The FHH at 20: Watchmaking Knowledge For All

Geneva, 27 June 2025 – The Fondation Haute Horlogerie celebrates 20 years of commitment to watchmaking culture and begins a new chapter of openness, starting with the ‘Watch Makers’ exhibition in Geneva

The Fondation Haute Horlogerie (FHH) celebrated its 20th anniversary last night at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Geneva and at its headquarters at the city’s landmark Pont de la Machine.

To honour the FHH’s founding members, Ilaria Resta, Chief Executive Officer of Audemars Piguet, Patrick Pruniaux, Chairman & CEO of Girard-Perregaux, and Cyrille Vigneron, Chairman of Culture and Philanthropy at Cartier, representing Richemont, were among the dignitaries in attendance.

At a press conference yesterday evening, the FHH announced a new online public training platform called FHH Boutique, and opened ‘Watch Makers’, a new, free-to-enter exhibition dedicated to the art, craft and timeless value of watchmaking.

The FHH was founded in 2005 by Audemars Piguet, Girard-Perregaux and the Richemont Group with a shared vision to conserve watchmaking culture. Over two decades, the non-profit organisation has promoted the cultural, technical and artistic values in watchmaking, protecting its heritage and helping to build a sustainable future.

In its 20th anniversary year, the FHH will reaffirm its mission with a renewed focus on inclusion and universal access, taking the story of watchmaking to dynamic new audiences beyond the watch industry with a wave of compelling new initiatives and partnerships designed to draw in the next generation of watchmakers and enthusiasts.

Open season: the FHH widens its lens and introduces FHH Boutique

The first of these has already been introduced. Today, the FHH launches FHH Boutique, a dedicated online ecommerce platform that makes the FHH Academy’s expert training videos and certifications available for purchase to non-professional members of the public from outside the industry. Until 31 December 2025, these materials will be available at a special 20 per cent discount.

This year, Watches and Culture is expanding its reach with tailored content and events aimed at new audiences, chiefly women and GenZ. After successful events in Paris and London earlier this year, the initiative will continue its international journey with a stop in New York later in 2025.

Additionally, the FHH Forum will this year offer public masterclasses, as well as a universally accessible podcast series designed to unpack the arcane world of watchmaking for a fresh audience. The FHH Forum will also be held outside Switzerland for the first time as it lands in New York City on 17 October.

It begins at home: the FHH opens ‘Watch Makers’

Beginning yesterday, 26 June, the FHH will be offering free public entry to ‘Watch Makers’, an experiential exhibition curated to offer an immersive, multi-sensory journey into the fascinating world of watchmaking. Educational and hands-on experiences designed to introduce watchmaking and artisanal skills to visitors include movement assembly and decoration, gem-setting, case engraving and marquetry. This has been made possible with the help of 30 FHH partner brands. The exhibition will run until 7 September 2025.

Celebrating the past, championing the future: the story of the FHH

The FHH was the vision of watch industry luminary Franco Cologni. Twenty years ago, Dr Cologni’s passion for passing on the traditions of watchmaking and securing its future drove him to persuade Audemars Piguet, Girard-Perregaux and Richemont to collaborate around a foundation that would transmit and promote watchmaking culture, protecting and conserving it for future generations. His motto: A Legacy For Tomorrow.

Two decades on, Dr Cologni’s vision is alive and well and many of the foundation’s original ambitions have been realised. Today, the foundation fulfils a pivotal role in the watch industry through events and educational programmes such as Watches and Culture, the FHH Forum and the FHH Academy, which has now trained more than 40,000 people and issued more than 15,000 certificates to students since it was founded in 2014. The FHH’s portfolio of activities has helped secure watchmaking’s future, making it a pillar of the watchmaking community, recognised around the world.

Now, the time has come to launch the FHH into a new phase of expansion as it looks to build bridges beyond the industry to watch consumers. With it, a new motto: Watchmaking Knowledge For All.

Tomorrow people: the FHH looks to the future

In its 20th anniversary year, the FHH’s founders have reaffirmed their long-term commitment to its purpose and programme of activities. The foundation’s future will be built around a promise of inclusivity; the continuing celebration of watchmaking craftsmanship and savoir-faire; and a renewed vision for watchmaking culture as a shared and universal heritage. Yesterday was about transmission. Today is about openness. Tomorrow is about inspiration.

At yesterday’s announcement, the following comments were made:

Ilaria Resta, Chief Executive Officer, Audemars Piguet

For 20 years, the FHH has upheld the belief that horology is more than an industry – it’s a living cultural heritage, an art that bridges generations, regions and savoir-faire. By opening doors to watch enthusiasts, collectors and amateurs alike, it ignites curiosity and fosters connections. Audemars Piguet proudly supports this mission, believing in a dynamic, evolving horology dedicated to its future.”

Patrick Pruniaux, Chairman & CEO, Girard-Perregaux

Over the centuries, the world of watchmaking has continuously been evolving and grow thanks to its talented players : artisans, inventors and watchmakers. It is thus a privilege for our current generation of leaders to preserve skills, protect artisans and promote savoir-faire, and to draw in the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators and disruptors who will propel this industry into the future. This is what we’re doing and we’re grateful to the FHH for supporting manufactures like ours in this critical mission.”

Cyrille Vigneron, Chairman of Culture and Philanthropy, Cartier

Culture is a fundamental pillar of our industry; it gives it meaning. And it is essential that we transmit that culture to a world searching for meaning. Together with the FHH and its partners, our vision is to ensure watchmaking remains rooted within the history of art and civilisation. This is a watershed moment for watchmaking and I salute the FHH’s ambitious programme to secure its future.”

Pascal Ravessoud, Vice President, FHH

The FHH has had 20 wonderful, enormously fruitful years. Now, it’s time to restart the clock and open up to a new generation of truly global watch enthusiasts. The charm in a mechanical watch is timeless and the opportunities to promote it endless: it’s our responsibility as a foundation and as an industry to seize this moment, share the passion for watchmaking and secure the future of watchmaking culture.”

Aurélie Streit, Vice President, FHH

Our mission to transmit watchmaking culture to the next generation is now entering a critical new phase. Through this series of fresh initiatives, the FHH will engage new audiences, using universal, accessible, inclusive language that excites the passions of tomorrow’s watchmakers and watch enthusiasts. Through exhibitions such as Watch Makers and our upcoming international programme of events, we can be extremely confident that over the next 20 years the FHH will be successful in achieving these grand ambitions.”

Acknowledgments

The FHH would like to thank wholeheartedly its valued partner brands for their vital support of its programmes yesterday, today and tomorrow.

A. Lange & Söhne*, Armin Strom, Audemars Piguet*, Baume & Mercier*, Bovet*, Breitling*, Bvlgari*, Carl F. Bucherer, Cartier*, Chanel, Czapek*, Gerald Charles*, Girard-Perregaux*, Grönefeld, H. Moser & Cie.*, Hautlence*, Hermès*, IWC Schaffhausen*, Jaeger-LeCoultre*, Louis Moinet, Louis Vuitton, MB&F*, Montblanc*, Oris*, Panerai*, Parmigiani, Piaget*, Ressence*, Roger Dubuis*, Romain Gauthier*, Rudis Sylva, Speake Marin*, Tag Heuer*, Trilobe*, Ulysse Nardin*, Vacheron Constantin*, Van Cleef & Arpels*

Brands with (*) have supported the ‘Watch Makers’ exhibition with content/experiences.

FHH Boutique

Redeem and enjoy a 20% voucher on all the cultural content available on www.hautehorlogerie.org/en/my-account/login or scan the QR code

• Create your account
• Retrieve your code in the 'My FHH promo code' section.
• Follow the instructions to use it in the FHH Academy Boutique

* Offer valid until 31 December 2025 on all eligible FHH Academy courses and selected content. Not cumulative with other offers.

About Fondation Haute Horlogerie

Founded in 2005 by Audemars Piguet, Girard-Perregaux and the Richemont Group, the Fondation Haute Horlogerie (FHH) has since focused its mission on the international influence of watchmaking culture and positions the watch as an object of art and culture. The FHH serves as a neutral reference in watchmaking, supported by three pillars. ‘Watches and Culture’ brings watchmaking culture to life through original content, events, and international meetings for both the public and professionals. The ‘FHH Academy’ offers training and certification for current professionals and future enthusiasts, with courses available in over 20 countries, both in-person and online. The ‘FHH Forum’ is an industry-driven platform for discussion and debate, connecting leaders to shape the future of watchmaking. Around 40 watch brands actively support the FHH's mission to preserve and promote watchmaking culture and heritage.