Fleurier’s four watchmakers joined forces in 2001 to create the most sophisticated watch certification that has ever existed. Chopard, Parmigiani, Vaucher Manufacture and Bovet set the cat among the pigeons where the Poinçon de Genève and the COSC were concerned, by bringing together chronometric, technical, aesthetic and practical criteria and subjecting them to a hitherto unheard-of level of scrutiny. The Fondation Qualité Fleurier was very busy for a time, but then the number of pieces brought to its attention began to drop, and the Qualité Fleurier stamp was forgotten by many.
And yet it has a lot going for it, mainly its scope: a rigorous 100% Swiss requirement; a high standard of finish; prior certification by the COSC; testing under the Chronofiable protocol, an extremely demanding and very thorough technical certification process, for up to 20 units at a time; and finally, watches are put through the Fleuritest, a machine designed specifically to simulate conditions in wear. So that’s the scope of the testing. But as we know, better is often the enemy of good, and a certification this advanced clearly comes at a cost, which is not necessarily balanced out by a commensurate increase in public demand.
Nevertheless, Parmigiani has released three new certifications in two phases. First came the Toric Qualité Fleurier, launched in a choice of red or white gold, each with a silvered guilloché dial. It has now been joined by the Kalpa Qualité Fleurier and the Tonda Qualité Fleurier. These three models have different dials, but they all feature a “Qualité Fleurier” badge.
This little flurry of activity aside, the FQF, however excellent, nevertheless remains handicapped by its field of application. Its statutes specify that any watch may apply, provided that it is made entirely of Swiss components. If the foundation had actively sought to extend the label to brands beyond their small town in the Val de Travers (which may not have been the intention, and certainly has not been the reality), it would remain complex, costly, and tied to the name “Fleurier”. Such is the price of rigour. In the meantime, Parmigiani is betting on the latest Qualité Fleurier watches to raise the brand profile. After all, there are not too many watches that are capable of passing all these tests.
