The maison

Forty years in the Vexin

The B.R.M manufacture was founded in 1986 by the hands of Bernard Richards. It designs, machines and assembles its chronographs in Magny-en-Vexin, one hour from Paris — and not in the Vallée de Joux.

Watchmaker's hands holding a B.R.M chronograph in the workshop

Everything is done under one roof.

B.R.M Chronographes · Magny-en-Vexin, France

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Manufacture creation

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First B.R.M watch

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Digital machines

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Simultaneous machining

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By millimetre

French manufacture

Far from the Vallée de Joux

A turreted château, surrounded by water and formal gardens, in the

It is in the Parc naturel régional du Vexin français, close to Paris, that B.R.M watches come to life.

Between rolling countryside and emblematic sites of French history, the surroundings also offer the driving routes appreciated by enthusiasts of fine mechanics. It is in this setting that the brand has drawn its inspiration.

The manufacture is family-owned. It has its own machining centre, which allows it to move swiftly from concept to creation: localised production, technical autonomy, and the freedom to innovate without depending on anyone.

Everything is done under one roof. Design, machining, skeletonisation, assembly and quality control take place within metres of one another. When the component is machined next to the workbench, it can be reworked, modified or remade.

B.R.M Chronographes
Magny-en-Vexin, France

Desk clock, watch, pens and desk objects arranged on a beige background

A family heritage

It all begins at fourteen

Between Bernard Richards and watchmaking, it all began when he was just fourteen years old. His parents, jewellers by profession, expanded their field of expression to watches and founded a high-end brand, Richards Zeger. Embarked on this family adventure, he attended in turn schools of watchmaking, micromechanics and jewellery.

With the benefit of experience, he founded the B.R.M manufacture in 1986 and embarked upon the production of clocks and watches, as well as pens and lighters for prestigious international luxury houses.

Portrait in the manufacture's workshop, in front of the benches

2003 · Birth of the marque

A watch he could not find

A passionate enthusiast of horology and motorsport, Bernard Richards could not find on the market the timepiece that corresponded to his vision of a mechanical watch. In 2003, he produced the first sketches of what would become the first B.R.M Chronographes watch.

It will be called GP-44.

It came to life in the depths of a barn in the French Vexin, machined on the house's first numerically controlled lathe.

Our ambition has always been to stand apart by creating unique, colourful and audacious pieces.

Bernard RichardsFounder of B.R.M Chronographes

Since 2003

Our iconic models

Twelve timepieces, each of which shifted something within the workshop.

2003

GP-44

The first B.R.M watch, born at the back of a barn in the French Vexin and machined on the house's first CNC lathe.

2004

V12

The GP-44 is joined by the V6 and V12, still the brand's best-sellers today.

2006

R50

The first watch with a floating movement, mounted on three carbon triangles.

2007

Birotor

The first watch on the market equipped with seven crystals, offering a view of the six faces of the case.

2012

MK-44

The world's lightest automatic chronograph: case in Makrolon®, caseback in Fortal® HR, under 50 grammes.

2014

V6-44-SA

SA for Shock Absorber: the first watch whose movement is suspended by three semi-recumbent shock absorbers.

2016

DDF12

Inspired by the brake discs of racing cars. Its titanium case is in itself a machining challenge.

2022

FF39-40

FF for Full-Floating: conceived to defy the laws of gravity, it embodies the very essence of weightlessness.

2023

Boat Master

An entire nautical range, born from a passion for sailing and sea exploration.

2026

Clock Machines

Seven desk clocks, each machined from a mechanical component, from steering wheel to propeller. Aluminium machined from the solid, 20 numbered pieces per shade.

2026

V6-42-EV

The V6 in 42 mm, driven by the EV42 automatic calibre whose escapement is revealed through the dial.

2026

V6-44 GMT

A terrestrial globe at the heart of the dial and a second time zone, powered by the Soprod C125 GMT calibre. Five versions, five cities.

Scroll the timeline to the right →

Watchmaking artistry

Machining, skeletonising, assembling

B.R.M is the only French manufacture to master every stage of the creation of its timepieces in its entirety.

Metal parts on a tray, beneath the spindle of a numerically controlled machine

Machining

Machined from the solid

The manufacture has a fleet of fourteen CNC machines capable of machining up to eleven axes: machining is carried out from solid, to within a hundredth of a millimetre.

Each element is cut separately, which allows different materials and superalloys to be assembled on a single watch. This construction, borrowed from luxury motor cars, permits unique treatment of each piece, from its manufacture to its finish.

What a French manufacture does

V6-44-SA with orange skeletonised dial, placed on a racing car body

Red spring shock absorber between the case and the skeletonised movement, close-up

Skeletonisation

A movement that floats

Each skeletonised movement is conceived and skeletonised by hand by the workshop teams, whether it is a Swiss Made calibre or a movement manufactured in-house. Material is removed until only what works remains.

The casing ring is mounted on shock absorbers — the technology Shock Absorbers — and the movement is suspended within the case. That is why the dial is openworked: there is nothing to hide.

Understanding the mechanism The skeletonisation of a Valjoux 7753

Yellow-gloved hand holding a row of metal links, beneath a spray of powder

Watchmaker's hands assembling a movement at the bench

Assembly

Piece by piece, then a number

Each watch is assembled piece by piece at the workbench, inspected, then numbered. It leaves the atelier with a three-year warranty, in addition to the statutory guarantee of conformity.

Materials

Five materials, one workbench

Carbon

Cases and dials. Durable, lightweight, resistant to shocks and corrosion.

Titanium

Cases, crowns, lugs, screws, casebacks, buckles. Stainless, lightweight, ductile, ideal for everyday wear.

Makrolon®

Cases. Transparent, it reveals the heart of the watch; lightweight and resistant at once.

Black PVD

Cases, pushers, lugs, screws, casebacks, buckles. A coating that opens up a multitude of colours and finishes.

Ceramic

Surface treatment: a palette of vibrant and enduring shades.

Gloved hand applying lacquer with a fine brush, on a multicoloured test palette

Finishes

Everything can be personalised

B.R.M is the only manufacture in the world to offer an unlimited choice of finishes and personalisations.

Personalised engraving
Surface and deep engraving, carried out in the atelier.
Bespoke dial
Dials are printed individually, on UV printing machines installed at the manufacture.
Lacquer application
Epoxy lacquer applied by hand then cured in an oven, on the case, crown or pushers.

Compose your watch

A craftswoman polishing a skeletonised component at the workbench

A traditional craft

Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant

The B.R.M manufacture has been awarded the « Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant » distinction by the Institut National des Métiers d'Art and the Ministry of Economy and Finance. This state label, granted following rigorous assessment, recognises the excellence of a French artisanal craft.

Engine-turning, gem-setting, hand-applied lacquer: the craft relies on artisans — engraver-finisher, turner-miller, dedicated watchmaker — who shape the components by hand.