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  • FHH Academy
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  • Watches and Culture
  • FHH Academy

    Train and Certify, The Academy masters, delivers and measures watchmaking knowledge worldwide.

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  • FHH Forum

    The Watch Forum provides a platform for debate to help craft the industry of tomorrow.

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  • Watches and Culture

    Attract new audiences and present watchmaking in a new light.

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Who are we

A not-for-profit foundation set up under private law in 2005 by Audemars Piguet, Girard-Perregaux and Richemont, the objective of the FHH is to promote and spread the reputation of watchmaking excellence around the world.

It provides information on the latest news, history and skills within the watchmaking professions. It trains, assesses and certifies horological knowledge. It organises events and encounters intended for both the general public and professionals. A creator of content, competencies, connections and experiences, the FHH is supported by leading names in the watch industry and independent creators, all actively contributing to its activities.


Head office

Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie

Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie

Pont de la Machine 1

1204 Geneva | Switzerland

T +41 22 808 58 60

Watches and Culture: Did you know?

  • Timepieces

    Calatrava

    The model behind Patek Philippe's signature collection hasn't aged a day since its launch in 1932. It is instantly identifiable. Round, ultra-classic, the simplicity of a dial with just Arabic numerals, slender hands,...

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  • Famous watchmakers

    Aaron L. Dennison

    American clockmaker. Established in the USA then in England.

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  • History

    Around -1450

    First sundial: -1450 before JC in Egypte.After observing the natural rhythm of daylight and dark, civilisations around the world looked for ways to measure time, first with calendars then with instruments of increasing...

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  • Glossary

    • Asterism

      An optical phenomenon of intersecting lines in a star formation, caused by the reflection of light rays on inclusions . It can be seen in certain cabochon-cut stones such as the star ruby and star...

    • Brass

      An alloy of copper and between 30% and 40% zinc. Can be used to make the plates, bridges and wheels for a watch.

    • CIBJO

      The French acronym for Confédération International pour la Bijouterie, Joaillerie, Orfévrerie translated to The International confederation of Jewellery, Silverware, Diamonds, Pearls and Stones....

    • Digital

      A system controlled by the watch movement to indicate the time. An alphanumerical (or numerical) display uses letters and numerals (or just numerals) to show the time.An...

    • Etablissage

      A procedure for manufacturing the watch and/or movement by assembling the various parts. As a general rule, the procedure in full comprises taking delivery of, inspecting and stocking the...

    • Flange

      The part inside a watch case that supports the movement. dial and the dial plate, freeing space in which many of the striking mechanism parts could be housed. The parts thus placed under...

    • Gild

      To cover an object with a thin layer of gold, generally by electroplating. In a watch, the case but also the movement's plate and bridges can be gilded.

    • Hematite

      A natural iron oxide that is a metallic dark to silver-grey with a high sheen. Hematite can be used to make watch dials. It has a specific gravity of 4.95 to 5.16 and a hardness of 6.5 on the...

    • Intermediate wheel

      A small toothed wheel, part of the hand-setting mechanism.

    • Jewels

      The international term for the jewels (rubies) in a watch movement that are used as bearings for pivots to reduce friction. The movement of a quality watch has between 15 and 21 jewels.

    • Karrusel

      A device similar to the tourbillon, the difference being that the cage is driven by the third wheel. Invented by Bonnicksen, a Danish watchmaker established in London.See complication.

    • Large date

      A date function with large numerals on two independent discs, displayed through oversized apertures. In 1994, A. Lange & Söhne displays for the first the the Large Date in the...

    • Moss agate

      A green variety of agate. It is chalcedony that has dendritic green, red or black inclusions. The inclusions often form beautiful patterns and are used as watch dials or cases.

    • Natural pearl

      A natural pearl is also called an oriental pearl. This pearl is formed by an oyster, freshwater mussel or other mollusc as a reaction to a tiny invading object that happened to be caught inside...

    • Oscillating pinion

      The oscillating pinion, which comprises a mobile stem and two pinions, allows the chronograph to function very efficiently by replacing the two large wheels of the anterior movements. A coupling...

    • Petite sonnerie

      Watch that strikes the hours and quarters in passing without repeating the hours at each quarter. The hour and quarter strikes can be repeated on demand if the subsidiary seconds are...

    • Quartz

      Silicon dioxide. Also called rock crystal. Quartz has the specific property of vibrating at a very high frequency (32 MHz) placed under electric current. Under certain conditions, it...

    • Refractive index

      The ratio of the speed of light in air and the speed of light in an optically denser medium. Each gemstone has a specific refractive index that, when legible, can identify it.

    • Sidereal day

      A unit of time used by astronomers defined as the interval of time taken by a star to make two successive upper meridian transits.

    • Terminal coil

      The incurved ends of the balance-spring to improve isochronism. Invented by Breguet and perfected by Phillips and others, hence often referred to as a "Phillips curve" or "Breguet overcoil".

    • Ultra-complicated watch

      Any function other than the indication of hours, minutes and seconds, regardless of whether the mechanism is hand-wound or self-winding, mechanical or electronic, and of movement height. The...

    • Vermeil

      Silver covered with a thin layer of gold.

    • Waterproof

      Describes a watch which, in theory, will not let in water at a depth of up to 3 atm or 30 metres.See also ATM; water-resistant.

    • Year

      A four-digit indication of the current year that changes automatically at midnight on December 31st.

    • Zodiac

      At the heart of countless legends and beliefs, since ancient times precious stones have had symbolic value. From the Jews to the Egyptians, each culture and religion has given a different meaning...

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Glossary

From A to Z, we've got watchmaking covered!