GENEVA SEAL
Created in 1886, the Geneva Seal is arguably the oldest certification still in existence today. It guarantees the origin, craftsmanship, and performance of mechanical watches that are assembled, adjusted, and cased in the Canton of Geneva.
History
The Geneva Seal was established in 1886 by the Republic and Canton of Geneva. Its creation was motivated by the need to protect the reputation of Geneva’s watchmaking industry during a time when counterfeits and lower-quality watches threatened the prestige of the craft. The Seal served to distinguish watches made in Geneva according to the highest standards of excellence.
In 1889, the Geneva Seal office was moved to the Geneva Watchmaking School building, which ultimately took over responsibility for granting the Seal in 1955. In 2008, the commission in charge of the certification left the Watchmaking School to become part of a new structure: the Timelab Foundation. Over the decades, the Geneva Seal has retained its prestige while adapting to technological developments.
Purpose
The Geneva Seal was created with three main objectives:
1. Guarantee authenticity: By verifying the geographic origin and artisanal methods, the Seal combats counterfeiting and assures collectors of a watch’s provenance.
2. Preserve quality standards: It ensures that every certified watch adheres to strict criteria, reflecting the finest traditions of Geneva’s watchmaking heritage.
3. Promote excellence: The Seal highlights the watchmaker’s commitment to superior engineering, refined aesthetics, and durability.
Certification Criteria
To obtain the Geneva Seal, a watch must meet a series of demanding criteria covering both provenance and technical as well as aesthetic aspects. These standards are regularly updated to reflect advances in watchmaking while upholding the traditional principles upon which the certification is founded.
Provenance
The movement must be assembled, adjusted, and cased within the Canton of Geneva.
Craftsmanship
The philosophy of the Geneva Seal is to finish and decorate components in order to eliminate any uncontrolled machining marks. The regulations of the Geneva Seal impose specific craftsmanship criteria, including:
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• Bridges must have stretched contours, polished bevels, softened bearing surfaces, and top surfaces finished with Geneva stripes or other decorative patterns.
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• Springs and levers must have polished angles and chamfers, stretched flanks, softened bearing surfaces, and visible faces either straight-grained or decorated. Wire springs are strictly prohibited.
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• The balance wheel and hairspring must be assembled without adhesives, using a headed and round-stem stud or a movable stud holder, in keeping with traditional watchmaking practices.
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• The connecting elements between the movement and the case (clamps, screws, levers, rings, extensions) must be machined, decorated, and polished according to the same standards as the internal components.
Performance
The movement must meet specific precision and performance standards, including: