Anti-Counterfeiting Campaign at the SIHH

1. Anti-Counterfeiting Campaign at the SIHH: Fake Watches Are For Fake People!

The Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie and the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry has unveiled its anti-counterfeiting campaign at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2009. more »

2. Smithsonian Uncovers Secret Message Inside Abraham Lincoln’s Watch

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History announced it has found a “secret” message engraved in President Abraham Lincoln’s watch by a watchmaker who was repairing it in 1861 when news of the attack on Fort Sumter reached Washington, D.C. more »

3. BASELWORLD 2009 boosts the global watch and jewellery industry

After eight successful days, BASELWORLD 2009 closed its doors, once again reaffirming its position as the leading international watch and jewelery trade show. On a site covering approximately 160,000 m2, 1,952 exhibitors from 45 countries showcased their latest products and innovations. Exhibitors and visitors alike spoke enthusiastically about their experience at the show and the business they did. Thanks to this sense of positi­vity, both exhibitors and visitors forecast new prospects for the industry as a whole. more »

de Grisogono Meccanico dG - Titanium and rubber

4. de GRISOGONO Meccanico dG

In fine watchmaking, you can decide to reinterpret existing concepts or choose to steer a pioneering course. Founder and CEO of de Grisogono, Fawaz Gruosi has deliberately chosen the second approach. With the Meccanico dG, the Geneva based manufacturer’s most recent entry, de Grisogono presents a design stemming from the purest watchmaking tradition and projects it into the future. With a total of 651 components, the Meccanico dG’s mechanical movement is one of the most complex ever made. A masterpiece of fine watchmaking, designed to display the time in two time zones, it ranks as the world’s first watch with a mechanical digital display as well as an analogue face. This world first – based on a de Grisogono patent – places a startlingly complex mechanism in a very contemporary design. more »

5. Exclusive Breguet Patronage of the Louvre

Exclusive Montres Breguet SA patronage for the remodelling of the Conseil d’Etat rooms and salon Beauvais, known as the Louis XIV wing, at the Louvre museum as part of the renovation of the museum premises devoted to 18th century furnishings. more »

Greubel Forsey DT30° Vision Red gold case Silvered-gold dial

6. GREUBEL FORSEY Double Tourbillon 30°

The watchmaker-inventors Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, based in their atelier in La Chaux-de-Fonds, wished to surpass the accomplishments of existing movements by plunging deeper into the subject and inventing a Tourbillon which significantly improves the functioning of a wristwatch.

After four years of effort, they created a Tourbillon within a tourbillon, in such a way that this new complication permanently compensates the gravity-related errors of rate in all wristwatch positions. more »

7. JAQUET DROZ Rouge & Noir

True to its vanguard spirit, Jaquet Droz presents three flagship timepieces from Baselworld 09 – with a Numerus Clausus of 88 – that highlight the absolute black of the Grand Feu enamelled dial, the black matt of the rubber and the red gold of the case. more »

8. HUBLOT Unico Technical Specifications

The UNICO movement, a chronograph developed entirely by Hublot’s Research & Development department, is now in its “functional prototype” stage until the end of 2009. more »

Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921

9. Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921 Wins Watch of the Year 2009 Prize

Just two years after being awarded the 2007 Watch of the Year Prize (for the Patrimony Contemporary Retrograde Date and Day model), Vacheron Constantin once again takes the top spot on the winner’s podium with the 2009 Watch of the Year Prize, this time for its ‘Historiques American 1921’ model. more »

What were the events that you think should have been included in this article? Please leave a comment and share with us your thoughts.

Geneva, October 12th 2009 – The Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, organiser of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), to be held from January 18th to 22nd 2010, is pleased to announce the arrival of two new exhibitors. Following a vote by the SIHH Exhibitor Committee, Greubel Forsey and Richard Mille
will join the 17 brands which exhibited at the last SIHH, thereby continuing the spirit that defines the SIHH in its respect for Fine Watchmaking.

The event has continued to grow over its twenty-year existence, from 4,500 sq m of exhibition space in 1991 to more than 30,000 sq m in 2010, and from 5 exhibitors in 1991 to 19 in 2010.

Despite challenging export markets over recent months, the SIHH will continue to play its key role as a foremost private event for professionals in the Fine Watch segment. This next edition will welcome an exclusive clientele of retailers, all ambassadors for Fine Watchmaking worldwide and who will play a decisive role in leading the way out of recession in 2010.

This 20th Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie will thus open its aisles to Greubel Forsey and Richard Mille in a “City of Fine Watchmaking” that will be an even more prestigious showcase for these 19 companies, each of which strives to uphold the culture, innovation and professions that are the foundations for technical and precious Fine Watchmaking.

For further information, visit www.sihh.ch

Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie
Press relations
Agnès le Métayer – agnes.lemetayer@sihh.ch
Tel: 00 41 22 307 09 96

Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2010
January 18th – 22nd, Palexpo, Geneva

Exhibitors
A.Lange & Söhne, Alfred Dunhill, Audemars Piguet, Baume & Mercier, Cartier, JeanRichard, Girard Perregaux, Greubel Forsey, IWC, Jaeger LeCoultre, Montblanc, Officine Panerai, Parmigiani Fleurier, Piaget, Ralph Lauren Watch & Jewelry Co, Richard Mille, Roger Dubuis, Vacheron Constantin, Van Cleef & Arpels.

Vacheron Constantin Ad from 1955

The ultra-thin heritage

Vacheron Constantin has chosen today to revive some of the finest moments in the quest for ultra-thinness. The Geneva-based manufacturer has indeed been closely involved in the epic milestones of this distinctive form of expertise, such as in the 1950s and 1960s when Vacheron Constantin introduced the world’s thinnest wristwatches.

Today, Vacheron Constantin is enriching its “Historiques” collection with two new creations directly inspired by its heritage, each imbuing one of two legendary calibres with a new and distinctively modern touch.

“Historique Ultra-fine 1955”
equipped with the mechanical hand-wound 1003 movement the thinnest in the world at just 1.64 mm thick, rebuilt for this model in 18-carat gold, and bearing the Hallmark of Geneva

&

“Historique Ultra-fine 1968”
equipped with the ultra-thin mechanical self-winding 1120 movement featuring a new decorated oscillating weight, and bearing the Hallmark of Geneva

Vacheron Constantin Ultra-thin pocket watch, 1927

Vacheron Constantin was founded in 1755 and can legitimately claim to be the world’s oldest watch manufacturer still in activity, with over 250 years of continuous expertise and production behind it. A truly unique status within the watch industry.

This proud heritage cultivated over a quarter of a millennium is punctuated with timepieces and movements that have each in their own way left an indelible imprint on their era. This stunning and inestimably valuable patrimony, through which the brand’s history is inextricably bound up with that of the watch industry, eloquently testifies to the brand’s consistent technical and aesthetic creativity.

Evolving in step with new inventions, techniques and of course with the tastes of horological enthusiasts, Vacheron Constantin has explored all fields of the watchmaking art, including pocket-watches and wristwatches, as well as ring-watches, pendant-watches, and brooch-watches. Its range encompasses highly complicated models, automatons, sophisticated clocks, as well as an area which is less conspicuous yet requires an incredible wealth of expertise, experience and talent: that of ultra-thin mechanical movements.

Extreme slenderness is traditionally not considered as a horological complication, in that it does not itself contribute an additional watch function in the same way as a date or a chronograph. It would nonetheless be entirely legitimate to describe it as such, due to its highly complex nature that often pushes micromechanical boundaries to the limit. Although many try their hand in this field, few are successful.

While the first ultra-thin Vacheron Constantin calibres were produced in the 19th century, the manufacturer became most prolific in this speciality during the 20th century, which is generally considered as the ultra-thin “golden age”. It was indeed in the early 20th century that wristwatches began to gain popularity, and weight and thickness thus became crucial factors in ensuring the wearer comfort of such models.

Vacheron Constantin Ultra-thin pocket watch, 1931

The Vacheron Constantin heritage comprises extraordinary ultra-thin creations and a succession of slimness records.

Right from the start of the 19th century, the Vacheron Constantin archives (including a letter written by Jacques-Barthélémi Vacheron to a certain Mr. Girod in Paris, dated May 18th 1912) feature references to thin watches. Another letter dated January 28th 1829 and written by Jacques-Barthélémi Vacheron to François Constantin also mentions the production of “a few thin pieces”.

Vacheron Constantin’s historical records for 1911 also include three 8,9 and 10-ligne calibres, each measuring 2.82 mm thick. The remainder of the century witnessed an impressive number of ultra-thin calibres, representing impressive horological feats and becoming ever slimmer over the years: 2.25 mm in 1917, 1.88 in 1924. Some were used to create such extraordinary models as a rock crystal watch presented in 1926 and equipped with a 2.63 mm red gold movement (visual available).

In 1931, Vacheron Constantin set a new world pocket-watch record with a mechanical movement measuring 17 lignes 5/12 in diameter and less than 1 mm thick – exactly 0.94 mm to be precise (visual available)!

Ultra-thin movements continued to inspire the Geneva-based manufacturer, leading it in 1981 to present the “Structura” collection, which set a highly original stage for one of these movements by reversing it and fitting the hands on the bridge side, thereby enabling connoisseurs to admire the full complexity of its structure.

In 1992, Vacheron Constantin confirmed that its expertise in the field of extreme slenderness also extends to Grand Complication movements by presenting the thinnest minute repeater wristwatch movement to date, measuring 3.28 mm and earning the Geneva-based manufacturer set another record. (visual available).

Nor was Vacheron Constantin lagging behind when it came to self-winding movements. From 1945 onwards, it began developing ultra-thin self-winding movements such as the 477 9/12 which was to be the first of an entire generation : the 498 in 1951, the 499 and the 1019 in 1953, followed by the 1071 in 1958.

Patrimoine 1955

The world’s thinnest mechanical movements are developed in Vacheron Constantin’s historical L’Ile premises.

Within this impressive legacy, one particular hand-wound movement continues to attract the attention of specialists and collectors. Work on its development began in 1952 in L’Ile (the building on the Rhone River ‘island’ that has housed Vacheron Constantin’s historical premises since 1875) and it was presented for the brand bicentenary celebrations in 1955 under the name Calibre 1033.

Its 9-lignes or 21.05 mm diameter and 1.64 mm thickness have made it the world’s smallest mechanical movement on the market. By way of comparison, this micromechanical masterpiece composed of 120 parts is about the size of a small Swiss 20-centime coin.

This now legendary calibre (of which the excellence was to be confirmed by the subsequent orders placed by other great names in fine watchmaking) was used to equip three round watches that set a new record as the world’s thinnest watches measuring just 4.54 mm thick. These three timepieces have forever imprinted on people’s minds the image of the archetypal Vacheron Constantin watch: round, classic, ultra-thin and extremely reliable.

In 2010, Vacheron Constantin has chosen to pay tribute to this legendary calibre by housing it within a reinterpretation of one of those three watches: the “Historique Ultra-fine 1955”, currently the world’s thinnest watch measuring just 4.10 mm thick.

Patrimoine 1968 Profil

The development of Calibre 1120 began in 1966 and production began at the end of 1967. It too attracted the notice of specialists and collectors and was ordered by other great names in fine watchmaking. In 2010, Vacheron Constantin has also chosen to pay tribute to this equally legendary calibre by housing it within a reinterpretation of the vintage ultra-thin watches: the model now called “Historique Ultra-fine 1968”.

These two timepieces will find their natural place within the “Historiques” collection, specifically created to bring back to life the various designs and movements that have shaped the finest hours of Vacheron Constantin.

A collection composed of watches intended for watchmaking collectors, connoisseurs and devotees, for those with a taste for discreet and elegant models, as well as purists. It features models such as the Chronomètre Royal 1907 presented in 2007 to mark the 100th anniversary of the original, and the amazingly daring Historique American 1921 model reinterpreted in 2008 and which was named “Watch of the Year” in October 2009 in Geneva.

The New 1815 from A. Lange & Söhne

Glashütte, April 2009 – Whether they are simple or complicated, all watches by A. Lange & Söhne are made according to the same high quality standards and display the same degree of flawless craftsmanship. One of them is the new 1815, which was presented at this year’s Geneva Watch Salon SIHH – a simple three-dial watch made in the best Lange tradition that will be available soon.

More than 60 highly qualified Lange employees – called finishers – focus exclusively on the finishes of parts made in Lange’s own workshops. They are proficient in all finishing techniques for metal surfaces, even some that had already been forgotten. When the brand was re-established in the 1990s, these techniques were painstakingly recreated, in order to instruct new team members. It takes a qualified watchmaker at least two years to master all cuts and polishes.

The flat polish on the escape wheel and escape wheel plate of the 1815, for example. The finisher creates the mirror finish by rubbing the part on special foils treated with a layer of diamond dust. In order to produce an absolutely flawless flat polish, the part is mounted on a small disc of elder pith and slid across the foils in a figure-eight movement. The finisher uses three foils with increasingly fine grains, down to just 0.5 micrometres. At first glance, it looks easy. But even the most talented finisher needs at least six months of practice before he or she has mastered the flat polish with consistent results. In addition, each step requires the utmost cleanliness. A single speck of dust is enough to ruin the work of several hours.

The New 1815 from A. Lange & Söhne detail

Chamfering is another example. The outer edges of the three-quarter plate in German silver are broken at an angle of 45 degrees and polished with paste and a rotating wooden disc. Lange tested dozens of different materials to find that limewood is the perfect carrier for the polishing paste if the part is made from German silver. Another challenge for the steady hand of the finisher: The chamfer must be exactly 0.2 millimetres wide along the entire length of the edge. Even the edges of the smallest openings, such as the one for the winding spring, are finished with this complex technique.

Many other finishing techniques, such as circular graining, band ribbing, linear finish, sunray finish, and perlage, are combined in the movement of the 1815, turning it into a small work of art. The result is an aesthetic composition of different material colours and textures. Polished surfaces and edges create beautiful reflections that can also be viewed through the sapphire crystal back, warming the heart of any true watch aficionado.

For further information:
Lange Uhren GmbH – Arnd Einhorn – Altenberger Strasse 15 – 01768 Glashuette – Germany
Phone: +49 (0)35053 440 – Fax: +49 (0)35053 445039 – Email: presse@lange-soehne.com – www.lange-soehne.com

Piaget Emperador coussin moon phase © Piaget

Piaget, the manufacturer of Haute Horlogerie, has unveiled a new mechanic movement, designed and developed in house, the calibre 860P, included in the new Piaget Emperador coussin.

Piaget Emperador coussin moon phase
Model XL
18-carat white gold case
Slate-grey dial, 18-carat white gold applied hour-markers, sunburst satin-brushed silver-coloured centre, large 18-carat white gold moon at 6 o’clock.
Sapphire crystal case-back
Manufacture Piaget 860P mechanical self-winding movement

Movement thickness: 6.1 mm

Number of jewels: 25

Cadence: 21,600 vph

Approximately 72-hour power reserve

Finishing: circular Côtes de Genève, circular-grained mainplate, bevelled bridges , balance with screws, blued screws
18-carat white gold folding clasp
Black alligator leather strap

Ref G0A34021

© SIHH

The Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie and the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry has unveiled its anti-counterfeiting campaign at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2009:

The Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie and the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry are joining forces to launch an international anti-counterfeiting campaign. Their objective is to inform the public on the damage caused by this global scourge.

In spite of the many efforts made, the problem of counterfeiting and piracy continues to wreak havoc on virtually every economy worldwide, and is expanding rapidly through multiple distribution channels, especially online.

Astronomical amounts
Calculations based on Customs seizures show that counterfeits and piracy worldwide amount to US$ 200 billion to 360 billion a year, or 5% to 7% of international trade. Swiss watches are no exception, as the sector is hit full-on by this modern-day plague.

The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FHS) estimates that over 40 million fake Swiss watches are made each year (compared with exports of almost 26 million authentic Swiss watches in 2007) and that they generate net profits of around one billion dollars. This illicit trade, whose main victims are the most prestigious Swiss brands, is equivalent to around 6% of total Swiss watch exports for 2007.

Everyone suffers
In this context, it would be naïve to imagine that counterfeiting can be defeated simply by targeting the counterfeiters and their means of production. This wouldn’t be such a thriving industry without the individuals who buy fake watches, and who fail to realise the full extent of the damage they cause, in particular in human terms. The priority in the fight against counterfeiting must therefore be to speak directly to these potential customers and have them realise that what they believe is a harmless purchase has serious consequences on companies and nations. Legislative weapons and international measures still lack the impact to defeat this global scourge; hence the customers themselves must realise that wearing a fake luxury watch is empty of meaning.

Counterfeiters increasingly target internationally renowned Fine Watch brands, whose reputation, capacity for innovation and sales all suffer as a result. These brands must also invest significant amounts in the fight against illicit copies in all their forms and to protect their intellectual property. As counterfeiting continues to spread, an even more serious consequence is the generalised loss of confidence in companies that nevertheless create jobs and added value. At national level, counterfeiting forces governments to invest heavily in the fight against fakes while losing out on tax revenues, and takes away employment opportunities. Finally, the phenomenal amounts of money generated by counterfeiting go on to benefit the mafias, criminal organisations and terrorist groups that reign over this illicit trade, where child labour is commonplace, and health and safety standards are openly flouted.

A powerful message
Faced with a scourge that undermines companies and countries alike, the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) has joined forces with the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH) to launch a vast information campaign aimed at the general public. It will take the form of powerful visuals backed by a simple, hard-hitting message: “Fake Watches are for Fake People.” The campaign will be unrolled in the international media that are supporting this initiative. Clearly, the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, whose vocation is to defend and promote the values of Fine Watchmaking and its professions, could not stay silent in the face of counterfeiting. The time has come to challenge this plague on innovative, socially-responsible, high-tech businesses. We can no longer stand by and do
nothing, so let’s say it out loud:

« FAKE WATCHES ARE FOR FAKE PEOPLE ! »

Robert Wilson demonstrating movement technique during rehearsal for Symptômes, Warsaw © Lesley Leslie-Spinks 2007

January 19, 2009, Geneva, Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH): Montblanc is presenting the installation ‘Montblanc -Writing Time’ by Robert Wilson, at its exhibition booth at SIHH 2009. The installation has been especially created for the exhibition booth and is based on the multimedia performance event “Writing Time” by Robert Wilson for Montblanc shown in 2008, at a glamorous gala evening in honour of the launch of the Montblanc Star Nicolas Rieussec Monopusher Chronograph, Montblanc’s Chronograph with its first own in-house movement.

Robert Wilson is the fifth artist in a row, whose artwork is presented by Montblanc at SIHH. After the British artist Philippe Bradshaw created a special artwork as a tribute to the launch of Montblanc’s female collection in 2005, German Stefan Huber focused on Montblanc’s 100th anniversary and the icon of the Montblanc emblem, in 2006. In 2007 Swiss artist Lori Hersberger artistically visualized Montblanc’s new Diamond Collection and in 2008 Swiss artist John Armleder’s lightning wall reflected on the aspect of movement and acceleration and the philosophy of the brand. Now Robert Wilson -together with Serge von Arx, who co-designed the artwork -opens new dimensions with this unique installation ‘Montblanc -Writing Time’ and pays again tribute to a very special watch, the Montblanc Star Nicolas Rieussec Monopusher Chronograph.

Asking Robert Wilson, one of the world’s greatest cultural genius, to create a unique and memorable spectacle for the launch of the Montblanc Star Nicolas Rieussec Monopusher Chronograph with its first own in-house movement, was a must. Not only because of the long lasting friendship between Montblanc and the artist, but mainly because of Wilson’s outstanding artistic work about ‘time’ and ‘movement’. So who else, if not Robert Wilson, could celebrate the birth of an historical moment in the history of Montblanc’s watchmaking? In his works, no matter if it is drawing, sculpture, furniture design, opera or theatre, the artist exposes what time means in all its dimensions. Seeing the world through his eyes is a privilege and makes us sensible for the things which are of importance and part of Montblanc’s philosophy: taking time to reflect, time to care about friends, time for a personal note and recognising our lifetime as a precious and irretrievable journey. In his installation ‘Montblanc -Writing Time’, the artist lets us hear, feel and see ‘time’ in a three dimensional perception. He invites us to experience the inner life of a watch, its mechanical movement, its ticking sound, its colours, which are a mix of light and shadow. We feel like being part of Wilson’s magical installation and seeing the world from another point of view.

Rooted in the culture of writing, Montblanc sees its responsibility in supporting the arts in numerous international cultural activities as part of the brand’s philosophy since many years. This also applies to the SIHH where Montblanc presents every year an outstanding artwork of one of the artists who are long-time friends of the brand. The artworks are always placed in the centre of the booth entrance area; each artwork is an artistic interpretation of the principal theme of Montblanc’s annual product presentation.

Robert Wilson, born in Waco, Texas, October 4, 1941 served several times as a jury member of the Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award since the 90ies and celebrated with Montblanc his 65 birthday in Hamburg, together with the premiere of the documentary ‘Absolute Wilson’.

Biography and portrait see Montblanc press CD and on http://www.robertwilson.com/extranet/pr.php

©SIHH 2008

In 2009, the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) will open for the first time in January.

The 19th SIHH will take place from Monday January 19th to Friday January 23rd, ending a day earlier as it welcomes its last visitors on Friday rather than Saturday.

The SIHH remains a private fair for professionals from around the world and remains committed to even greater selectivity and exclusivity.

The brands presenting their new models in 2009 are:
A.Lange & Söhne, Alfred Dunhill, Audemars Piguet, Baume & Mercier, Cartier, Girard-Perregaux, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, JeanRichard, Montblanc, Officine Panerai, Parmigiani Fleurier, Piaget, Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewelry Co, Roger Dubuis, Vacheron Constantin and Van Cleef & Arpels.

This first-ever winter edition of the SIHH also brings new features:

Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewelry Co, a recent joint venture between the Richemont group and Polo Ralph Lauren, will join the brands exhibiting at the SIHH and unveil its first collection of Haute Horlogerie time pieces.

Part of the hall will be set aside for a cultural area, presenting the work of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie.

The Federation of the swiss watch industry will be present for the first time at the Salon with the latest version of its exhibition, « Think Time Think Swiss Excellence», never previously shown in Switzerland.

This 19th SIHH will provide an exclusive and prestigious setting where visitors will enjoy a first-class welcome and services throughout the day, and later the opportunity to unwind at the invitation-only “After Dinner” evenings, always an eagerly-anticipated highlight of this special week.

The SIHH is organised by the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie as part of its events wing, on behalf of the SIHH Exhibitor Committee which has full decision-making powers for the positioning and strategy of the SIHH.