Hegid Unites French Watchmaking and Haute Gastronomy in Paris

Hegid partners with Chef Valentin Néraudeau, celebrating French precision in watchmaking and gastronomy at the brand's Paris boutique.

Why It Matters

• At the Hegid Paris boutique, CEO Henrick Gauché and Chef Valentin Néraudeau hosted a cocktail dinner to mark a collaboration between two French disciplines, mechanical watchmaking and haute gastronomy, built on the same foundation: precision, locally sourced materials and independent production.
• Hegid invented the EVOL dressing complication, allowing owners to change the case, capsule or strap of a watch in seconds.
• Chef Néraudeau trained under Michelin-starred names including Michel Guérard and Philippe Legendre, opened his first restaurant in 2006, and holds the Procope Prize for traditional cuisine.
• The partnership directly reflects Hegid’s positioning as an independent French Maison offering high-grade mechanics at a competitive price, accessible to collectors across the Gulf.

Two disciplines, one evening. The Hegid Paris boutique became the setting for a cocktail dinner conceived to honour what France does at the highest level: mechanical precision and gastronomic craft. According to the brand, the event was organised jointly with Chef Valentin Néraudeau, a client and friend of the Maison, whose cooking career spans more than two decades and three Michelin-starred kitchens.

The Story Behind the Partnership

Shared values brought these two names together. Hegid has built its offer around French ateliers and French suppliers, keeping production local while maintaining the independence that allows the brand to price its watches accessibly relative to their complexity. Chef Néraudeau operates from the same conviction: his cuisine actively promotes French producers and farmers rather than sourcing ingredients for name alone.

Néraudeau’s trajectory is substantial. After training alongside Michel Guérard, Bernard Bach, Philippe Legendre, and the Pourcel brothers, all holding multiple Michelin stars, he became the youngest chef in France to open a restaurant in 2006. His 2019 recipe book “Desserts Addicts” received the Procope Prize for traditional cuisine. That same year he launched a private chef agency, shifting focus toward an intimate, exclusive clientele, an audience not unlike Hegid’s own collector community. For collectors who follow independent watchmaking through events such as Watches and Wonders, the overlap between these two worlds is clear.

Craftsmanship: The EVOL Complication

Hegid’s technical contribution to French watchmaking centres on EVOL, a dressing complication the Maison invented for mechanical watches. The system lets the owner swap the case, capsule or strap in seconds, so a single calibre can serve different occasions without compromise on mechanical quality. The brand emphasises that every component is sourced from the best available French suppliers, and that independence from large group ownership allows pricing to remain competitive.

For collectors in the Gulf interested in the principles of Fondation Haute Horlogerie, Hegid’s commitment to French origin and long-term durability places it within a coherent tradition of artisan-led manufacture.

On the Wrist and at the Table

Néraudeau’s guiding principles, flavour, balance and passion, translate directly to watchmaking vocabulary. A well-calibrated movement and a well-balanced plate require the same discipline: no single element may dominate, and the finish must hold under scrutiny. The Paris boutique dinner gave guests the opportunity to experience both expressions simultaneously, with the watch on the wrist and the chef’s cooking on the table.

Where Hegid Sits in the Market

As an independent French Maison influenced by the creativity of Parisian houses, Hegid occupies a precise position: mechanical rigour, local provenance and a modular ownership model that collectors can expand over time. A Hegid watch can be transformed with a new case, capsule or strap after purchase, making it a long-term proposition rather than a static acquisition. For collectors in the Emirates or across the Gulf seeking French watchmaking outside the established group structures, the brand’s price-to-craftsmanship ratio is worth attention.

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