News Legendary Casemaker Jean-Pierre Hagmann Passes Away

Jean-Pierre Hagmann, one of the greatest watch case makers of the 20th century, has passed away. His death was announced on social media by watchmakers and industry professionals who were close to this esteemed craftsman, born in 1940.

In recognition of his contributions and dedication to the craft, Hagmann was honored last year with the Special Jury Prize at the 24th Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), celebrating his exceptional career.

His career spanned decades, beginning as an apprentice in 1956. Throughout the years, he mastered the art of crafting watch cases for Switzerland’s most prestigious watch brands. His artisanal cases, bearing the JHP hallmark, have become highly sought after by collectors.

Hagmann collaborated with renowned maisons such as Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, Franck Muller, and Roger Dubuis, but his most celebrated work was for Patek Philippe. He earned legendary status among collectors for his exquisitely crafted cases for Patek Philippe’s minute repeater watches—cases that demand extraordinary skill to strike the perfect balance between protecting the movement and ensuring the optimal projection of the minute repeater’s chimes.

(For an in-depth look at watch case craftsmanship, you can read our article talking about Watch Cases from A to Z.

Hagmann retired in 2017 after more than 50 years of dedication to watchmaking, but he returned to work in late 2019 when he joined the Atelier of independent watchmaker Rexhep Rexhepi at Akrivia. There, he continued to create exceptional watch cases while sharing his unparalleled expertise with a new generation of watchmakers.

Jean-Pierre Hagmann may have left us, but he leaves behind a remarkable legacy that will forever be etched in the history of watchmaking.