Christophe Claret trained at the school of horology in Geneva and worked initially as a restorer of antique pocket watches. He founded his Le Locle manufacture in 1989 and built it through the 1990s and 2000s primarily as an OEM (original-equipment-manufacturer) movement supplier. Significant clients included Harry Winston (the Opus series), Maîtres du Temps, and a long list of luxury houses that contracted his manufacture for high-complication movements they sold under their own names.
Claret launched his own-brand line in 2009. The defining own-brand pieces are the casino-themed complications: Blackjack (2013) is a functional 21 game inside the watch, with playing-card displays and a slot to play against the watch; the Texas Hold'em (2014) handles two-player poker logic; the Baccara handles baccarat. Other complications include the X-Trem 1 (2012, magnetic-driven hours via two small spheres on rails), striking watches, and high-end repeaters. Claret continues to operate the OEM business alongside the own-brand line.
