Jorg Hysek ranks amongst the best known and most successful watches designers. He was born on May 14, 1953 in Berlin (East) and in 1960 came with his parents, just before the construction of the Wall, to Geneva.


 1. What did your father do? what did your mother do?  

My father was a goldsmith who allowed me to grow in a family where creativity was omnipresent. For me the magic of childhood is innocence and I enjoyed it to the full.

2. As a child did you have any driving ambition? What did you want to be?

Yes, my first ambition was and remains freedom.

3. What is your first memory as a child?

A charming midwife.

4. Have you ever had another profession? What did you do?

Yes, numerous and quite varied, one of the most beautiful was street painter.

5. What made you choose to become a designer?  Who have you worked for in the past?  What made you decide to go in the direction you have chosen.

I had intended to continue my studies as a sculptor in Italy which was interrupted by a lack of funds, purely by chance I was hired by Rolex as a designer.

I really like it! and this job became my life and my passion

6. What’s the worst job you’ve had to do?

Having nothing to do.

7.  What’s been the hardest moment in your life so far, and how did you over-come it?

I am waiting for it, with grit.

8. Who has had the strongest influence on you?

Inspirations come to us, it is enough to seize them and for me it is at sea that I find myself becoming inspired.

9.  What are you most proud of?

To be a forerunner in watchmaking design, the most recent example is the "Slyde" watch launched in 2011.

10.  What advice would you give to a 20 something someone thinking of taking a similar path as you?

My advice, only work and perseverance leads to success without forgetting to dare to take risks.

11.  Name three things on your bucket list.

Today my first ambition is "Time Art", the concept will be presented during Baselworld 2018.

12. Where do you think the industry is going to be in 10 year’s time.

An in-depth reorientation of the watch industry is inevitable.

The digitization of time is now more than just evident and I am sure that the Swiss watch industry will know how to mark the difference in luxury.