Portfolio - Special Edition Switzerland

23 Special Edition Switzerland briefly an engraver’s apprentice here. Eventually, with the city bursting at the seams, watchmaking spread into the nearby Jura region, where many watch maisons remain today. Geneva’s rich watchmaking heritage is evident all over the city – from the beautiful floral clock in the Jardin Anglais, whose blooms represent the many ‘complications’ (mechanical complexities) in a horological movement, to the watch boutiques lining the upmarket Rue du Rhône. I discover on a guided tour that each maison has its claim to fame: the oldest Swiss watch brand still in existence (Blancpain, founded in the Jura in 1735); the inventor of the tourbillon, a revolutionary mechanism regulating a watch’s precision (Breguet), the creator of the world’s smallest mechanical movement (Jaeger-LeCoultre, with the Calibre 101); and the first maison to create a waterproof watch (Rolex, whose Oyster model launched in 1926). Clearly, competition between the city’s many watchmakers is what has partly fuelled creativity and innovation over the centuries, as well as requests from clients, according to Christian Selmoni, Style and Heritage Director of Vacheron Constantin, Geneva’s oldest watch brand which was founded in 1755. When a customer asks for something in particular from a watch, it’s up to the designers and craftspeople to figure out how – and if – it can be done, all the while maintaining the brand’s sense of style and tradition. The result is a “tension between classicism and contemporaneity” that drives the company on, says Selmoni when I meet him in the maison’s boutique in Place de Longemalle. Vacheron Constantin’s various innovations over the years attest to a fascinating social history. For example, a 1920s model on display in the shop was created for the increasing number of automobile owners during that period. Its numbers are placed diagonally to enable the wearer to read the time while holding the wheel. Visitors to the boutique can also gain insight into the craftsmanship behind watchmaking thanks to its table des metiers d’art. It explains techniques such as guillochage figuratif, a detailed engraving work which is used to decorate watch dials, and a specialism of Vacheron Constantin. Like many watchmakers in Geneva, the company’s work is certified by the Poinçon de Genève (Geneva Seal), a quality mark created in 1886 to protect the city’s watchmakers from inferior copycats. SUBURBAN INDUSTRY If the city centre is the display cabinet of Geneva’s watchmaking industry, then Plan-les Ouates in the suburbs is its nuts and bolts. It’s here where many of the leading brands have their factories; where huge machines make miniscule screws; where components are created, polished, and cleaned according to the exacting standards of the Poinçon de Genève; where watchmakers peer through magnifying glasses as they assemble movements, creating minute repeaters that chime on the minute, perpetual calendars (a complex date function taking into account leap years) and tourbillons (Breguet’s innovation of 1801). Refuel for your journey through time at these popular local haunts. CHEZ PHILIPPE Local star chef Philippe Chevrier’s central Geneva bar and grill serves flame- grilled steak in classy surroundings. chezphilippe.ch RESTAURANT DE L’HÔTEL DE VILLE In the Old Town, this cosy spot is known for its typical Genevois dishes including cheese fondue and filets de perches. hdvglozu.ch COTTAGE CAFÉ Tucked away in the tranquil garden next to the Brunswick Monument, this charming café is ideal for coffee and cake, a healthy lunch, or tapas and wine. cottagecafe.ch TIME TO EAT One such company is Frederique Constant, a relatively recent addition to Geneva’s watchmaking scene. It was founded in 1988 by Dutch entrepreneurs Peter Stas and Aletta Bax who wanted to make luxury watches more affordable. To maintain their chosen price point, many of the decorative elements of its watches are outsourced, while the design, assembly, and quality control are done in-house. Both processes can be witnessed in a series of videos in the company’s on-site museum. Here, I learn the story of its signature watch, the Heartbeat, which