Giselle Rufer-Delance's Page

When I was 4 years old I dreamed of becoming a cowbee, which for me was the feminine of cowboy. What an exciting life lay ahead! Then, after having read the lives of the Saints, I wanted to become a Saint. Faced with such an insurmountable task, however, I ended up becoming a tomboy ready to defend any noble cause! When a teacher nicknamed me “Don Quichotte” I pertly responded, no, Madam, I am Doña Quichotte. Later on, I discovered my artist’s name : Giselle Delance. I carefully stored it away for the future – if I were an artist, I could live all the lives I wanted !
Before I turned 15, I had to work in my mother’s firm. There, as my mother’s second in command, I apprenticed in all the facets of the business. By the age of 22, when I married and left the business, I had learned an enormous amount of useful things, including how to work 12 hours a day with a smile on my face.
As soon as I was married I went back to school until I was 26 and obtained the equivalent of a Swiss scientific baccalaureate. In 1969 and 1971 my two children were born. After this, I took art courses to become an artist. I worked until I was 39 as an assistant in art at the university and an art teacher in secondary schools. From 36 to 40 I went to engineering school and obtained my degree as the only woman graduate of the class.
At 40 I was hired by the Swatch group to launch the Flik Flak series and discovered as I traveled throughout the world that the watches designed for women were not to my taste.
In my passion to discover the meaning of time I realized that Time is Life. This created in me the desire to create a timepiece symbolic of both the passage of time and eternity, whence came the design of the Delance watch line.
I felt I had to personally create the watch that corresponded to a woman’s time, her talents, values and dreams since the large companies in the industry I contacted were not interested.
Delance watches are meant for the woman who requires a timepiece that is truly unique, a woman who is looking for a special design with a symbolic meaning. The man in her life, who loves her for all that she is, is also drawn to the idea of offering her a watch that will symbolize their love and the deep bond that unites them.
The act of creation brings me great joy. Each time I offer to personalize the Delance watch for its new owner and I see her eyes light up, my happiness is complete. This moment represents the meeting of two souls in a joint endeavor of collaboration, a form of communion. When I have the pleasure of speaking at conferences I often talk of the creative act and my passion for what I do – in fact, I talk about my life.
My enterprise allowed me to discover who I am, and although I suspected that I was capable of doing all I do, I could never be sure until I had accomplished it. I travel world wide all alone, from exhibition to conference. On occasion I have spoken in front of a thousand people, in a foreign language; the television, radio and press come to ask me for comments in French, German and English. Once the shadow of a corporate president, the assistant I used to be has come a long way from those days…
I have just been named « Woman Entrepreneur for 2008 ». An incredible recognition, it affords me great pleasure. I have been given champagne and been invited to speak on the radio and television – it is as if I suddenly became a genius! But I keep my feet on the ground and use all this acclaim as a marketing tool, for after all, that is the purpose of this award, to bring the entrepreneur visibility so she can benefit from it to advance her company.
The lessons gleaned from this life? I would like to tell each of you to be all you are, to develop your talents, to learn all you can, to live as fully as possible, to love each other more and above all to laugh, laugh and enjoy life…
Life passes so quickly, we mustn’t waste a second… honestly, on my word as a watchmaker!
Giselle Rufer
Macolin, February 14, 2008