APRIL H: French Savoir-Faire in Fine Watchmaking

After losing touch for nearly twenty years, two high school friends reconnect by chance and decide to create haute horologie masterpieces together. It sounds like the premise of a movie, yet it is the very real story behind April H.

When Adrien Slaby and Nissane Halal found each other again, their ambition was clear and precise: to restore the legitimacy of French watchmaking savoir-faire. Today, Switzerland largely dominates the narrative of haute horologerie, shaping both perception and prestige. But history tells a different story, one in which France stood at the forefront of technical invention and artistic refinement, helping define what fine watchmaking would become. As they prepare to unveil their next project, “Altitude,” Adrien shares the journey behind the brand April H, driven by friendship, heritage, and, quite simply, passion.

Exclusive Interview: A Deep Dive into the History of April H

IRK: To create an independent haute horlogerie brand is really bold. How did it all come together?

Adrien: April H was born from a friendship. The co-founder, Nissane, was a close friend of mine in high school, but we lost touch for many years. It was not until we were in our mid-thirties that we reconnected. In 2017, I was running my own architecture company, and he was already deeply involved in the watchmaking world when we randomly crossed paths in Cannes. We stayed in contact, and in 2023 he finally told me about the idea of April H. It immediately felt like a natural project for us. We both share a passion for art history and French history, and it made perfect sense to at least try. It was ambitious, of course, but it felt meaningful.

IRK: You just mentioned one of April H’s key pillars: French history. How did you discover this heritage? Is your goal to revive it, or rather to use it as inspiration?

Adrien: It was actually also a matter of perfect timing. When Nissane told me about the project, I was writing a novel set during the French Revolution. While researching that period, I discovered the immense watchmaking heritage France once had. Until the 19th century, many of the major advances in horology, complications, clockmaking, pocket watches, and highly sophisticated mechanisms were largely French. That realization strengthened our desire to bring this heritage back into the spotlight, not through nostalgia, but by reinterpreting it according to today’s artistic and technical standards.

For example, our first collection, “Wildlife Brilliance,” was a tribute to that era. We created six unique pieces based on historical watches from the 18th and 19th centuries, notably pocket watches by Leroy, watchmaker to King Louis XV. We reimagined them with original artistic interventions. It also came from the feeling that there are no longer truly French haute horlogerie maisons. We did not want to become just another small independent Swiss brand, lost among the giants.

A Savoir-Faire Love Story

IRK: Another aspect of April H is the exceptionally high level of craftsmanship. How did you find the artisans you work with, and how do you choose them?

Adrien: We want to work with the best, and we are fortunate to be surrounded by exceptional talents. To find them, we relied on our respective networks. My background in architecture and design allowed me to build a strong artistic circle, while Nissane already had established contacts in jewelry, watchmaking, lapidary work, gem setting, and stone craftsmanship. That led us to work with a very small, highly specialized team of artisans, each with extremely precise expertise, whom we call upon at specific moments.

For example, to create the piece “Longevity”, we collaborated with glassblower Vincent Breed, who exhibits internationally, and he hand-blew a glass droplet that I had designed. Each collaboration is carefully chosen, not only for technical excellence, but also for shared sensitivity.

IRK: Have some artisans left a particular mark on you?

Adrien: Honestly, each artisan brings something very personal: their energy, their sensibility, their interpretation. It is always a dialogue. But yes, some moments stay with you. As I said, watching Vincent Breed blow glass was incredibly poetic. There is something almost magical in seeing this fragile material shaped by breath, light, and heat. The contrast between the strength of the gesture and the delicacy of the result really moved me. Working with Valérie Coles des Francs was another powerful experience. With her straw marquetry work, the emotion lies in the minuteness of the gesture. It is so delicate it almost feels like lace.

More recently, in Besançon, Rémi Buttor created a hand-engraved micro sculpture on quartz just one millimeter thick for “Altitude”. One millimeter. Technically, it is extraordinary, but what struck me most was the emotion embedded in something so small.

What Comes Next for April H.

IRK: You are about to unveil your new project, Altitude. Can you tell us more about it?

Adrien: “Altitude” is part of a series of twelve pieces, each associated with a month, a color, and a French craft. So far, six have been completed. “Altitude” corresponds to the month of March, the transition between winter and spring, and is linked to a shade of blue. That color immediately evoked altitude for me, the mountains, Mont Blanc to be precise, and the striking contrast between white and blue, like a summit rising above the clouds. It is a French high-complication timepiece featuring a unique movement that has been in development for over two years. They craft every element in France while paying close attention to traceability, sustainability, and material integrity. It will be a piece of true excellence, unveiled very soon.

IRK: How many hours of work do your pieces represent?

Adrien: For some pieces in the first collection, there were thousands of hours dedicated solely to artisanal craftsmanship. But you also need to add the development and research time. For example, the grande complication in “Altitude” alone represents more than two years of effort.

IRK: April H recently received an award. Can you tell us about it?

Adrien: We were awarded the Jury’s Coup de Cœur Prize by the Union de la Bijouterie et de l’Horlogerie

Adrien: The Union de la Bijouterie et de l’Horlogerie Française 2025 awarded us the Jury’s Coup de Cœur Prize in the watchmaking category for our piece “Equus.” We created this piece as a tribute to the horse and presented it in Qatar during an Arabian thoroughbred competition. The “Coup de Cœur” award carried particular meaning for us because it celebrates emotion. The jury truly connected with our approach, and that connection reflects exactly what we strive for.

IRK: What has been the greatest challenge you have faced?

Adrien: We never thought it would be easy. For now, I would say that the main challenges have been technical.

For example, the piece “Émergence”, a Coromandel screen integrating a fountain clock and an 18th-century automaton, including the restoration of a musical box mechanism and the setting of 25 emeralds into an Empire-style frame, represented a considerable challenge, especially in preparation for its presentation in Doha. We spent 900 hours on that project. The development of our current project is also a significant technical and financial undertaking. But we know that the watch is going to be amazing, so it is all worth it.

IRK: How would you define April H, very briefly, for someone hearing about it for the first time right now?

Adrien: I would say that we are all about emotion, transmission, and sharing. That is really what we represent, from our story to what we are trying to create and the people we work with.

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