The Rolex Doctor Salute to Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie

Fine Watchmaking: A Legacy for Tomorrow

Franco Cologni, President of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie

In this early twenty-first century, Fine Watchmaking stands as a cultural and artistic exception: stemming from technical inventions and aesthetic creations dating back over six or seven hundred years, enriched by a fabulous history and building on the work of the countless brilliant minds that have consistently striven to perfect it over the generations, it now appears more radiantly buoyant than ever.

Spanning the applied or "decorative" arts and techniques, Fine Watchmaking brings a little extra soul to our contemporary world. It embodies a culture that is the stuff of dreams. Fine Watchmaking is also a unique concentration of expertise, an astonishing alchemy that draws on the hand, the head and the heart. And while it takes its strength from its origins and traditions, it has always looked to the future through aesthetic and technical innovation. It is both timeless and contemporary precisely because it must anticipate or follow the spirit of the times.

This is our proud inheritance, and one that we intend to diffuse, strengthen and develop. But this can be a fragile inheritance too. Think, for example, of future generations: will they continue to appreciate the values upon which Fine Watchmaking has been built, and the art of living that inspires it? Most importantly, time is an Art…

Today more than ever, immense opportunities lie before us to ensure that Fine Watchmaking will enjoy even greater prominence and renown.

Franco Cologni

Download the complete presentation file of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie.

*Entire Article Source: Haute Horlogerie Foundation