If you’ve ever looked at an exquisitely finished luxury watch and wondered, “how did they do that?” or even “why does that watch cost so much?” now is your chance to find out. Watches and Wonders, the annual Geneva watch fair that showcases all things new in luxury watches, is pulling back the curtain on what it takes to create these objects of our desire. Watches and Talents is a summer-long exhibition in Geneva highlighting the craftsmanship of eight professionals who toil behind the scenes to create the masterpieces we see every spring at Watches and Wonders. Both shows are run by the Fondation Haute Horlogerie (FHH).
Celebrated enamel artist Anita Porchet.
FHH
The aim of the exhibition is to demonstrate the extent to which human hands have a role in the making and finishing of a high-end watch, and the level of skill and number of hours required. It is presented in a way that looks over the shoulders of eight acclaimed professionals in their fields. Four of the eight talents come from the world of artisanal crafts, including marquetry artist Bastien Chevalier, master watchmaker Philippe Dufour, enameler Anita Porchet, and miniature painter Isabelle Villa. The other four hail from the industrial watchmaking sector: Andreas Albert, a watchmaker specializing in mainsprings; Thierry Faivre, a stamp maker; Ismaël Jaggi, a press setter; and Justine Jouanneau, a case finisher.
Master watchmaker and one of the world’s most important independent watchmakers.
FHH
Each of the eight sections of the exhibit includes a three-minute short film about the artisan or technician, directed by Thibault Vallotton, in which they reveal the secrets of their crafts and tell their stories. Background panels showcase the tools and objects involved in their work, and a central exhibit showcases some of it. The goal of the FHH is to highlight the watch as an object of art and culture. “With the Watches and Talents exhibition, we reveal the lives behind the scenes, reminding us that the beating heart of watchmaking remains human,” says FHH vice president Aurélie Streit. “Through this work, we hope to present watchmaking and its professions from a different perspective and inspire new vocations.”
A Philippe Dufour Duality, deceptively simple.
Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo
Watches and Talents opened in early June, and runs to September 2, in the Arcade of the FHH headquarters at the Pont de la Machine in Geneva. Several lectures related to watchmaking will be held in conjunction with the exhibition.