at Watches \& Wonders 2026: The Pursuit of Precision with Karl-Friedrich Scheufele},
howpublished = {Interview transcript, Revolution Watch. CEOInterviews.AI},
year = {2026},
month = {apr},
url = {https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/1027238/},
note = {Speaker-attributed transcript with timestamps}
}
