Krayon is an independent Swiss watch brand founded in 2017 by Rémi Maillat, a microtechnology engineer and watch designer. Based in Neuchâtel, Maillat established the company after developing a career designing complex movements for major luxury houses, most notably spending six years at Cartier. The brand operates from a historic lakeside atelier where a small team of artisans follows a “One Watch, One Watchmaker” philosophy, ensuring each piece is hand-finished and assembled by a single craftsperson.
The brand has gained recognition for its ability to translate complex mathematical and astronomical calculations into mechanical complications. Enthusiasts are primarily drawn to Krayon for its focus on ephemeral solar data, specifically the ability to calculate and display sunrise and sunset times. This technical prowess is balanced by a design language that emphasizes wearable dimensions and high-luxury finishing, including champlevé enamel and meticulous hand-polishing.
Key pieces from the brand include the Everywhere, its inaugural model released in 2017, which stands as the first mechanical watch capable of calculating sunrise and sunset times for any location on Earth. This was followed by the Anywhere, a more streamlined and refined version that allows for a specific location to be set by a watchmaker, which won the Calendar and Astronomy Prize at the 2022 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. More recently, the brand introduced the Anyday, which features a unique mechanical agenda complication, allowing the wearer to set a specific date and time for a personalized event display. Each collection is typically produced in very low volumes, often limited to approximately 50 timepieces per year across the entire brand.
