For our latest discovery in independent watchmaking, we speak to Alex Goetschi, a young self-taught watchmaker from Switzerland with a very interesting story. Under the name Manteio, which comes from the Greek word for oracle, he draws inspiration from Greek mythology. And what theme would be better suited for your first watch than the “King of the Gods” himself? For this reason, and to incorporate his love of storytelling and birds, Zeus is Alex's personal “arbiter of fate.” And he has no lack of ambition, as his goal is to create a complete watch himself from scratch.
Alex, now 26, has a background in mechanical engineering and has been passionate about watches and watchmaking for some time. Over the past six years he has been self-taught in the art of craftsmanship and has worked hard to build his workshop, hone his skills and develop his first watch. Combining his love of storytelling, birds and mechanical clocks, he recently unveiled his debut piece, which is particularly notable for its dial but reveals more intricate details upon closer inspection. We'll get into these details in a handy article soon, but first let's let the manufacturer have their say.
Robin Nooij, MONOCHROME Watches: You founded Manteio out of passion. Can you tell us what led to this decision?
Alex Götschi: During COVID, I started setting up my workshop with a few basic tools and a watchmaker's lathe and spent many hours repairing old watch movements and making replacement parts. One day, as I was trying to shape a steel hand using hand tools alone, I realized that it would be quite a long road before I could build a complete clock to a standard that I would be confident to sell. But at the same time, I had so many ideas for designs and brand concepts that I felt that starting a brand where I could act as creative director, designer and engineer would be the right step to enter the watch sector.
What motivated you to venture into the world of watchmaking?
Like many watch enthusiasts, it started with my father. He always wore a watch and one day he came home with a new piece made by a local watchmaker who had hand skeletonized and engraved a Unitas movement. It had an enameled chapter ring and beautiful antique hands. I was immediately fascinated by this open mechanism and the craftsmanship behind the watch. From then on I tried to understand how these miniature machines work and how they are built.
What is the inspiration behind Manteio?
The first spark that ignited the idea of creating a brand that combines haute horlogerie with Greek mythology came from reading Mythos by Stephen Fry. One evening, as I was reading Fry's story about Zeus' wedding, something just clicked. The concept for the watches I wanted to create would be to retell these fascinating and moving stories that are still applicable to our lives today through wearable mechanical art. After that, I delved more into the myths and started studying classical architecture, which helped solidify the ideas behind Manteio.
Her first watch is called Zeus. Can you tell us the story of how you came up with its design?
When the idea of telling a story with my watches came to me, I started thinking about the chapters I wanted to write, and the first character I wanted to explore was Zeus. There are many stories about him, often in different versions, which gave me a lot of inspiration and creative freedom to design a watch that I personally find both aesthetically pleasing and conceptually fascinating.
The first sketches were actually a fairly simple clock, with only a few references to Greek architecture and a few “Easter eggs” related to the stories of Zeus. As I showed these sketches to close friends and explained the background of the details, I quickly realized that I could use every element of the watch to tell part of the story. This is how the design developed into what it is today. Some elements of these early sketches are still present in the final watch.
So you're going to delve deeper into Greek mythology?
Definitely! Along with the craftsmanship required to build Manteio watches, Greek mythology and architecture with their classical proportions form the foundation of the brand. Zeus is just the first chapter in the story of the mythology series. Some designs are already in the works for the other Olympian gods. Each of them follows the same principle as Zeus: every detail tells a story. The idea is to retell the stories in an interesting and visually arresting way. If it fits the story and idea of the watch, I add a complication that enhances the storytelling. The next chapter I'm working on is Athena, the first daughter of Zeus and the goddess of wisdom, strategic warfare, crafts, and protector of cities.
The Zeus has a very distinctive design. Can you share some details about this with us?
When we start with the case, the first thing you'll notice are the large, sturdy lugs. I originally designed them to look like the pediment of a Greek temple when viewed from the side. I kept this idea, but developed it further so that the sloping gable is also visible from the front. This gives the watch the strong, masculine look I wanted without increasing the size of the case. Another key element was the finishing. I wanted every edge and facet to be as clear and defined as possible. Therefore, the case combines lightly polished and brushed surfaces, surfaces that highlight the geometric precision and express the raw strength that Zeus represents.
It also features a pretty unique and eye-catching dial! What's the story there?
The dial features some of Zeus' most famous symbols summarized in one image. You can see the golden eagle Aetos Dios, the companion and messenger of Zeus, flying through a thunderstorm. The latter is achieved by engraving three different layers and textures into a solid gold blank, which is then coated to give the gray tone of a cloud. The different textures create depth and a play of light and shadow, like real clouds. It took me about eight months to get from my sketches to the finished texture. The eagle is engraved entirely by hand and for me it is the most spectacular part of the dial. With a wingspan of just 11mm, it still has an incredible level of detail. Keeping in the spirit of the storm, the hour indices are shaped like falling raindrops moving towards the center of the dial.
You told me that you developed the movement with Jean-François Mojon from Chronode?
Yes! He was actually the first and most important supplier who was open to working with me and was willing to produce such a small number of high-end custom-made movements. Since I didn't have anything yet, it was a challenge at the beginning to find the right partners. But at the EPHJ trade fair I met Marko Koncina from Swiss Watch Gang, who connected me with Jean-François and thus with Chronode. I shared my vision with him and showed him my initial sketches and he immediately understood what I wanted to achieve. We quickly agreed that the C101 caliber would be the perfect basis for the design I had in mind. From there, he not only helped me develop the movement but also connected me with other key suppliers. I am very grateful for his support – and also for Marko, who opened the first door for me.
There are some very specific details and finishes. Can you tell us something about it?
My idea with the movement was to pay homage to the story that inspired me to create Manteio in the first place and tie it to the upbringing of Zeus, thus linking his beginnings to mine. In Fry's story about the wedding of Zeus, there is a competition for the most delicious food, which Melissa, the first honey bee, wins with her nectar. In the story of Zeus's childhood, he is also fed with milk and honey by the nymphs. That's why I wanted the movement to be reminiscent of a honey pot. This was achieved through a few small details.
First and most obvious, the ratchet wheels got some beehive-shaped spokes. The bridges and base plate were then finely blasted to obtain a semi-matt and shimmering surface reminiscent of crystallized honey. In order to get the honey-colored color, all bridges and the main circuit board are gold-plated. Finally, Melissa, the first honey bee, and the logo are engraved on the barrel bridge. There are also traditional finishes such as hand-polished facets, snail cut, polished screw heads and the perlage under the balance wheel.
What do you hope to achieve with Manteio and the Zeus?
I hope to create watches that speak to people in many ways, pieces that remind them of the stories of old and their timeless lessons. I want them to take something meaningful from these myths and carry it with them in their daily lives. I also want to highlight the people and crafts behind these creations, which is why I am very transparent about who made what. Each watch comes with a book that tells both the story of the mythological figure and the story of its creation.
How can people get in touch to find out more or perhaps place an order?
The official route is via the website via the contact or reservation form. But I also enjoy it when people send direct messages on Instagram. I'm always happy to share more about the details and story behind Manteio.
Further information can be found at Manteio.ch.
https://monochrome-watches.com/the-manteio-zeus-self-taught-watchmaker-alex-goetschis-divine-debut/