Press release
The towns of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle access the grail joining the list of World Heritage sites of UNESCO. This is a time of consecration for the two cities and the time of identification for CORUM seeing the name “CORUM - La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland” directly associated with this label. It provides global scope for a city already heavily involved in the watch making world. At 1044 metres altitude in La Chaux-de-Fonds, CORUM is located at the heart of the Swiss watch making industry and at the centre of influence, a site recognized as having outstanding universal value.
Instigator of urban, technical and architectural development of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, the watch industry has enabled these cities to apply to the UNESCO World Heritage. Presented as an urban and cultural ensemble dedicated to watch making, the application aims to develop awareness of these two cities by increasing their international prominence associated with watch making brands - the jewels of the region. Watches & Town Planning - Savoir-Faire & Architecture are the key components that have attracted the World Heritage of UNESCO.
Founded in 1955 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, CORUM has been located at the height of the city since the eighties. Architecturally, the new brand headquarter is the result of an architectural contest held in the nineties and won by the Zurich architect firm Hochuli. The avant-garde construction of concrete and glass was built in 1995 on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the brand and fits in perfectly with the richness of the city, contributing to its value as a cultural area.
Design and contemporary architecture are the codes of this 20th century watch making house, which continue to fit within the spirit of the 21st century. An area that includes all activities of a watch making company, from idea to design, from aesthetical conception to technical development through components control and all stages of production and assembly - CORUM represents the core craftsmanship of watch making.
As a brand partner of the Watch making Heritage Days, founded in 2007, CORUM confirmed its participation for the third consecutive time, which will be complete on November 7th 2009. For CORUM it is an opportunity to share vision and expertise, welcoming within walls, neophytes and connoisseurs to share the spirit of the CORUM family and the time that employees devote to share their work.
To celebrate their accession to the UNESCO World Heritage the cities of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle organised festivities held on Saturday June 27 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. During a parade made up of the different businesses central to the history of La Chaux-de-Fonds, CORUM watchmakers took part in the parade alongside with Antonio Calce, CEO of the brand.
Comments
Antonio Calce, CORUM CEO, noted:
“I think the watch making industry needs a great solidarity to support the values which are the essence of our knowledge. This project provides us with the opportunity to do so, gathering the players of the watch industry: brands, suppliers, watchmakers, brand employees. Together we work towards the same goal, namely, sustaining this secular knowledge and offering the watch making industry the success it deserves. In a delicate time for the industry, I am touched by the commitment of my team who has not hesitated to come here tonight for a parade to celebrate this beautiful label won by the two cities of La Chaux - de-Fonds and Le Locle entering the UNESCO World Heritage Site. For them, for us, it is a way to commonly support with pride the watch making know-how of this region. Today our workshops, our artisans, the CORUM people are our greatest asset. CORUM several years ago put its name to "La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland”, a beautiful dedication to this city, the cradle of our history and the history of watch making, providing access to such a distinction. For us, this is an additional strength that will support the expansion of this region and our reputation. I want to thank everyone who contributed and brought this project to fruition, in particular, Laurent Kurth, the municipal councillor of La Chaux-de-Fonds and his team, Jean-Daniel Jeanneret, head of the candidature and Anouk Hellman, scientific collaborator ".
Anouk Hellman Scientific collaborator, who added:
"The registration of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle is a wonderful chance for the revaluation of “the Neuchâteloises Mountains” and its people; a real opportunity for us to capitalize on in the coming months. Some members of the World Heritage Committee have said that: “the watchmaking urban planning is fascinating!”. Being registered at the World Heritage, will therefore not leave the people indifferent. "
Jean-Daniel Jeanneret, head of the candidature adding:
"A beautiful watch, it is not only a beautiful dial, it is also the genius of its mechanism. Heritage is just the same, this is not the flowers and the picturesque streets, it is the history and spirit that truly make its value. In La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, we are at the heart of the story of two and a half centuries of the watchmaking industry, a unique testimony to an era that saw the changing face of Europe. This heritage is significant; it is an example of a rare authenticity and integrity of this era. In the orthogonal streets, the working buildings, the patronal villas, workshops and factories, it is a part of our universal history that is kept and maintained. Here, the patrimony bears a particular meaning. "
Laurent Kurth, municipal councilor of La Chaux-de-Fonds which added:
“City of challenges, creativity and open on the world, La Chaux-de-Fonds derives its qualities from its watch making history. With the recognition of UNESCO and its registration as a World Heritage site of humanity, the Watch making Metropolis acquires visibility and notoriety which it intends to exploit to the benefit of all those involved in its development and success. The city also carries a new responsibility: to further promote the richness of our economical, cultural and social history, projecting its development in line with its roots and values that are now brightened by UNESCO. "
The application story
Designed in the 19th century, the urbanisation of these two cities forms the historical heritage of watch making and watch production. It was after the fire in the town of La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1794 that the two cities were rebuilt from 1835 to 1930, creating urban plans adapted by and for the watch making industry. In the late 19th century, both cities have great prosperity in the field of watch making and mechanics.
Today this is the industry that has created the city, continuing to punctuate the life of La Chaux-de-Fonds through watch making development accompanying the sectors of micro and nanotechnology. The application of the two cities was placed with UNESCO by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture in December 2007. The 2009 selection had 27 new applications which were nominated and evaluated in Seville during the 33rd session of the World Heritage Committee, which is held from 21 June to 30 June. In July 2008, the number of sites amounted to 877 assets all considered to have cultural and natural heritage by the World Heritage Committee. This list includes 678 cultural, 174 natural and 25 mixed distributed in 145 States Parties.
In Switzerland, 10 sites are now UNESCO World Heritage :
- The old City of Berne
- The Benedictine monastery of St-Jean-des-Soeurs at Müstair
- The Conventual domain of St Gallen
- The Castles of Bellinzona
- The Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch Bietsehhorn
- Monte San Giorgio
- The terraced vineyards of Lavaux
- The Rhaetian Railway of Albula and Bernina
- Top Tectonic Sardona
- La Chaux-de-Fonds & Le Locle, watch making urban planning.
Creating Long-Term Value
Ever since CORUM initiated its product repositioning strategy, the brand's primary objective has been to create long-term value. As an independent brand, CORUM has focused on integrating its trade and know-how, and has used this principle to guide its investments. The brand has provided itself with the resources to do this by becoming the prime manufacturer of its movements and by handling the key stages of their creation and production. Therefore the UNESCO World Heritage label completely understood the philosophy of the brand. Indeed, this registration gives recognition to the two cities for cultural heritage, offering a framework for sustainable development to conserve and develop the richness of this patrimony.
The Brand's Four Key Pillars
Based on four key lines (Admiral's Cup, Romvlvs, CORUM Bridges, Artisans), CORUM offers models ranging in price from 5,000 CHF to over 1 million CHF, which showcase precious metals and watch making complications.
1. Admiral's Cup
Dating back to 1960, the first interpretation of the Admiral's Cup model paved the way for CORUM's success. This model is iconic: first, thanks to its history, which has become an integral part of the nautical world of great sailing competitions and famous sailors; but also for its inimitable aesthetic—its twelve-sided case, its dial set off by twelve nautical pennants, and the Admiral's Cup trophy engraved on the case bottom. These are its distinctive and unmistakable identifying characteristics.
2. Romvlvs
Introduced in 1966, the Romvlvs model makes reference to the watch making art in its purest form, and has left its mark on watch making history, because this model is considered to be the first watch to have the hours engraved on the case's bezel. The design is recognizable by its doubly-curved case. In 2008, two major complications were added to the collection: a perpetual calendar and a retrograde annual calendar.
3. CORUM Bridges
The jewel of watch making complications, the Golden Bridge, was introduced in 1980 and remains a historic milestone for the brand and for watch making; its Golden Bridge baguette movement is protected by a patent. Another distinctive feature of this model is that as early as 1980 it took the avant-garde step of placing the new and original movement centre-stage by enclosing it in a transparent sapphire crystal case. This collection has been enriched in 2009 with a new watch, the Ti-Bridge, which houses the second CORUM in-house movement, CO 007, which is made entirely of titanium.
4. Artisans
The last of the four mainstays, the “Artisans” collection, blends creativity and high art by offering models enhanced with enamelled dials, painted miniatures and featuring variations on setting and engraving techniques. Each year, new models exploring new themes and motifs are added to the collection.
