THE WORLD CELEBRATES THE ART OF TIME – HOROPEDIA FOUNDATION AMONG THE FOUNDING MEMBERS
On 10 October 2025, the first World Watch Day brought together enthusiasts, professionals, and institutions around a shared passion: time itself. Celebrated in more than 25 countries through both physical and digital events, this global day marked a historic milestone in recognising watchmaking as a universal cultural heritage.
A global celebration of the art of watchmaking
From Geneva to New York, Paris to Shanghai, Lisbon to Istanbul, the day showcased the creativity, craftsmanship, and diversity of the watchmaking world. Nearly 6 million people were reached through exhibitions, conferences, panel discussions, and local initiatives — all united under a single symbol: 10:10, the emblematic time when watch hands form a perfectly balanced shape — a symbol of harmony, beauty, and the art of timekeeping.
World Watch Day is more than just a date – it’s a tribute to everything that makes watchmaking extraordinary. It’s about the hands that shape each piece, the knowledge passed down from generation to generation, and the urgency we feel to preserve this legacy.
An initiative reflecting the mission of the Horopedia Foundation, a Founding Member
Since its creation in 2023, the Horopedia Foundation has been dedicated to preserving, sharing, and promoting watchmaking culture in all its forms, while making it accessible to everyone. Through its online video encyclopaedia, horopedia.org, it provides free, neutral, and independent access to hundreds of educational resources devoted to the crafts, techniques, and expertise of watchmaking. Today, the Foundation is preparing to take a new step with the creation of the Maison des Arts & de la Culture Horlogère (MACH) — a landmark venue in Geneva that will complement its digital mission with a physical, immersive, and educational experience.
For Horopedia, World Watch Day is a natural extension of this commitment. As a founding member of this international initiative, the Foundation reaffirms its public-interest mission: to honour all those who keep watchmaking alive — watchmakers, technicians, polishers, engravers, setters, designers — and to share with the public the human and cultural dimensions of this art.
An event set to last
This first edition was supported by an unprecedented alliance of key watchmaking players: the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH), the Fondation du Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), the Watch Library Foundation, the Horological Society of New York, Europa Star, Le Figaro, Hantang Culture, Arc Horloger, and of course, Horopedia.
The success of this inaugural event lays the foundation for an annual celebration. Every 10 October, the world will now come together to celebrate World Watch Day — a symbol of creativity, heritage, and unity around time.
Join us on 10 October 2026 for the second edition of World Watch Day — and until then, let us continue to celebrate the culture of time together.
►► To support our educational initiatives and contribute to the promotion of an exceptional craftsmanship, become a patron! More information at: https://horopedia.org/the-circle/
ABOUT HOROPEDIA
Horopedia Foundation was established in February 2023 and given the status of public interest. The Foundation Council is composed of Philippe Dufour (President), Dr. Helmut Crott, André Colard, and Marc André Deschoux.
The Foundation governs Horopedia.org, the first online video encyclopedia on watchmaking. The platform was launched in 2022 and quickly gathered unanimous support within the community.
To date, over 100 multilingual documentary films on museums, watchmaking schools, watch tools and components, and the mechanical principles behind their work can be found on Horopedia.org. To enhance its educational mission, the platform also incorporates visual pedagogic materials to facilitate a better understanding of the provided information. The website features nearly 1000 pages with detailed definitions of watchmaking terms and historical anecdotes about significant horological inventions.
Horopedia.org meticulously covers all facets of the fascinating horological industry in French, English, and German. It offers detailed definitions of tools and complications, 3D images of movements, and thorough video explanations of component production, their history, and functions in a watch. A dedicated section of the website lists horological institutions, including schools and museums in Switzerland and worldwide.
More recently, the Foundation unveiled its ambitious project: the Maison des Arts & de la Culture Horlogère (MACH). More than just a museum, the MACH will be a dynamic venue for exhibitions, knowledge-sharing and dialogue around the art of watchmaking. Located in the heart of the Quartier des Banques, this 1,250 m² house will span four floors, offering didactic, thematic and chronological exhibitions, complemented by a space dedicated to temporary exhibitions. Visitors will also be able to enjoy a boutique, an auditorium and a variety of interactive areas designed to spark curiosity and encourage discovery. Open and vibrant, the MACH is intended to become the crossroads of watchmaking in Geneva.