When selling an exclusive timepiece, it is important that the beauty and elegance of the packaging be a reflection of the nature of the contents. And it might surprise you to know that many of the high end watches sold in Macau and Hong Kong are presented in finely crafted wooden boxes made just across the border in China.
Historically, the Swiss watch business sourced its boxes from small box companies high in the Swiss mountains. This business later moved to Morocco, and then eventually to Vietnam and China, still in part controlled out of Switzerland. And today when the international luxury brands want something bespoke for their VIP’s, they turn to Scaeva.
For several years, Frenchman Francois Angebault has been working alongside his artisan craftsmen in Southern China to produce boxes and other items specially commissioned by major luxury watch and jewellery companies, often as gifts for their VIP customers.
Francois’ passion for wood stems from a long family history that dates back to 1853. The Angebault family comes from Ancenis on the Loire River, about 50km from Nantes, in Western France.
“Originally the traditional family business was a wood mill and a factory making clogs, but some of the wood was thought to be too high quality for clogs and the business evolved into wood veneer,” Francois says. “As a child growing up in and around my father’s mill, I saw logs and wood from all over the world, and this gave me an appreciation and love of wood.”
Francois is now the last Angebault working in the wood business, as the French mill closed in 2009. He arrived in China in 2003, but creating “quality products without compromise” did not come easy at first. Nonetheless, his discipline and love of the craft made Francois persevere and ultimately succeed.
Scaeva’s 1,500m2 factory is located in Danshui city, Guangdong province, about 400km from Macau, and has 21 employees. Francois explains that it can take up to two years to train the workers from scratch, and the same team has been in place now for three years.
“I believe that treating people well and encouraging them to want to achieve something for themselves is very important”, he notes.
China has a long history of using wood for beautiful gifts and furniture, and Francois sources many different types of wood locally and from other parts of China, and with his worldwide contacts in the wood business, he can find whatever it is he needs.
Scaeva produces small exclusive items, working closely with international clients on the designs. The wide range of woods used includes Burl, Ebony, Walnut, Wengue, Sapelli and Oak to mention just a few.
The high quality materials used for decorating the inside and outside of the boxes come mostly from Europe, like fine Nappa leather from Italy, and exquisite coverings from a specialist Swiss company with a history dating back to 1892. The glue used is a special non-smelling wood glue sourced out of Germany. For Francois, only the finest materials are acceptable to produce the required excellence demanded by his clients.
One box can take as long as two to three months make, from original design to technical drawing and finally manufacturing – well worth the wait for these innovative pieces which are both beautiful and functional.
Production is not limited to watch boxes. Scaeva also manufactures store display furniture for Chopard watches. Under the brand name of Angebault, Francois designs and manufactures exquisite jewelry boxes, watch winders and humidors, as well as Chess, Mahjong and Backgammon sets which are sold to five star hotels. The factory is also able to make small pieces of bespoke furniture, coffee tables, cabinets, and even armchairs.
As for the name of the company, Francois explains that at the time he was planning to start the company, he was reading Roman history and was captured by a story about a centurion of Julius Cesar’s, Cassius Scaeva, who was famously courageous.
“Even when faced with the most adverse odds, he did not give up. Courage is a most important virtue, because in adverse conditions, it is the only virtue which allows the other ones to exist,” says Francois.
