The foundation
The foundation
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION
The Watch Library foundation, which has been recognized as a charitable body by the Swiss Confederation, is a major initiative for the entire watch industry.
The mission of The Watch Library Foundation is to preserve and enhance the watchmaking heritage towards a wide audience.
By digitizing and mobilizing the resources and archives of all watchmaking actors (museums, brands, institutions, media, retailers, suppliers, libraries), the initiative can exploit the capabilities of Big Data - the collection and publication of vast amounts of information - in this case about the watchmaking industry. The Watch Library aims to demonstrate how shared data and knowledge foster innovation, creativity and thus feed the imagination of experts, current and future professionals and watch enthusiasts. It reconciles heritage and digital technology to help increase the appeal of watchmaking to the public, especially to the younger generations of collectors.
As a public utility foundation, The Watch Library is at the service of the entire watchmaking eco-system and strives to enhance the value of all the stakeholders in a completely equitable manner.
Foundation Board Comittee
The Watch Library shares the values of our time. It is inclusive and welcoming of the entire horological community. Its Foundation Board comprises passionate Swiss and international experts from the worlds of watchmaking, innovation, education and art.
- Serge Maillard, Publisher, Europa Star (Chair of the Foundation Board)
- Ellan Spero, co-founder of the Station 1 and lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- Nicholas Manousos, Executive Director, Horological Society of New York (HSNY)
- Agi Musset, Project manager, Arc Horloger
- Régis Huguenin-Dumittan, Curator, International Museum of Horology
- Giulia Neri-Castracane, Professor of law and philantropy lecturer. University of Geneva. - Martine Depresle, co-founder and Managing Director The Watch Library Foundation
DISCOVER
The Watch Library feeds the passion of watchmaking around the world
Since the dawn of the world, man has sought to measure and understand time. This millennial adventure is far from over. Dive into the archives, you won't come out of it soon.
THE FOUNDATION
Our Patrons and supports
The first circle of major patrons and supporters brings together members of the watchmaking community and public institutions around the Foundation's philanthropic mission. They share the same understanding of the importance of preserving the watchmaking heritage and passing it on to current and future generations.
The public and private patronage of the Foundation generates the resources required to digitize and catalogue the watchmaking documentation collected from various sources. All over the world are involved watch museums, art museums, watch industry institutions, universities and technology institutes, publishing houses and publications, auction houses, national libraries and private collections.
support
République et Canton de Genève
The Watch Library Foundation is supported by the Republic and Canton of Geneva. "The quality of your initiative is multifaceted. It resides both in its heritage mission of promoting the watchmaking heritage and in its ability to unite a large number of players in the sector around a common project."
PATRON
Audemars Piguet
Audemars Piguet is the oldest fine watchmaking manufacturer still in the hands of its founding families (Audemars and Piguet). Based in Le Brassus since 1875, the company has nurtured generations of talented craftspeople who have continuously developed new skills and techniques, broadening their savoir-faire to set rule-breaking trends.
PATRON
Richard Mille
Diminutive marvels of technology, painstakingly produced in limited quantities, Richard Mille timepieces are designed specifically for those with a true appreciation of fine watchmaking. The RM 001 Tourbillon, the first watch ever to bear the Richard Mille name, literally and figuratively launched the millennium: the year was 2001, and the model marked the beginning of a new era in watchmaking. Today, the collection’s more than eighty models point resolutely towards the future, whilst holding steadfast to the time-honoured traditions of fine watchmaking.
PATRON
TAG Heuer
TAG Heuer, founded in 1860 by Edouard Heuer in the Jura Mountains of Switzerland, is a luxury watch brand that is part of LVMH, the world’s leading luxury group. For more than 160 years, TAG Heuer has demonstrated pure avant-garde watchmaking spirit and a commitment to innovation with revolutionary technologies.
PATRON
Europa Star
An international watch publishing company bringing news and business analysis on the global watch industry since 1927.
SUPPORT
ARC HORLOGER
A Franco-Swiss Interreg project to promote the preservation and transmission of know-how in mechanical watchmaking and art mechanics, included on UNESCO's List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
SUPPORT
Fondation Watch Academy
In watchmaking-related fields, the Watch Academy Foundation encourages training for young people, retraining and reintegration, innovation, inventiveness, the use of new materials, new technologies and the enhancement and preservation of heritage.
PARTNERSHIP
Join the initiative
If you want to play an essential role in the preservation, transmission and enhancement of the watchmaking heritage please contact us.
berner
Need a definition? An explanation?
5'000 terms in four languages (French, German, English and Spanish).