Today, we simply accept Switzerland as the home of luxury watches.
Often, very little thought is given to where in Switzerland this occurred, or how indeed it did. In an idyllic and peaceful retreat, Valée de Joux, lies the heart of Swiss horology. Nestled away between the borders of Switzerland and France, this place was the unlikely birthplace of Swiss watchmaking and continues to lie at its very core today.
Some of the industry’s heaviest hitters are still based here, including Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe and Jaeger-LeCoultre. Components and assembly are carried out here before being shipped out all over the world to watch-lovers. However, they are not alone. Scattering the region are the Swiss watch farms, small individuals hand-making mechanical watches.
The true beauty of this surprising location is that there are still small, family-run teams practising the art perfected by their fathers.
Tucked away here is Lausanne’s oldest watch shop, Junod. The building is home to a museum of Swiss watchmaking and is just around the corner from the headquarters of Blancpain. Being founded in 1735 Blancpain can lay claim to being the oldest watchmaking brand in the world.
Also situated here is the Ecole Technique de la Valee du Joux, the school where the next generation of watchmakers are taught the fine art of watchmaking. Fathers - taught by their own fathers - teach their children the exquisitely delicate skills needed to keep the art alive, and it all remains in this surprisingly tranquil valley.
You’re able to travel to the region, but the so-called watch farms are not open to the public. Still, it is an incredible place to visit and really should be on your bucket list if you’re a watch lover. Visiting the spiritual home of Swiss ingenuity is something we’d highly recommend if you get the opportunity.
William Cook, a journalist for the Spectator was fortunate enough to do just that. He was also fortunate enough to meet some of the artists who conduct this fine work. He reports that some of these manufacturers make typically less than 20 pieces a year; sometimes, years are spent on particularly complex individually pieces.
It’s a stark contrast to the mechanical automated precision more mass-produced watches utilise, but the end result is just as beautiful. Both modern and traditional techniques work in unison here, just across the road from one another.
A visit is a rare insight into the world that we love so much.