Press release
Following the common interest and commitment to safeguard and further develop the heritage and traditional manufacturing principles of Swiss haute horlogerie, the Musée international d'horlogerie in La Chaux-de-Fonds and Montblanc have joined forces for the first exhibition on two centuries of chronographs.
Jean-Michel Piguet, Vice Curator of the Musée international d'horlogerie, and Lutz Bethge, President of the Fondation Minerva de Recherche en Haute Horlogerie and CEO of Montblanc International have announced today that their institutions will engage in a project to safeguard and further develop the heritage and traditional manufacturing principles of Swiss watchmaking.
This partnership begins with the opening of a special exhibition on “Writing Time – Two Centuries of chronograph history”, which unveils the impressive development of chronograph innovations and their usage since the chronograph invention by Nicolas Rieussec in 1821. With its very name from Greek "chronos" for time and "graphein" for writing, the chronograph complication is very close and strongly associated to the soul and historical roots of Montblanc – it gives special evidence to this partnership and makes the cooperation with the MIH a particularly meaningful one.
Exhibition on “Writing Time – Two Centuries of chronograph history”. © Montblanc
In accordance to the heritage and long tradition of fine Swiss watchmaking competence Montblanc is engaged in numerous projects which include the support of young watchmakers in creating innovative complications using traditional techniques or the engagement of watchmaker apprentices to introduce them to the heritage of haute horlogerie. By means of its Institut and Fondation Minerva de Recherche en Haute Horlogerie, Montblanc will closely cooperate with the MIH in researching, documenting, and preserving the heritage of Swiss watchmaking. The two partners envision future cooperation areas potentially including the documentation and preservation of historical timepieces as well as continuous exchange of know-how and research in applying traditional watchmaking techniques today.
About the Institut and Fondation Minerva de Recherche en Haute Horlogerie
In 2007, Montblanc established its Foundation to safeguard and further develop the heritage and traditional manufacturing principles of haute horlogerie. As a non-profit foundation by Swiss law, its sole purpose is to “support all projects in relation with the conservation and development of know-how in traditional watchmaking” (art. 6 of the bylaws) which it achieves for example by supporting young watchmakers through internships, commissioning research on the history of traditional watchmaking, or initiating new developments with traditional techniques in watchmaking. The foundation is governed by a board of trustees and based at the Montblanc manufacture in Villeret.
About the Musée International d'Horlogerie, La Chaux-de-Fonds
The only museum of its kind in the world, the Musée international d'horlogerie dynamically recounts the historic, artistic and scientific adventure of time measurement with over 4,500 collectors' pieces ranging from the sun dial to the atomic clock.
Founded in 1902, the Musée international d'horlogerie is located in a building largely underground, which was opened in 1974. Over 4,500 items (clocks, watches, tools, machines and paintings) retrace man's long quest for time. Rare 17th century watches, exceptionally fine 18th century clocks, 19th century watches outstanding for their complications, and some of the most sophisticated 20th century watches are displayed in the elegant setting of the museum. The museum contains a first space devoted to the ancient times and a Restoration Centre where the public can watch craftsmen at work; a second space illustrating the techniques used in the manufacture of cases and movement and 20th century horological products; an area featuring scientific chronometry; and a section on tools and machine tools.
