AN EXPERT ADVISORY BODY SUPPORTING THE HOROPEDIA FOUNDATION
As part of the continued development of its activities, and following the General Assembly of the Foundation Board held this month, the Horopedia Foundation officially announces the creation of the Horological & Cultural Committee (HCC). This independent advisory body strengthens the Foundation’s governance by supporting the Foundation Board and the Executive Committee in their missions to transmit knowledge, support education, and preserve watchmaking culture.
An advisory body at the heart of the Horopedia project
The Horological & Cultural Committee (HCC) is a strictly advisory body, fully aligned with Horopedia’s public-interest mission: to preserve, document and transmit watchmaking know-how. Conceived as a space for reflection and dialogue, it holds no decision-making power but acts as a body for consultation, evaluation and strategic insight. Through its analyses, recommendations and expert perspectives, the HCC supports the Foundation Board and the Executive Committee in defining and guiding Horopedia’s orientations.
Its main missions include:
- providing guidance on Horopedia’s educational and cultural strategy;
- reviewing and assessing the content of the online encyclopaedia horopedia.org and projects related to the Maison des Arts & de la Culture Horlogère (MACH);
- contributing to the scientific, technical and cultural coherence and quality of the Foundation’s initiatives;
- proposing collaborations and partnerships with institutions that share similar objectives.
Through its work, the HCC actively contributes to strengthening the relevance, credibility and impact of Horopedia’s projects.
A committee of independent experts
In accordance with its ethical charter, the Horological & Cultural Committee is composed of independent members selected for their expertise, experience and commitment to watchmaking culture. No member is directly affiliated with a watch brand or industrial group.
The committee brings together around ten complementary profiles, including one representative from each Swiss watchmaking school, ensuring a strong connection with education, the transmission of practical skills and the pedagogical realities of the field.
Members are appointed for a renewable three-year term, serve on a voluntary basis, and meet at least twice a year, either in person or remotely.
Members of the Horological & Cultural Committee
Representatives of watchmaking schools:
- Sylvian Aubry (CPNE – Teacher & ES Technician in antique watch restoration)
- Raphaël Breuleux (CEJEF – Teacher / Trainer)
- Laurent Dubois (CEFF – Deputy Director)
- Simon Lauper (CFP Biel/Bienne – Watchmaking Teacher / Trainer & Head of Watchmaking Division)
- Frédéric Mino (EHG – Watchmaking Teacher)
- Kilian Mosimann (ZeitZentrum – Head of Intercompany Courses)
- Frédéric Schütz (ETVJ – Director)
- Christophe von Känel (CPNE – Training Coordinator & Watch Restorer)
Independent experts:
- Rossella Baldi (Independent art historian specialising in watchmaking)
- Maximin Chapuis (Independent watchmaker, restorer-prototypist & lecturer)
With the creation of the Horological & Cultural Committee, the Horopedia Foundation reaches a new stage in structuring and sustaining its initiatives. The HCC is part of a long-term vision, serving the online encyclopaedia horopedia.org, the future Maison des Arts & de la Culture Horlogère (MACH), and, more broadly, the transmission of a living watchmaking heritage that is shared, documented and accessible to all.
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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.