Groupe Chaumont Launches with Swiss Watch Acquisitions

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-10

Swiss watchmaking startups Efteor and Telos Watch have been acquired by private equity operator Vam Investments, alongside established companies Le Composant and Henri Robert, marking the official launch of Groupe Chaumont. This new industrial platform, based in Neuchatel, focuses on producing movements, cases, tools, and components for high-end Swiss watches. The entrepreneurs behind the four acquired companies are reinvesting alongside Vam and becoming shareholders in Groupe Chaumont while continuing to manage their respective businesses. ### A New Industrial Powerhouse "The high-end watchmaking market requires components of absolute quality and precision," says Umberto Macchi di Cellere, CEO of Groupe Chaumont. "Against this backdrop, Groupe Chaumont aims to be an industrial partner capable of bringing together, under a single Swiss banner, the finest savoir-faire, from cases to movements, from cutting tools to the development of complications." He adds, "Our ambition is to build an industrial group where outstanding companies, deeply rooted in the Swiss Made tradition and led by talented entrepreneurs, can share their experience, expertise, and resources. Together, we will build the leading platform dedicated to components for high-end watchmaking." ### The Acquisitions at a Glance Founded in 2013 in Milan by Marco Piana, Vam Investments specializes in buyout investments and buy-and-build strategies, particularly in fragmented industries where several specialist businesses can be brought together under a shared platform. Over the past five years, it has invested more than $650 million in mid-market companies. Its portfolio includes Everest Group, Gym Nation Italia, Etjca, and Gruppo Florence. The acquisition gives Groupe Chaumont an immediate presence across several stages of watch component production. Its combined capabilities include: - Conceptualization and technical development - Machining and finishing - Tooling and movement development - Manufacture of components using precious metals ### The Four Companies **Efteor**, founded in 2011 by Leonis Tafaj, is based in Bassecourt, in Switzerland's Canton of Jura. The startup produces limited-series watch cases and clasps made from precious metals for the ultra-luxury watchmaking industry. It employs 55 people, most of whom are specialist craftspeople. **Telos Watch** was founded in 2009 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, in the Canton of Neuchatel, by Franck Orny and Johnny Girardin. The startup develops watch movements and complications, overseeing the creative and technical process from initial development to the production of limited-series components and timepieces. **Le Composant**, another Bassecourt-based business associated with Tafaj, was established in 1988. It manufactures rotor weights and bracelets made from precious metals for high-end and ultra-high-end watch brands. **Henri Robert**, a micromechanics specialist based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, has operated in the region since the 1960s. It was acquired and developed during the 2010s by Laurent Ryser and Thibault Richard. The company produces high-precision cutting tools used to machine watch components. ### What This Means for the Industry Together, the four businesses give Groupe Chaumont a portfolio spanning cases, clasps, bracelets, rotor weights, movements, complications, and specialized manufacturing tools. Each company will retain its operational autonomy while working within the group's wider industrial and commercial strategy. Leonis Tafaj, speaking on behalf of the founding entrepreneurs, commented: "We are proud to be the founding companies of this initiative. We strongly believe in the project and in the value of collaboration. The opportunity to combine our expertise and experience while continuing to provide our customers with the highest standards of quality, reliability, and innovation represents an outstanding growth path." This move signals a growing trend in the watch industry toward consolidation, where specialized startups join forces with established players to compete on a global scale. For enthusiasts and collectors, it means more innovation and higher quality components in the luxury timepieces they love.