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A true story...

from the 18th century on...


Michel Fréret-Roy is a passionate man... First, at the beginning of his carreer, passionate about public works projects all aver the world. After having travelled around the globe as executive of French engineering and major construction groups and director of foreing subsidiaries for these groups, he decided to move to the watchmaking business, his passion for watches being the strongest and  horology being truly in his blood!


Thus, from  beginning of the 18th century, Michel mother's family, the Roy family, has been active in the watchmaking industry in Switzerland, in Couvet also called le Val de Travers, in the Canton of Neuchâtel .

In 1802, a member of this family named Abraham-Henri, left his native Switzerland and settled as a watchmaker in Rouen, Normandy, France. A few years later, in 1818, he founded his own watch factory in the village of Saint Austreberthe, 15 miles away from Rouen. His young manufacture will reach its apogee with his son Henri-Julien Roy, known as Henri Roy, born in 1827, the great-great-grandfather of Michel Fréret-Roy, who will revolutionize bell-tower clock manufacturing and develop a number of inventions and patents in the second half of the 19th century. For a more complete history, please refer to the "History & Museum" page.

 
First in 1997, Michel Fréret-Roy came back to the Roy family tradition and created his watch distribution company with his wife Sophie, and the support of his parents too, his father Jean Fréret, a public works contractor, and his mother Christiane Roy, and the family watchmaking adventure began again...

Then in June 2005, Sophie and Michel Fréret-Roy decide to open their first boutique with the name "Fréret-Roy", on the corner of Rue de la Paix and the world-famous Place Vendôme in Paris. Rather than simply advertise "Horlogerie-Joaillerie" in english "Watches & Jewelry", they choose the taglines "Montres et Merveilles" and "Watches & Wonders" (long before a Geneva show of the same name was created) to signal their free spirit and different approach to the business.  They offer watch brands that are both luxurious and atypical at the same time, off-the-beaten path of traditional Swiss brands that many consumers are familiar with.


As from 2006, very shortly after the opening of the boutique, Michel Fréret-Roy – still with the support of his wife – decided to launch his own exclusive line of jewelry, comprised mostly of rings and pendants, meant to subtly capture brilliance and emotions, which truly allowed the store to deliver the “Wonders” they promised. All these creations are designed by Michel Fréret-Roy, approved by Sophie (for the feminine spirit that is essential) are handcrafted in Paris, in the respect of the French jewellery tradition. In fact, most of the models are unique pieces handmade, and most of the models are registered.


At the end of 2011, Michel and Sophie Fréret-Roy, launched their first collection of watches under the name “Fréret-Roy 1818”, thus marking a return to the family’s roots of creating fine timepieces since 1818. These watches are still manufactured in Switzerland and their heritage was captured specifically in the brand’s “A.O.C” collection.


Since then the brand has developed a specialty in skeleton watches, allowing wearers to appreciate fully the complexity and beauty of a Swiss mechanical watch movement, and these figure prominently in Fréret-Roy 1818’s collections.


The Coeur Ouvert® Nouvelle Vague V1 model, produced in 99 pieces, was a great success and helped launch the brand and guide its strategic and aesthetic choices. All the models of this first collection, which you can find in the "History & Museum" section, are sold out.


This initial success allowed the brand to present its V2 version, part of its new collection launched at the end of 2015, featuring a newly redesigned case as well as, especially from 2021, new exclusive models...

Michel Fréret-Roy

Our specialty:

"Skeleton" watches !


The "Coeur Ouvert® Tourbillon", is our emblematic complication celebrating the brand's ten years of creation. This tourbillon watch is equipped with a 100% Swiss caliber, fully skeletonized and transparent.

In 2021, we celebrated the tenth anniversary of the brand Fréret-Roy 1818 and of our first "Coeur Ouvert® Nouvelle Vague"...


Discover our brand below and in the following pages or by clicking on the corresponding buttons...

Nowadays, Fréret-Roy 1818 watches are no longer manufactured in the historic Roy factory in Sainte Austreberthe dedicated to monumental watches, but are manufactured in Switzerland, by independent and small workshops located in the Swiss Jura, in Le Locle, La Chauds de Fonds and other places...

The mention of the year 1818 is there to remind us that my ancestors have been making timepieces with our name since 1818, for two hundred years. No marketing concept, a simple reminder of a true legitimacy. Nothing invented, authenticity is my rule. The Roy watchmaking branch is unfortunately extinct, but I wanted to bring it back to life by marrying my two patronymic names Fréret (my father) and Roy (my mother).

The Collection has been named "A.O.C." for "Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée". Families of exclusive watches, all edited in limited series.
Thus, the model Cœur Ouvert® Nouvelle Vague V1, launched at the end of 2011 and produced in 99 pieces, has been a great success and is now sold out as well as the other models of this first collection, which you can find in the "History & Museum" page.


  The "skeleton" watches are at the "heart" of the Fréret Roy 1818 collections!


Skeleton watches with cut-out calibers have made the success of our brand since its launch in 2011. It is our signature. Presented at the end of 2015, our new collection inaugurated our exclusive Fréret Roy 1818 case. Thus, our Coeur Ouvert® Nouvelle Vague V2 models in steel or black steel, Coeur Ouvert® 120H, Grand Coeur Ouvert® Fantôme and Coeur Ouvert® Chronographe give pride of place to "skeleton" watches, and to celebrate our tenth anniversary discover our Coeur Ouvert® Tourbillon, a model the design of which is registered is the first handmade tourbillon of an independent French brand.


Skeleton watches, but not only!


To please those of you who prefer to look at a dial rather than the movement of their watch, we also propose our "120H Retrograde" model with a classic dial declined in different colors, as well as a chronograph with a Power Reserve display, proposed with a red dial or a "sartorial" dial for which you can choose the details and colors...


Discover also our other exclusive line "Petite Minute®" watches, a world Premiere !


On the page "Press Area" you will find at the top of the page high definition photos of our latest novelties.

Discover the history of the Roy family
and our brand on the page:

History & Museum

Designer of unique, handmade High Jewelry

All our jewelry models are unique pieces , custom-made or made-to-order. The pieces are handmade, handcrafted in Paris.

High-quality precious stones: diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds,

or fine stones like red and pink spinels, tanzanites, tourmalines, aquamarines, etc ...

The paving diamonds are of superior quality TW-VS orVVS at least only.
The names are trademarked and the designs of the flagship models are registered.


Our philosphy is to design jewelry "Around a Stone" , that is to say first we select only the highest-quality stones and then design the rest of the piece around it. The choice of an exceptional stone, determines its setting and not the reverse.

Most are unique pieces, just find the one that is made for you, and only you. Go to the jewelry page by clicking on the button below...

is the ambassador in Paris
of independent and exclusive watch brands

In addition to its own brand Fréret Roy 1818, the Fréret-Roy boutique also presents an original selection of independent and atypical watch brands, mostly Swiss but not only, since we also offer Italian, Russian and of course French brands.

You will rarely find these brands in other Parisian or even European boutiques.

The store's partner brands each have their own page on our site, you just have to click on the button corresponding to each brand presented below to discover the said brand and its collections. In the same spirit, if you find any watch model on the internet site of any of the brands we work with, we would be pleased to order it for you.

The models in stock at the Fréret-Roy boutique are generally noted as "available".

Do not hesitate to contact us for any watch that would be available on order.

Our watch brands:
Go directly to the brands'pages by clicking on the buttons below:

Our partner watch brands

And by clicking on the buttons below,
go directly to the other pages:

How to buy?

Before the launch of our e.store, you can already buy securely. The process is simple:
Just use our Concierge Service and contact us by phone, whatsapp or email.
You specify the product(s) you wish to purchase, we confirm the prices and send you by email

a secure payment link set up by a major french bank, "La Société Générale"

Contact/Contact us

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