As we just told you, SIHH parent the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie has just released an explosive report dubbed the White Paper on Fine Watchmaking that declares only certain watch brands qualify as examples of Fine Watchmaking. No mere offhand edict, the report was painstakingly compiled with input from a prestigious “Cultural Council” of experts who evaluated each brand based on his or her area of expertise. Nonetheless, many watch enthusiasts may take issue with the fact that while the likes of Bulgari and Chanel and many lesser-known brands made the cut, Tudor and Longines were deemed unworthy.
Unqualified
According to the Foundation, “Fine Watch brands meet the criteria set out by the Cultural Council. They lead the way with avant-garde products that reflect centuries of tradition.” Only 64 luxury brands qualify, of which 28 have become partners with the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie. Choosing the brands “will significantly further understanding of Fine Watchmaking and give it greater prominence in the world,” the Foundation states. High profile Council members who helped make the decree include Aurel Bacs of Phillips Watches, Ben Clymer of Hodkinkee, William Rohr of TimeZone, and Wei Koh, founder of The Rake and Revolution Magazine.
Fine Watchmaking List
In addition to Tudor and Longines, surely the most controversial omissions, snubs include Baume & Mercier, Frederique Constant, Bremont, Alpina, Harry Winston, Bulova, Raymond Weil and Porsche Design. Below is the list of brands the Fondation deemed worthy of being partners – in their estimation the epitome of fine watchmaking – and the others that met the criteria.
- A. Lange & Sohne
- Audemars Piguet
- Bovet 1822
- Bulgari
- Cartier
- Chanel
- Chopard
- Christophe Claret
- De Bethune
- F.P. Journe
- Girard-Perregaux
- Greubel Forsey
- H. Moser & Cie
- Hermès
- HYT
- IWC
- Jaeger-LeCoultre
- Louis Vuitton
- MB&F
- Montblanc
- Panerai
- Parmigiani Fleurier
- Piaget
- Richard Mille
- Roger Dubuis
- TAG Heuer
- Vacheron Constantin
- Van Cleef & Arpels
Other brands that qualify as “Fine Watchmaking”:
- Andreas Strehler
- Antoine Preziuso
- Armin Strom
- Ateliers Louis Moinet
- Beat Haldimann
- Blancpain
- Breguet
- Breitling
- Cabestan
- Christiaan Van der Klaauw
- DeWitt
- Glashütte Original
- Grönefeld
- Hautlence
- Hublot
- Jaquet Droz
- Laurent Ferrier
- Maîtres du Temps
- MCT
- Omega
- Patek Philippe
- Philippe Dufour
- Ressence
- RJ-Romain Jerome
- Roger W. Smith
- Rolex
- Romain Gauthier
- Sarpaneva
- Speake-Marin
- Thomas Prescher
- Ulysse Nardin
- Urwerk
- Vianney Halter
- Voutilainen
- Zenith
According to Bloomberg, this is the outcome of a three-year review of 86 brands. What do you think of the way they did this? Did Tudor deserve a slap in the face? Or is it just an attempt to take parent Rolex down a peg….?
