Italian investors launch Swiss watch supplier federation Chaumont Group

A new player has emerged in Swiss watchmaking's subcontracting sector with the formation of the Chaumont Group. Launched this spring by Italian investors, the group unites four existing companies and employs over 100 people. Based in Rome, the group's director, Umberto Macchi di Cellere, stated that the long-term goal is to incorporate between ten and twelve entities focused on finished components, though specifics remain undisclosed.

The Chaumont Group is backed by Vam Investments, a Roman holding company. This investment firm previously established Gruppo Florence in 2020, which quickly became a benchmark for luxury clothing and leather goods subcontracting. Gruppo Florence was valued at over 1 billion euros (approximately 960 million Swiss francs) before its acquisition by private equity giant Permira in 2023. The success of this model in the luxury fashion industry suggests a similar ambition for the Chaumont Group within the high-end watchmaking sector.