– By Logan Baker
The Geneva Watchmaking School, or l’École d'Horlogerie de Genève, recently inaugurated its new, state-of-the-art premises, perfectly timed to coincide with its 200th anniversary in 2024, making it the oldest watchmaking school in Switzerland.
The modern facilities are as impressive as they are functional, designed to foster collaboration and interdisciplinary learning among micro-engineering, watchmaking, and quality control disciplines. It’s a forward-thinking environment where tradition and innovation coexist harmoniously.
With capacity for more than 200 students, the school is primed to address the growing demand for skilled professionals in the watchmaking industry. The school's alumni list reads like a who's who of watchmaking legends – Laurent Ferrier, Franck Muller, Antoine Preziuso, Rexhep Rexhepi, and many others walked these halls, setting a standard of excellence for future generations.
Strategically located in the heart of Plan-les-Ouates, one of Geneva’s two major watchmaking hubs, the school is surrounded by industry giants like Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Piaget, and Rolex. This proximity to such esteemed manufacturers isn’t just geographical; it represents a thriving ecosystem of partnership and mutual support. It's worth noting that the Wilsdorf Foundation plays a crucial role, backing a government initiative to sustain and create jobs in this vital sector of the Swiss economy.
The students – future watchmakers, micro-mechanics, technicians, and quality specialists – are the lifeblood of the industry, ensuring the continuity of a watchmaking tradition that has spanned over five centuries. The school’s partnerships with these venerable companies also extends to a dual career path, allowing students to combine hands-on experience in a company with theoretical training at the school. This model ensures that they’re not just learning, but living the craft from day one.
The facilities are as cutting-edge as you’d expect, boasting laboratories equipped with 3D printers for rapid prototyping and advanced material analysis. Students get hands-on experience with five-axis machining centers and other high-tech instruments that they’ll encounter in the workplaces of tomorrow. Outside of certain facilities such as Rolex or Omega, it's rare to see as many CNC machines and lathes in a single place.
To help raise funds to support l’École d'Horlogerie de Genève in all its upcoming endeavors, Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo is hosted a charity auction on Sunday, September 1, 2024, as part of the Geneva Watch Days exhibition, with all proceeds of the sale going toward the educational institution. The auction includes 15 lots, each a unique object or experience that has been donated by one of the brands participating in Geneva Watch Days. It will be hosted and auctioneered by our own Aurel Bacs.
You can learn more about the auction here.
About Phillips In Association With Bacs & Russo
The team of specialists at PHILLIPS Watches is dedicated to an uncompromised approach to quality, transparency, and client service. Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo holds the world record for the most successful watch auction, with its Geneva Watch Auction: XIV having realized $74.5 million in 2021. Over the course of 2021 and 2022, the company sold 100% of the watches offered, a first in the industry, resulting in the highest annual total in history across all the auction houses at $227 million.
About Logan Baker
Logan has spent the past decade reporting on every aspect of the watch business. He joined Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo at the start of 2023 as the department's Senior Editorial Manager. He splits his time between New York and Geneva.
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