Nousseïma Baraket is a French entrepreneur and the founder of Buci, an independent Parisian watchmaking brand established in 2022. Born in the Franche-Comte region, France’s historical center for horology, Baraket was exposed to the technical aspects of watchmaking from a young age, though she does not come from a family of watchmakers. Her professional path initially led her to the cultural sector, including a role at the Arab World Institute, and she built a career in project management before transitioning into the watch industry.
The foundation of Buci was driven by Baraket’s desire to merge her two primary interests: mechanical horology and literature. Seeking to create timepieces that moved beyond traditional sports or automotive associations, she envisioned a brand that “poetizes time.” This vision resulted in the launch of her first collection, the Garde-Temps automatique, through a successful Kickstarter campaign in April 2022. The brand is noted for its “Made in France” commitment, with assembly in Mulhouse and components sourced from the French and Swiss Jura mountains, including movements from the Newton manufacture and hands from the last remaining hand-making factory in France.
Baraket’s design philosophy is characterized by literary motifs, such as dials textured like paper, indices shaped like fountain pen nibs, and leather straps embossed with verses from poets like Guillaume Apollinaire and Rumi. Under her leadership, Buci has gained significant industry recognition, including a nomination for the 2022 Watch of the Year (La Montre de l’Année) in Paris. She has also expanded the brand’s reach through retail partnerships with Printemps Haussmann and creative collaborations with figures such as seconde/seconde/. As one of the few female founders in the independent watch space, Baraket is recognized for bringing a distinct, artistic perspective to contemporary French watchmaking.