Gautier Massonneau is a French entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Trilobe, an independent watch brand established in Paris in 2018. Born into a family of architects and decorators, Massonneau’s professional background was originally in finance and banking rather than horology. His transition into the watchmaking industry was prompted by a personal interest in high-end timepieces and a desire to create a watch that reflected his own aesthetic and functional preferences.
The inspiration for Trilobe began when Massonneau sought a unique timepiece but found that his preferred models, such as the A. Lange and Sohne Zeitwerk, were beyond his financial reach at the time. This led him to conceptualize a different way of displaying time that moved away from traditional hands. With no formal training in watchmaking, he utilized his mathematical background and design sensibilities to develop a system of three rotating rings to indicate hours, minutes, and seconds.
Massonneau officially launched Trilobe in 2018 alongside co-founder Volcy Bloch. The brand’s name and logo are derived from the trilobe, an architectural motif found in European cathedrals, serving as a tribute to his parents’ profession. Initially, Massonneau adopted an asset-light business model, managing design and creative direction in Paris while outsourcing the technical research, development, and production to established Swiss manufacturers like Le Cercle des Horlogers.
Under Massonneau’s leadership, the brand introduced its debut collection, Les Matinaux, which established the signature three-ring time display. This was followed by subsequent collections including Nuit Fantastique and Une Folle Journee. These models further explored the architectural and poetic themes Massonneau favors, often drawing inspiration from literature, such as the works of Rene Char and Stefan Zweig, to name and frame the collections.
A significant aspect of Massonneau’s vision is the repatriation of watchmaking know-how to France. Over the years, he has transitioned the brand from a design-focused house to a more integrated manufacture. By 2023, he had established a workshop on Avenue de l’Opera in the heart of Paris, employing a team of watchmakers to handle assembly and finishing. This move was part of a long-term strategy to re-establish Paris as a center for high horology.
In 2025, Massonneau reached a major milestone with the unveiling of the Trente-Deux, a watch powered by the X-Nihilo calibre. This was the brand’s first movement entirely designed, engineered, and produced within its Parisian atelier. Massonneau has noted that this achievement makes Trilobe one of the few brands to operate a full manufacture in Paris, a feat he compares to the historical presence of watchmakers like Breguet in the city.
Massonneau’s approach to design is characterized by a “blank canvas” philosophy, unencumbered by the traditional rules of watchmaking schools. This perspective allowed him to patent a unique display where time is read through stationary pointers as the rings rotate counter-clockwise. His technical developments also include the X-Centric calibre, an automatic movement featuring a micro-rotor, which serves as the base for many of the brand’s innovations.
The brand has received international recognition within the horological community during Massonneau’s tenure. This includes several nominations at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve (GPHG). In 2022, the Nuit Fantastique Dune model won the “Petite Aiguille” award, an accolade that validated the brand’s unconventional approach to independent watchmaking on a global stage.
Beyond the technical aspects of the movements, Massonneau has focused on creating a personalized luxury experience. This is exemplified by the “Secret” collection, which uses an astronomical algorithm to allow customers to customize a watch dial with the exact starry sky of a specific date and location. This integration of mathematical precision and personal emotion is a recurring theme in his work.
Gautier Massonneau continues to lead Trilobe with a 20-year vision for the brand, focusing on independence and the continued integration of manufacturing capabilities in France. His career represents a shift from the financial sector to the artisanal world, driven by a commitment to architectural design and the revitalization of French watchmaking traditions.