The Real Time Show: Matteo Violet-Vianello, The Man Behind Anoma

Podcast: The Real Time Show
Hosts: Rob Nudds & Alon Ben Joseph
Guest: Matteo Violet-Vianello (Anoma founder)
Date: October 26, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation with Matteo Violet-Vianello, the creative mind behind Anoma, one of the most discussed new watch brands in contemporary horology. Host Rob Nudds guides Matteo through his design philosophy, upbringing, the genesis of Anoma, and his personal approach to independent watchmaking. The discussion explores artistic influence, the challenges of building a brand from scratch, and the future trajectory of Anoma.

Main Themes & Discussion Points

1. Meeting Matteo & Introduction to Anoma

• Origins of Anoma: Rob recounts meeting Matteo at Geneva Watch Days 2024, handing around Anoma’s inaugural triangular “pebble” watch (the A1) among journalists and industry friends [00:22–01:25].
• Design Summary: Matteo describes the A1 as a "triangular pebble," emphasizing its sculptural, tactile qualities, and influences ranging from river stones to a 1950s Charlotte Perriand table and Brancusi’s sculptures [01:25–02:31].

  "At its core it's really down to that desire to create a very tactile, very sensual-based sculptural object that people enjoy passing around." – Matteo [01:25]

2. Matteo's Background & Artistic Roots

• Family & Early Influences: Raised in Paris by French and Italian parents in an art-loving environment. His great-grandfather was an artisanal jeweler; family stories and heirlooms inspired an early love of craft [03:16–05:00].
• Falling Into Watchmaking: Discovered vintage watches at age six; fascination with dismantling and tinkering [03:24–04:00].
• Professional Journey: Studied philosophy, then cut his teeth at Sotheby’s and at A Collected Man in London, handling legendary independent watches and their makers [05:10–06:40].

  "You only become independent because you have something singular you want to say." – Matteo [06:15]

3. The Genesis of the A1

• Birth of the Design: The concept coalesced quickly in early 2023 after Matteo left his job—sketches emerged within an hour, then followed months of iteration [08:10–09:00].

  "The initial idea for the A1 came very quickly... within an hour, like, I had it." – Matteo [08:50]

• Design Process: Matteo collaborated with three designers due to his own lack of drawing/3D skills. The journey was about translating “feel” rather than just appearance, fusing concept and practicality through phases of 2D, 3D, and manufacturing challenges [10:30–12:15].

4. Philosophy of Form and Reception

• On Form Watches: Rob praises the purity of the A1, comparing a great design to something “born, not made” [12:53–13:25].
• Public Reaction & Wearability: While initially expecting niche appeal, Matteo found people instinctively drawn to the A1—echoing childhood experiences with pebbles, connecting physically and emotionally [15:04–17:00].

  "The urge is instantly to take it, to play with it, to run my fingers over it." – Matteo quoting a client [17:10]

5. The "Hype" Around Form Watches

• Industry Perspective: Rob and Matteo discuss the ongoing form watch movement, the role of media and scarcity, and whether such attention is genuine enthusiasm or “hype” [19:08–22:43].
• Matteo’s Take: Agrees with Rob that while the audience is small, the interest is sincere and necessary—form watches allow collectors to experience surprise and delight, even among “normal” collectors [22:43–25:51].

6. Personal Life & Sibling Dynamics

• Matteo’s Family Structure: Shares stories of being the middle child, family relationships, and how his siblings’ personalities map onto their order [28:29–31:37].
• Sibling Anecdotes: Matteo describes his sister, the “dictatorial” lawyer nicknamed “Kim Jong L,” and the continuum of traits among them [31:17–32:16].

  "Her name is Lucretia... Her nickname growing up is Kim Jong L, which I think will tell you everything." – Matteo [31:37]

7. Competing in Independent Watchmaking

• Building Anoma: Matteo distinguishes between competition for its own sake and “earning the right to exist” by bringing a truly new vision [33:14–35:00].

  “You have to really be excellent on every single point to be able to compete...” – Matteo [33:35]

• Customer Experience: Valuable detail in packaging (walnut boxes), hand-signed notes for every watch, and personal correspondence—core to Anoma's promise [35:00–37:36].

8. The Realities of Scaling

• Solo Operation: Matteo reveals he manages Anoma alone [37:19].
• Scaling Plans: He emphasizes scaling creativity and ambition over raw production numbers, but the personal touch and detail must scale, too [37:36–39:52].
• Operational Bottlenecks: Foresees help needed first in logistics, routine customer service, and supply chain management, freeing up time for vision and client relationships [40:05–41:29].

9. The Future: A1 Variations, A1 Optical, and Beyond

• A1 Optical: New model inspired by optical art, blurring the line between case, dial, and hand—engraved and sandblasted triangles create a liquid, shifting wrist presence [42:02–45:20].

  “I wanted to take that distortive identity to the extreme.” – Matteo [42:38]

• A2 and Future Models: Next fundamental “sculpture” already in the works, grounded in the same conceptual pillars—sculptural, outside-of-watchmaking origins, essential and universal, yet executed as a creative leap instead of mere iteration [47:04–51:27].

  "It's sculptural first and foremost. Its origins are outside of watchmaking... It's not different for its own sake. There’s a certain, like, it feels like it always should have existed..." – Matteo [47:54]

10. Artistic Integrity and “Second Album Pressure”

• Avoiding Iteration for Its Own Sake: Matteo intends to challenge himself with each new model, even if it alienates some fans—creation over repetition [53:03–55:10].
• Production Numbers: Early runs (250–300 pieces per model); future runs will be constrained by production, especially for more artisanal designs [56:58–58:20].
• Value Ethos: Value for money is important but shouldn’t be the main story—handwork and concept drive price, not gold or artificial scarcity [58:26–60:22].

11. Where to Buy and See Anoma

• Direct Only For Now: No retailers yet, in order to foster personal client relationships. Matteo brings watches directly to fairs and clients (Asia, US, Europe) and values in-person conversions [61:24–64:42].

  “The value of knowing who my customers are, being able to have that relationship, being able to have the kind of depth of interaction that I have with them, is very, very important to me.” – Matteo [61:38]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Design Inspiration (01:25):
  “At its core it's really down to that desire to create a very tactile, very sensual based cultural object that people enjoy passing around.” – Matteo

• On the Role of Independent Watchmakers (06:15):
  “You only become independent because you have something singular you want to say.” – Matteo

• Reflections on Reception (17:10):
  “The urge is instantly to take it, to play with it, to run my fingers over it.” – Matteo, paraphrasing a client’s reaction to the A1

• Value of Singular Vision (33:35):
  “You have to really be excellent on every single point to be able to compete…” – Matteo

• On Scaling (37:36):
  “It's more scaling in ambition, if that makes sense. So it’s more… creative scaling than it is tangible number of pieces or anything like that.” – Matteo

• Watches as Art (42:38):
  “I wanted to take that distortive identity to the extreme.” – Matteo (explaining the A1 Optical dial)

• Creative Integrity (47:54):
  “It's sculptural first and foremost. Its origins are outside of watchmaking... It’s not different for its own sake. There’s a certain, like, it feels like it always should have existed…” – Matteo

Key Timestamps

• 00:22 – 01:25: Introduction to Anoma and A1’s design
• 03:16 – 05:00: Matteo’s upbringing and early interest in watches
• 08:10 – 09:39: How the A1 concept came to life
• 10:30 – 12:53: Collaborative design process and challenges
• 15:04 – 19:08: Audience reception and the question of wearability
• 19:08 – 25:51: Debating “hype” vs. genuine excitement for form watches
• 31:17 – 32:16: Family dynamic anecdotes
• 33:14 – 35:48: Competitive advantage in indie watchmaking
• 37:19 – 39:52: Personal attention, scaling philosophy
• 42:02 – 45:20: Introducing the A1 Optical
• 47:04 – 51:27: A2 preview and creative vision
• 53:03 – 55:10: Addressing “second album” pressures
• 56:58 – 58:20: Production numbers and constraints
• 61:24 – 64:42: Where to buy/see Anoma, and future event plans

Conclusion

Matteo’s conversation with Rob Nudds transcends product discussion, delving into creative intent, long-term brand philosophy, and personal values. Anoma distinguishes itself by its uncompromising artistic vision and approach to watchmaking as sculpture—each release a singular statement rather than a mere product. The episode offers both aspiring watchmakers and collectors a treasure trove of insights on what it means to build and sustain independent creative endeavors in a rapidly changing industry.