Revue FH - 14 October 2010
Jean-François Meyer
After the EPHJ Show in 2004, the World Intellectual Property Organization in 2005 and the Salon international de la haute horlogerie (SIHH) in 2009, FH members now have another chance to visit or re-visit Think Time - Think Swiss Excellence in Switzerland. The FH thematic exhibition will take up quarters in La Chaux-de-Fonds, in the Hans Erni room of the International Watch Museum, to coincide with the fourth Watch Heritage Day on Saturday 6 November (entrance free). And for those unable to make it on that day, it will remain open to visitors on Sunday 7, Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 November.
Inaugurated in 2003, the exhibition Think Time - Think Swiss Excellence is a communications and information tool appealing to a wide target audience. Hi-tech panels featuring the very latest technologies and films with commentaries invite the visitor to cast a topical eye on Swiss watchmaking expertise. In parallel, illustrations of the manufacturing process, combined with the exhibition of components, tools and supplies that are sometimes scarcely visible to the naked eye, add a concrete dimension to the presentation. Everything is therefore in place to showcase the mastery of quality and precision that has always driven Swiss watchmakers to excel.
Since its launch, Think Time - Think Swiss Excellence has not stopped crisscrossing the globe. Next year, after Turkey, it is hoped to be able to present it for the first time on the North American continent, in Canada, after which it will stop over in Hungary, before flying off to Australia and New Zealand. A visit to Africa therefore is all that's required to make its round-the-world trip complete. Presented mainly on the fringes of events such as shows, conferences, exhibitions and seminars, Think Time - Think Swiss Excellence was given a facelift in 2009 with a change of colour and the integration of display cabinets featuring animated LCD glass to enliven the presentation of messages and make them even more attractive. In addition, thanks to its modular nature, it can be exhibited fully or partially.
Despite a total weight of more than two tonnes, its eight panels, protected in wooden cases, are easily transportable. A promotional tool designed to ensure virtually independent logistics guaranteeing its presentation even in the remotest parts of the world, Think Time - Think Swiss Excellence is naturally available to FH members as an attraction at events or evenings they may wish to organise.
On a final note, Watch Heritage Day will also be providing insight into the exciting world of watchmaking through visits to production sites, offering an exceptional chance to see the craftsmen and manufactories that design and produce Swiss made watches. And it is an excellent opportunity, too, to take in museums and other places of interest in the towns of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, which both appear on the UNESCO world heritage list for their unique watchmaking town planning.
