Category: traditional craftsmanship
States: France and Switzerland
The skills and know-how related to mechanical watchmaking are characteristic of the success of the Swiss industry and underpin watchmaking as cultural heritage. This nomination highlights the importance of training in watchmaking and human dexterity, which remain as essential as ever to innovation and technical precision. The focus is also on the local tradition of Sainte-Croix in the manufacture of music automatons and music boxes – art mechanics – which involve related skills and know-how.
© Ville de La Chaux-de-Fonds 2015 / Aline Henchoz
These days, watchmaking in Switzerland is a modern, industrialised and global industry, and yet the skills it involves are almost exclusively manual – the jobs of beveller, pivot maker, polisher, dial maker, dial printer, fitter of applied chapters, stamping expert and master watchmaker, all of which constitute the very foundation of watchmaking as a heritage industry. This dynamic is particularly apparent in art mechanics – the manufacture of musical automatons and music boxes – in Sainte-Croix, which has retained its position as a centre of craftsmanship and heritage and is a source of pride for the town’s inhabitants. They refer to the “spirit of Sainte Croix” in honour of traditional craftsmanship. This nomination will highlight the importance of training in watchmaking and human dexterity, which remain as essential as ever to innovation and technical precision. Moreover, although the primary function of this type of expertise is economic, it has also shaped the urban fabric and daily life in the regions concerned and conveys a symbolism of its own, combining notions of precision, mechanical sophistication and time, which have a significant impact on the formation of local and regional identities.
On 16 December 2020, the 15th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage inscribed craftsmanship of mechanical watchmaking and art mechanics on its representative list as a binational nomination (Switzerland and France).
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The tradition in detail in the list of Switzerland’s living traditions
Associated traditions
In parallel to the preparation of the nomination file for UNESCO, the corresponding files and entries on the list of Switzerland’s living traditions are also adapted as part of the regular update of the inventory. This work is done in collaboration with the stakeholders concerned.
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Last modification 02.02.2024
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