FHH and GIA Join Forces to Widen Access to Watchmaking Education

Two of the biggest names in watchmaking and jewelry education have teamed up to expand access to horological expertise around the world.

The Fondation Haute Horlogerie (FHH) and the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) just announced a strategic academic collaboration that will, beginning in early 2027, provide students across GIA’s global campus network with access to the first level of watchmaking 

certification presented by the FHH Academy. As the foundation’s educational arm, the academy offers training, assessment, and certification of watchmaking knowledge worldwide. 

The education for GIA students is centered on the academy’s Watch Advisor course, which is considered entry level and requires no previous knowledge. (In order to obtain FHH Certification, the only internationally recognized accreditation dedicated to theoretical watchmaking knowledge, students must complete two additional levels, Watch Specialist and Watch Expert.)

“The FHH Academy gives students a structured understanding of watchmaking, from how a mechanical watch works to its history, culture, craftsmanship and key terminology,” Aurélie Streit, vice president of FHH, tells Worldtempus. “For GIA students, it is an opportunity to complement their expertise in gems and jewelry with recognized knowledge of another closely connected field.”

 Despite the organizations’ differing missions—the academy is an off-shoot of FHH, which was founded in 2005 by Audemars Piguet, Girard-Perregaux and the Richemont Group, and, as such, is ultimately focused on promoting watchmaking culture worldwide, while GIA, established in 1931, is the world’s premier institution for gemology and jewelry education—executives from both saw an opportunity to make watchmaking knowledge accessible to new audiences.

“FHH and GIA share the same commitment to education, knowledge transmission and recognized expertise,” Streit says. “As we looked to expand the international reach of the FHH Academy, bringing together GIA’s global educational network and our expertise in watchmaking felt like a very natural step.”

For GIA, the partnership allows the institute to introduce its students to an important and growing sector of the global luxury market. Given how closely linked watchmaking is to the global jewelry and gemstone industry, the collaboration seemed like a natural fit, says Johanna Levy, vice president of communications and corporate affairs at GIA.

“GIA’s School of Gemology and Jewelry Arts aims to equip young adults, mid-career professionals and career changers with the knowledge needed to thrive in our industry and to meet the increasing demand for vocational, professional, and expert training,” Levy says. “As horology is an important part of the global gem and jewelry industry, we are delighted to bring FHH’s Watch Advisor course to GIA students.”

Streit, for her part, concurs. “Gemology, jewelry, and watchmaking share so much in terms of craftsmanship, creativity and expertise, so building bridges between these worlds makes perfect sense,” she says.