Purnell: history, models and value

Founded

2006

Founder(s)

Jonathan Purnell

Headquarters

Geneva

Purnell: origins and founding

The company was founded in 2006 by Jonathan Purnell, a long-time watch and clock dealer, together with partners including Stéphane Valsamides. It was named Cecil Purnell after his grandfather, a British soldier of the First World War who settled in Besançon after the war and taught himself watchmaking. The operation moved to Geneva in 2009.

Purnell history and milestones

• 2011: the Cecil Purnell brand is presented at Baselworld under the slogan "Only Tourbillon". Early models included the round Classique and the cross-shaped La Croix.
• Mid-2010s: further tourbillon models, including a GMT with two tourbillons and a minute repeater. The first brand sold around 700 watches but was not a financial success.
• 2019: the name changes to C. Purnell.
• 2020: under Maurizio Mazzocchi the brand is relaunched simply as Purnell, focused on the Escape models.

Famous Purnell models

• Escape I (Spherion): a single tourbillon that turns on three axes, developed by the movement designer Eric Coudray with TEC Ebauches.
• Escape II: two fast-turning triple-axis tourbillons in a 48 mm case of titanium or 18k rose gold, made in series of 20 per version.
• Earlier Cecil Purnell models: Classique, La Croix and Lady Lacroix, with an open tourbillon at 6 o'clock.

Movements and technique

Every Purnell watch has a tourbillon. The Escape II uses a Potter escapement, a 19th-century design that allows its cages to spin very fast. Its hand-wound calibre CP03 has six mainsprings. Eric Coudray, known for his work on multi-axis tourbillons, is the technical mind behind the Spherion.

Purnell today

Purnell is a small, privately held haute horlogerie brand based in Geneva. Its current watches cost several hundred thousand Swiss francs new and are made in tiny numbers.

Purnell prices on the pre-owned market

Purnell watches are rarely traded, so there is no broad market price. Like many small high-end brands, older Cecil Purnell models usually sell for much less than their original price. Current Escape models are so rare that each sale is a case of its own. Full papers, the box and a service history are essential.

How to recognise a genuine Purnell

Check that the case number and papers match and that the tourbillon runs smoothly. Given the price level, have any Purnell checked by the brand or a specialist before you buy or sell. Our guide on how to spot a fake watch explains the basics.

What is your Purnell worth?

Upload clear photos to our free watch value estimate for a first idea. For a rare piece like this, a written watch appraisal is the better basis for insurance or an estate.

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