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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 00

Watches and Culture: Did you know?

  • Timepieces

    RICHARD LANGE

    The RICHARD LANGE embodies the tradition of A. Lange& Söhne's scientific observation watches from the 19th and 20th centuries. All facets of this timepiece are dictated by two goals: superior precision and the utmost in...

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  • Famous watchmakers

    Jean François Bautte

    Swiss clockmaker. The founder, in Geneva, of the most complete factory at the time (300 workers): production of movements, watchcases, dials, jewellery and automatons. With Europe’s Royal Families among his clientele, this...

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  • History

    1828

    A patent was granted to Louis-Frédéric Perrelet and his son for a "physics and astronomy counter" with split-seconds.

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  • Glossary

    • Amplitude

      The distance between the two extreme points of a movement or periodic phenomenon (a angle).

    • Battery

      A device that transform the energy created by a chemical reaction into electrical energy. Typically, a battery lasts for two to five years. Its lifespan will depend on the type of watch, its size...

    • Cabochon

      A polished precious or fine stone cut into a dome and without facets. Used to decorate a watch dial and sometimes the crown.

    • Decimal (Revolutionary) (Republican)

      A watch or clock dial made in 1793, after the French Revolution which imposed the decimal calendar. The year was divided into 12 months and each month into three 10-day periods known as...

    • Enamellist

      A person who creates enamelwork.

    • Flirt (independent seconds)

      A small rod, driven by a separate train, whose end meshes with the escape-pinion's leaves. The flirt is released every second and makes one complete revolution. This movement is transferred to the...

    • Grande complication

      See complication.

    • Hardness

      The resistance of a material to scratching and wear. Hardness is measured using the Moh's Scale. This scale indicates that one substance can scratch the substance below it and scratch itself. For...

    • Indicator

      A watch's indicators are its dial and hands.

    • Jasper

      An opaque, ornamental stone found in many colours, including white, brown, yellow, red, and green. It is often striped, speckled, and multi-coloured and is used in watch making as a dial. Jasper...

    • 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.

    • Lever héliaque d'un astre

      An annual occurrence which marks the end of a period of invisibility that began with the star's heliacal setting due to conjunction with the rising Sun.

    • Marcasite

      Marcasite is a misnomer for pyrite that has been cut in shiny metallic stones. It is sometimes found on watch bracelets and 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...

    • Organic

      Describes a substance produced by a living organism. Pearl, coral and shell are examples of organic substances used in jewellery.

    • Princess cut

      A square-cut stone that has the crown facets of a brilliant cut.

    • Quartz oscillator

      The regulating organ in a quartz clock or watch.

    • Repairer

      The person who repairs watches. A repairer must be outstanding in watchmaking.

    • Sodalite

      Sodalite has a dark blue background with inclusions of white, grey, pink or green. It is used as watch dials.

    • Test

      A watch is tested for water-resistance, thermal resistance, its capacity to resist knocks, corrosion, magnetic fields, etc.

    • 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...

    • Vibration

      Movement of a pendulum or oscillating body between two extreme positions (A' and A''). The balance of a mechanical watch generally makes five vibrations per second, equivalent to 18,000...

    • Wheel

      A circular component that rotates around an axis and whose function is to transmit power or motion.

    • Year

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

    • Zinc

      A metal applied by electrodeposition (electroplating) to protect iron and steel.

    Expand Glossary

Glossary

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