Lebois & Co Heritage Atelier Small Seconds: when a dial tells the story of craftsmanship

In contemporary watchmaking, innovation doesn’t always come from a novel complication or a new movement. Sometimes it lies in a simple idea: shining a light on those whose work usually remains invisible. The artisans who shape a dial, engrave a texture or bring a material to life are rarely in the spotlight, even though they contribute so much to a watch’s identity.

This is precisely the philosophy behind Lebois & Co’s launch of its new Heritage Atelier Small Seconds collection. More than an aesthetic evolution, it marks the birth of “The Atelier,” the first space within a creative universe called “La Maison Lebois,” conceived as a meeting point between the brand and Switzerland’s finest independent artisans.

To inaugurate this new venture, Lebois & Co unveils two watches that share the same architecture but tell two very different stories: the Heritage Atelier Small Seconds Clous de Paris and the surprising Heritage Atelier Small Seconds Stroopwafel®.

A new chapter for an independent house

Fans of the brand may remember the project called Café Lebois, mentioned in recent months by its founder Tom van Wijlick.

The idea has evolved. Rather than building a single concept, Lebois & Co now envisions a broader universe, made up of several “pieces” that will open progressively. The first of these is called The Atelier.

The ambition is clear: to highlight the specialised workshops that give birth to a watch’s most refined components, while telling their story. A particularly relevant approach at a time when independent watchmaking is more focused on celebrating the women and men behind the creations than on multiplying limited editions without any real narrative.

GT Cadrans, the art of the dial taken to its highest level

For this first collaboration, Lebois & Co naturally turned to GT Cadrans.

Based in Lonay, in the canton of Vaud, this Swiss company is today regarded as one of the most prestigious independent dial specialists. Its workshop brings together more than thirty different trades, capable of combining traditional artisanal techniques with the most modern manufacturing processes.

Within the watch industry, GT Cadrans is one of those companies whose name remains little known to the general public, even though its expertise is regularly called upon by the very highest-end houses.

This collaboration therefore makes perfect sense: celebrating those who, far from the spotlight, give a watch its visual identity.

The Clous de Paris, a revisited classic

The first creation draws its inspiration from one of the most emblematic motifs in traditional watchmaking.

The Clous de Paris pattern has crossed the centuries without ever losing its elegance. Made up of countless tiny, perfectly aligned pyramids, it plays subtly with light and lends the dial’s surface depth as well as a sense of relief.

For this interpretation, GT Cadrans did not settle for simply applying a classic decoration.

The motif is achieved through meticulous diamond-cutting work that allows each facet to reflect light with remarkable finesse. The dial then receives a galvanic treatment using a 24-carat gold-based solution to obtain a delicate rose gold hue. Depending on the lighting, the reflections shift constantly, giving the dial a particularly lively presence.

The result is remarkably understated. Nothing is showy; everything rests on the quality of the finishing and the richness of the plays of light.

When a Dutch speciality inspires a Swiss watch

At first glance, it’s hard to imagine that a sweet treat could become a source of horological inspiration.

Yet that is exactly what happened at a watch fair in New York in 2024. The famous Stroopwafels, brought along by the Lebois & Co team to share with partners and retailers, sparked an unexpected thought: what if their distinctive texture became the starting point for a dial?

The idea may have seemed unusual. Yet it became reality.

The result is probably one of the most original proposals of the year. The dial faithfully reproduces the woven pattern that characterises this traditional speciality, born in Gouda at the beginning of the 19th century.

Achieved through extremely precise laser engraving, this texture is then enhanced with a caramel-coloured galvanic finish, once again obtained using a 24-carat gold-based solution.

To the naked eye, the dial immediately evokes the famous Dutch biscuit. Under a loupe, it reveals a remarkable level of detail that speaks to GT Cadrans’ technical mastery.

Far from being a mere playful nod, this creation perfectly illustrates contemporary watchmaking’s ability to find inspiration in unexpected cultural references.

A watch that lets its dial do the talking

Both models rest on a deliberately classic base, leaving all the room for the work done on the dial.

The 37.8 mm stainless steel case displays particularly balanced proportions. Its 10.5 mm thickness gives it a discreet elegance, reinforced by a double-domed sapphire crystal that accentuates the depth of the textures.

The transparent caseback reveals the automatic LC-350 calibre, a Swiss movement COSC-certified as a chronometer, delivering 56 hours of power reserve and displaying hours, minutes and a small seconds.

This deliberately streamlined architecture naturally showcases the watch’s true subject: its dial.

Another way of talking about craftsmanship

Through this collection, Lebois & Co ultimately offers an interesting reflection on what independent watchmaking can be today.

Rather than seeking to impress with a spectacular complication or a multitude of limited editions, the brand chooses to tell the stories hidden behind a watch’s components.

This approach is all the more coherent given that the two Heritage Atelier Small Seconds are not numbered limited series. Their production is organised in small batches, dictated directly by the time required for the artisanal manufacture of their dials.

The first orders will be open for just fourteen days, starting on 27 July 2026. An original way of respecting the pace of manufacturing rather than that of marketing.

Two dials, one shared philosophy

With the Heritage Atelier Small Seconds Clous de Paris and Stroopwafel®, Lebois & Co is not merely presenting two new watches. The brand is launching a new way of telling watchmaking’s story.

By putting the artisans who shape a timepiece’s most delicate components in the spotlight, it reminds us that a watch is above all a collective work, where every detail results from often little-known expertise.

Whether it’s an emblematic motif from watchmaking tradition or a texture inspired by a Dutch speciality, these two creations show that there are still many stories left to tell around a dial.

And if The Atelier is only the first piece of La Maison Lebois, one cannot help but be curious to discover the next doors the brand chooses to open.

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