For watchmaker and horologist Lorenzo Del Rosso, watchmaking’s future is defined by its connection to the past.
Above watchmaker Lorenzo Del Rosso’s meticulously ordered workbench hangs a portrait of Chronos, the Greco-Roman personification of time. The figure’s calloused, ancient face stands in stark contrast to the pristine precision of the master craftsman’s studio, but this is no accident. For Lorenzo, the depiction of Chronos is not merely a decoration, but a poignant reminder that every movement he crafts is shaped not only by the passing of time but by the centuries of knowledge that came before him.
The Florentine native has been a Sydney resident for over a decade, but hailing from a city built on craftsmanship, Lorenzo isn’t one to forget his roots. Like the tales of his home city, the artisan’s appreciation for watchmaking was birthed in the Renaissance.
“In my case, the combination of the city of Florence and my watchmaking teacher played a very important role,“ Lorenzo tells me. “He had a very different approach when it came to teaching. I would say that his approach was really as a mentor, as opposed to simply a teacher, and he has transferred the love which he had for the craft of watchmaking to me.“
“My teacher preferred to take us for a visit to the museums, than stay in class studying watchmaking. And when you have this approach and you’re teaching watchmaking in a city like Florence, well it is quite simple to understand that the combination of the two is quite powerful, and it really opens your mind to the meaning of beauty.“
Birth of a Renaissance
Growing up in a city so rich with art history, where the works of Michelangelo, da Vinci and Botticelli are so vividly celebrated, it’s unsurprising that Lorenzo’s mind jumps to the idea of beauty, but he didn’t always think this way. As he explains, his early life in Florence actually found him more complacent about beautiful things. So, with no intention to become a watchmaker and no family history in the industry, the question begs to be asked; How did the Florentine maker find himself at the workbench? A mixture, he reveals, of necessity and design.
“Any Italian student at the age of 13 must choose a school for the next three or five years,“ Lorenzo explains. “Well, I wanted to jump from a plane and join the Air Force school, but we could not afford it, so basically, I stuck with my best friend and chose what he wanted to do. So, we both signed up for watchmaking school.“
His endeavour into the world of watchmaking, although fortuitous, would awaken a deep passion. Under the guidance of his mentor, Lorenzo began to observe the city around him and soon, the connection between art and watchmaking became clear.
“My mentor made me realise that the pursuit of the artist is easily transferable to that of the watchmaker. And with passion and hard work, we too could create something beautiful.“
“I recall the day my mentor took our class to the Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze, well known for the statue of David. Before you arrived at the statue of David, you are walking through some of Michelangelo’s unfinished work also called the prisoners.“
“The teacher would ask us to take a seat and pick one of the prisoners as our subject. We would then have to draw our chosen prisoner into our notebooks, and we couldn’t leave until the sketch was finished. It didn’t really matter the result of the drawing; it was just a simple exercise to teach us to sit, observe and appreciate the art.“
Learning the Craft
After completing his studies at the esteemed watchmaking school ITI-IPIA Leonardo da Vinci, Lorenzo immediately turned his attention to the top end. In his mind, if he wanted to be the best watchmaker, he needed to work on the best watches.
His early years under the LVMH Group saw him move between the ateliers of Zenith, Hublot and TAG Heuer, cementing not only his technical expertise, but also his deep appreciation for the breadth of Swiss horology.
That journey eventually led him to Rolex, where he undertook formal training at the maison’s Geneva headquarters, immersing himself in the meticulous world of one of watchmaking’s most revered institutions. Each workshop, each mentor and each discipline added another layer to his creative philosophy, one that he reveals is steeped in appreciation.
“Watchmaking has many aspects but, in my opinion, there are two main roles: that of the watchmaker and that of the watch technician,” he explains. “After gaining qualifications for both roles, I can understand how they teach a valuable lesson to one another. The role of a watch technician marries the brand philosophy to the technology of the watch, making it ever-changing with the brand. However, the role of the watchmaker is universal, and it is my belief that one philosophy should apply to any watchmaker who is passionate about restoring or repairing watches.”
“Learn and understand the fundamental rules of watchmaking and use them to ethically restore timepieces.”
Lorenzo’s philosophy is grounded in the idea that watchmaking, like art, is something to be admired. The industry has undergone its fair share of evolutions, both quartz and smart, to find itself at a juncture that not even Michelangelo, Botticelli or da Vinci could have predicted.
But in an age where digital convenience has made traditional timekeeping obsolete, there is just something remarkable about the sweeping hands of a vintage piece. That, Lorenzo tells me, is what led him to the present.
Appreciating the Art
When Rolex moved its Sydney service centre to Melbourne, Lorenzo was faced with a difficult decision. After years working for the world’s most famous maison, he made the bold decision to step out from beneath the brand’s shadow and pursue independence.
A chance encounter with the family-run Kalmar Antiques soon opened the door to a new chapter, and once again, it was an appreciation for history that spurred the move. When owners Damien and Daniel Kalmar brought Lorenzo a rare Thomas Mudge quarter-repeater pocket watch to look at, he knew he had found his people.
“I told them, ‘You have something special here,’” he explains. ‘“From that day, we start dreaming together and I shared my vision with them to do something different from an ordinary independent watch repairer. They really trusted my approach and we thought that we could build something together.“
That trust paid off. In 2023, under Lorenzo’s guidance, the Kalmar Antiques workshop earned official OMEGA certification; a rigorous, year-long process involving stringent spatial standards and independent testing of Lorenzo’s technical mastery.
“Having a brand like OMEGA certify your workshop means a lot,” he says. “It reassures us, and our customers, that our skills, equipment and practices meet the highest standards in the industry.”
Ultimately, that recognition reflects the same philosophy that has guided Lorenzo from the beginning. Like the Italian masters before him, he builds his practice on patience, precision and respect for tradition.
“There are no shortcuts and no crazy ideas,” he says. “Stick to the fundamentals, develop your skills and learn from trusted sources.” It’s a simple mantra, but one that continues to shape every timepiece that passes across his bench.
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