What is fine watchmaking?

Fine watchmaking is the art of manufacturing and creating watches with a spectacular finish, mechanics and design.

Most of the pieces that belong to haute horlogerie are handcrafted by expert hands that dedicate months of work to the manufacture of each watch. Every detail counts and each one of them is perfectly measured and thought to offer as a result a piece that, besides being a watch, is a work of art.

The concept of haute horlogerie was first used in the 1970s by the Fondation de la Haute Horlogeriethe Swiss association precursor of this artistic trend. At the time, this concept was used to separate the Swiss craftsmanship from quartz watches from Japan, which were cheaper and of lower quality.

Differences between haute horlogerie and luxury watches

Generally, there is a great deal of confusion between the concepts “haute horlogerie” and “luxury watch“, and although they seem to refer to similar products, they are completely different.

Haute Horlogerie is synonymous with aesthetics, emblem, technical perfection and, of course, craftsmanship. Its production requires a great deal of experience and technical knowledge, since the mechanics of the piece must be perfect.

As for luxury watches, these are not usually handmade, but their production includes machinery. In addition, they have strict manufacturing standards

What criteria does a brand have to meet to be considered fine watchmaking?

For a brand to be considered as fine watchmaking, it must pass the criteria described by the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, an exclusive Swiss foundation created in 2005 by watchmaking masters such as Audemars Piguet or Girard-Perregaux.

Years later, 26 more members joined with the aim of preserving this artistic production and offering solutions to the problems that could arise in this industry.

In addition, they established a “White Paper” which is still in force today, in which they detailed the criteria that a firm must meet to be part of the haute horlogerie.

Legacy

This first criterion refers to the firm’s history of the firm and its route. For new brands, the legacy is determined by the innovation of their concepts and creations. For the Foundation de la Haute Horlogerie, the legacy has the influence of the creativity and savoir-faire of the firms.

Manufacture

The manufacture is the heart of the watch, its gearing and its internal structure.

Under this concept, a brand can belong to haute horlogerie if the manufacture of its pieces combines the design and the good functioning of its interior.

Only those firms that master the art of sonneries and the manufacture may be part of the exclusivity of haute horlogerie.

Finishing

The finish of a watch watch must offer a high level of beauty. It should be apparent at first glance that it has been made by hand.

Crafts

The fine watchmaking is made by expert watchmakers and by masters of design, enameling and marquetry. Only brands whose creations are the result of craftsmanship, with or without the help of specialized machinery, can be considered haute horlogerie.

In addition to these criteria, the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie keeps constantly researching and establishing different materials and mechanical solutions in order to improve the creation system and the finishing of the watches.

What brands of fine watchmaking do we have in our space?

In our space we are lovers of fine watchmaking. For us, this form of production combines the technical perfection and aesthetic excellence.

For this reason, in our establishment we have brands of fine watchmaking that meet the criteria established by the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie. In particular, we have pieces from iconic brands such as Jaeger LeCoultre andPatek Philippe.

If you are also passionate about fine watchmaking, we invite you to our space where you will find a watch made to your specifications. Our consultants will help you choose the perfect one for you so that you can wear a piece created under the premise of “savoir-faire”.

Remember that we have different spaces located in Sierpes Street, Seville. If you wish to purchase a Rolex watch, we are waiting for you at number 21, if you are looking for a Patek Philippe piece, you can come to our store at number 19. On the other hand, if you wish to purchase a Jaeger LeCoultre model, we invite you to our space located at number 23.

During your visit we will attend you in a personalized way, taking into account your tastes and preferences.

We are waiting for you.