Typically the finest and most difficult feats in watchmaking are considered haute horlogerie, including astronomical complications (equation of time, precise moon phases, etc.), tourbillons, repeaters and sonneries, perpetual calendars, chronograph rattrapantes, and grand complications, among others.ģ. Whether or not, and to what degree, the brand makes its own movements in house, and how complicated those movements are. In the case of younger, emerging independent brands, legacy revolves around the innovative concepts employed by the contemporary brands.Ģ. The heritage and history of the company and the brand. Typically more than one of these factors are combined in an haute horology watch and often, several need to be present to demonstrate a brand’s exceptional prowess at the craft of watchmaking.ĥ Factors Influencing Whether or Not a Watch is Haute Horologyġ. So, in the end what defines an Haute Horology brand? A multitude of factors that come together in a brand’s highest watch offerings. The Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie has issued guidelines for haute horology in the form of the White Paper on Fine Watchmaking.
The White Paper on Fine Watchmaking (which, along with the accompanying evaluations, took three years to complete) establishes principles in seven areas of expertise and measures brands across those principles, among them: R&D, design, production, the production of in-house-made movements, movement finishing and decoration, and quality. The FHH took it upon itself to help define the term, and evaluated more than 80 brands, finally naming 64 that fit the bill, including historic maisons, contemporary brands and independent artisanal creators. Just last year, the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH), which was founded in 2005 in Switzerland to maintain and preserve the tradition of haute horlogerie, issued the “White Paper.” Much like the fashion industry’s haute couture designation (which has government issued rules surrounding its use), it had become important to establish a set of rules to help define haute horology and identify fine watchmaking brands. As such, there has been an ongoing struggle to define haute horology, which has led to the formation of a number certifications, such as the Qualité Fleurier (for watchmakers in the Fleurier region of Switzerland), the Geneva Seal (also known as the Hallmark of Geneva for watch brands in that region), and others, that act as guidelines for fine watchmaking.Ī master watchmaker’s tools are like magic when it comes to assembling and finishing high horology movements. Over the past half a century, the term haute horology continues to evolve, and sometimes has even the finest watch collectors arguing about whether or not a fine watch is a haute horology piece.
Their focus was on demonstrating their watchmaking skills, including artistic merit, mechanical precision, complicated calibers, meticulous finishing, and only the finest quality. The term haute horology really only came into existence in the late 1970’s when fine Swiss watchmakers were looking for a term to differentiate their high-end mechanical timepieces from the plethora of quartz watches coming onto the market. Haute horology revolves around the art of high watchmaking.
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