François Simon-Fustier – Clockmaker, Master of Art

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes – 1962

François Simon-Fustier is a clockmaker. After his studies at Ecole d’Horlogerie of Anet (France) in 1981, he dedicated 11 years to electronic clockmaking, industry and research. In 1997, the loss of his father, also a clockmaker, encouraged him to discover the traditional techniques and to get close to the family passion of ancient clockmaking. He breathed life into this heritage with new techniques and created interactions between traditional restoration and R&D.

In 1999, he created L’Horloger de la Croix Rousse in Lyon (France). Today, his workshop still exists but is located at Caluire-et-Cuire in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. This heir restores clocks according to a strict deontology based on the history of the pieces, the techniques, and all elements of it. The approach of this workshop follows multiple values: transmission, respect and innovation.

2019 – Title of Maître d’Art.

2018-2020 – engineering and restoration of two clocks of Palais Mafra in Portugal.

2009 – Superior master’s degree in Watchmaking.

2007 – restoration of the Wagner Neveu’s clock at Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte.

2006 – Label EPV (Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant).

Research and innovation

François Simon-Fustier cares about innovation and sees in it the means to go further with his know-how. In 2016, he has started to work with 3D modelling with the software Chronospedia. It was developed in his workshop in order to create archives and a cultural mediation around traditional clocks. This project will be supported by Université Grenoble Alpes and will be host under UGA servers created by CNRS. Furthermore, this project is supported by the French ministry of culture and Dassault System.

Chronospedia has two objectives:

• The comprehension of each piece of a clock: thanks to this software, François Simon-Fustier creates numerical twins of a clock in order to see all the details of it and to find the missing pieces.
• The preservation of an ancient and contemporary object in time: this software will constitute an archive of technical documents.

Will to transmit

François Simon-Fustier is really attached to transmission. He participates to conferences and trainings, and he has been teaching his know-how since the opening of his workshop by welcoming apprentices each year. With the title of Mater of Art, he obtained in 2019, he has the task to train Robin Putinier. He teaches him his know-how but also the responsibility of being a director of a workshop.

Fondation Rémy Cointreau has supported François Simon-Fustier with the acquisition of two essential devices. These ones are essential for his trade and will be a guarantee of quality, efficiency and security.