After Emmanuel Macron and his small army of French watches, Sarah Knafo's Rolex or even Jordan Bardella's timepieces, it was tempting to take a closer look at the wrist of another key character of the moment: Sébastien Lecornuformer Minister of the Armed Forces who became Prime Minister.

Lecornu, a pure product of Macronie, crossed Defense, Overseas, communities, before landing in Matignon. A man who lives surrounded by flags, military budgets and red numbers on Bercy Excel tables. And on the wrist? Not a Rolex, not a Patek, not a complication that would make the unions scream... but an old-fashioned French watch, steeped in the history of the Fifth Republic: the Lip Général de Gaulle Automatic 35 mm.

For a former Minister of the Armed Forces who became Prime Minister, the nod is perfect: De Gaulle on the dial, Matignon on the files, Defense on the CV. The symbolic alignment is of almost Swiss precision.

Who is Sébastien Lecornu (and why his watch is a political message)

Born in 1986, elected very early in Normandy, Sébastien Lecornu climbed the steps of the Fifth Republic with a speed that would make an express elevator pale: Secretary of State for Ecological Transition, Minister of Local Authorities, Minister of Overseas Territories, then Minister of the Armed Forces from 2022right back from the war in Europe.

In September 2025, Emmanuel Macron appoints him Prime Minister. He inherits a fractured country, a fragmented Parliament and a deficit that is swelling faster than a hypersonic missile. His mission: to hold the line, manage the crisis, save money while pretending not to hurt. A balancing act… with a Lip on the wrist.

In this context, wear a French watch, military by its name and symbolic by its history is nothing trivial. This is the watch version of the official photo in front of the blue-white-red flag.

Lip Général de Gaulle: a French watch steeped in history

A collection tribute to the general

There General de Gaulle is one of Lip's iconic collections. Its name refers to a very specific page in watchmaking and political history: in the 1950s, Fred Lip, visionary boss of the brand, developed the first mass-produced electric wristwatch in history, powered by the R27 movement. This experimental watch, absolute avant-garde for the time, was offered in particular to General de Gaulle, but also to General Eisenhower.

With the “General de Gaulle” line, Lip revisits this heritage in contemporary fashion: golden cases, sunray dials, sober design, and a transparent nod to the Gaullian imagination: independence, grandeur, national story. Suffice it to say that for a former Minister of the Armed Forces, who became a tenant of Matignon, the symbol comes across rather well.

Sébastien Lecornu's version: General de Gaulle Automatic 35 mm

The model worn by Sébastien Lecornu is the Lip Général de Gaulle Automatic 35 mm, ref. 671881. A unisex, compact watch, which does not seek to dominate the wrist, but to dress it with a very French classicism.

• Housing : round, in 316L stainless steel, covered with a polished gold treatment, diameter 35 mm. It is an almost “vintage” size today, far from the aggressive 42 mm of modern chronos.
• Thickness / presence : contained, to slip effortlessly under the sleeve of a shirt or a dark Prime Minister's suit.
• Waterproofing : 50 m. Enough to survive the downpours on the steps of Matignon, but not the amphibious maneuvers with the marine commandos.
• Box bottom : transparent and screwed, revealing the automatic movement. A very contemporary nod in a classic style watch.

Visually, the watch assumes its influences: a very 60s golden round, elegant without being precious, which evokes Gaullian sobriety more than the flamboyance of bling-bling ministers.

Data sheet: Lip Général de Gaulle Automatic 35 mm

Dial

• Dial : sunny silvery white, with a play of light which gives relief without being flashy.
• Index : fine applied black and gold stick indexes.
• Needles : three golden hands (hours, minutes, seconds), fine and legible.
• Complication : small date windowfunctional, in a spirit of assumed minimalism.
• Glass : flat sapphire, with anti-reflective treatment.

The whole results in a very readable, very classic watch, which does not try to reinvent watchmaking design, but which masters it with silent elegance. The “strength of minimalism”, as Lip summarizes on his product sheet.

Movement

• Kind : mechanical movement with automatic winding.
• Caliber : Miyota 8215 (Japanese origin), a reliable, simple and robust “tractor”.
• Frequency : 21,600 vibrations/hour.
• Number of rubies : 21.
• Power reserve : approximately 42 hours on full charge.
• Functions : three hands (hours, minutes, seconds), quick date, stop-seconds for precise adjustment.

This caliber 8215 is nothing spectacular, but it has one essential virtue: it works for a long time, without fuss. For a head of government, this is rather reassuring: we prefer a mechanism that works to a reform that stalls.

Bracelet

• Matter : brown crocodile-style cowhide leather.
• Details : tone-on-tone stitching, flash pump (for quick strap changes), gold Lip-branded pin buckle.

This bracelet reinforces the very “bourgeois Republic” aesthetic of the watch: brown leather, gold case, clear dial. It's wise, classic, almost timeless. The kind of watch that could appear in a black and white photo from the 1960s without shocking the eye.

Price and positioning

• Indicative public price : €449 including tax on the official Lip website at the time of writing.
• Positioning : entry/mid-range automatic watch, made in Besançon, with transparent back and sapphire crystal.

For a Prime Minister, it is almost a gesture of austerity: less than €500 per watch, made in France, with a proven movement, far from the five-figure sums that we sometimes see walking around the Assembly. Let's say that it is not with this Lip that we are increasing the public deficit.

A Lip for a former Minister of the Armed Forces who became Prime Minister

The choice of this General de Gaulle is anything but neutral. Even if we admit the most prosaic hypothesis – a gift, a personal preference for French vintage – the symbol works perfectly.

• Link with Defense : the name “General de Gaulle” refers to the military figure who became head of state, but also to the deep link between the army and the Republic. For a former Minister of the Armed Forces, there is something very coherent about wearing this name on your wrist.
• Made in France : a watch designed and assembled in Besançon, in the heart of French watchmaking. In a context where the government is talking about reindustrialization and sovereignty, wearing Lip rather than a Swiss or German brand sends a clear signal.
• Measurement and sobriety : 35 mm, Miyota movement, €449. This is not a watch for a wealthy collector, it is a serious watch, well made, but accessible to a significant part of the middle class.
• Gaullian symbolism : in a country which regularly seeks an old-fashioned “statesman”, displaying “General de Gaulle” on the back of the box has an almost programmatic significance. On the wrist, it is a permanent reminder of the ultimate reference of the Fifth Republic.

We could say that the Lip General de Gaulle is to Lecornu what the Rolex Air-King is to Sarah Knafo: a watch that tells a political story, in addition to telling the time. Except that here, everything is French, from the name to the dial.

FAQ – Sébastien Lecornu’s watch

What watch does Sébastien Lecornu wear?

Sébastien Lecornu wears a Lip Général de Gaulle Automatic 35 mm (ref. 671881)a golden automatic watch, 35 mm case, silver-white sunray dial, brown crocodile-style leather strap.

What is the price of the Lip Général de Gaulle Automatic 35 mm?

On the official Lip store, the General de Gaulle Automatic 35 mm is available at €449 VAT included, with Miyota 8215 automatic movement, sapphire crystal and transparent back.

Where is Sébastien Lecornu’s watch made?

The General de Gaulle Automatic 35 mm is made in France, in Besançonhistoric cradle of French watchmaking.

What movement is fitted to the Lip Général de Gaulle 35 mm?

The watch is powered by a Miyota 8215 automatic mechanical movementequipped with 21 jewels, a frequency of 21,600 vph and a power reserve of approximately 42 hours.

Is this choice of watch consistent for a Prime Minister?

Symbolically, yes: French watch, low price, classic aesthetic, name “General de Gaulle” echoing the military and political history of France. For a former Minister of the Armed Forces who became Prime Minister, it is difficult to find a timepiece more aligned with Republican storytelling.