XRby - History, Models and Owners' Reviews

XRby is a watch brand founded in 2020 in the French-Swiss Jura Arc, led by dial-maker and entrepreneur Xavier Rousset; it creates “art watches” in collaboration with craftspeople, as limited runs or bespoke commissions with a strong local footprint.

A Jura “bridge of arts” and the Art Watch

The founding idea is straightforward: unite watch mechanics and métiers d’art so that the dial becomes a manifesto, giving artists true creative carte blanche; the dial is the primary canvas, while the watch provides the stage.

Signature collaborations: Rose Saneuil, Matteo Stauffacher, Gabriel Colliard

Each XRby chapter stems from a meeting with an artisan (marquetry, enamel, engine-turning, miniature painting) and results in numbered, low-run pieces; these discreet series favour materiality, colour and legibility over complication one-upmanship.

• XRby Rose Saneuil Le Quetzal — Straw-marquetry dial (École Boulle lineage), 7-piece run; late-2020 launch; public price stated: CHF 19,800 incl. VAT.
• XRby Espressione Romantica — Cloisonné enamel by Matteo Stauffacher (Lausanne), 7-piece run; a study in “contrast”; public price stated: CHF 44,000 incl. VAT.
• XRby Gabriel Colliard — “Geneva technique” enamel miniature, saluting the Swiss cradle of decorative crafts; limited series (price: not disclosed).

Local, on-demand production and exceptional components

XRby emphasises production rooted in the Jura Arc (France–Switzerland): cases, components and dials are sourced from a network of specialist workshops, with watches made to order as limited runs or one-offs; this on-demand model bolsters traceability of know-how and thoughtful personalisation.

Positioning, pricing and distribution

The brand sits among “expression-driven” independents, with a short distribution (direct/dedicated partners) and deliberately low volumes; published price points range from about CHF 19,800 incl. VAT (Le Quetzal) to CHF 44,000 incl. VAT (Espressione Romantica), while special commissions are quoted case by case.

Conclusion

XRby appeals to collectors who see the dial as a self-standing artwork and want to wear an artisan’s gesture on the wrist. The identity is marked by the freedom granted to artists, the materiality of dials (straw, enamel, engine-turning) and intentionally simple reading. Depending on your taste (texture, colour, theme), you may favour lively marquetry, deep cloisonné enamel or luminous miniature painting. To gauge comfort, presence and day-to-day behaviour, rely on Dialicious customer reviews.

(Updated August 2025)