Rexhep Rexhepi Reflects on his Early Career

Logan Baker, reporting for Phillips Auctioneers interviews Rexhep Rexhepi on life before Akrivia, building his brand, and how the debut of his Chronomètre Contemporain changed everything.

The positivity Rexhepi received while showing the first Chronomètre Contemporain prototype during Baselworld was unlike anything he had experienced before. For the first time in his career, his order book was already rapidly filling up with names.

Even with the success of the Chronomètre Contemporain, Rexhepi reveals a persistent inner tension throughout the interview:

I wanted to make a living from this. I wanted to build my life on it. And when you're unable to live because people don't, I don't know, they don't really trust you, or they think that you're too young, or they don't believe in you ... it's really tough. I understand it today, but in those moments, when you really have to eat, it's a different feeling. You have to be strong. You have to be really passionate to not let it get you down. But it does affect you. It all affects you.

I can't be happy with everything I'm doing in life right now. I think I can do so much more today. I know that I want to do more, but I also know that, at this moment, I'm very frustrated.

I go home every day and I can't stop myself from thinking about how I want to be further along. Yeah, I'm frustrated.

I'm very patient, but that doesn't make things any easier. I'm very patient about achieving something, but I won't let myself be happy with what I'm doing right now.

That unsatiated desire for perfection has no doubt helped to fuel the success he has found.