Horological Meandering

 

International Chronometry Contest 2009

Watch museum Le Locle, Château des Monts

Media release : October 20, 2008

Reopening of the deadline for participants at the International Chronometry Contest 2009

At its meeting on September 17th, 2008, the Swiss Society for Chronometry announced the

participants chosen by the Jury to take part in the International Chronometry Contest 2009.

In view of numerous requests by watch making companies and individuals, the jury of

the International Chronometry Contest 2009 exceptionally decided to postpone the

deadline for participants till December 31st, 2008. The general conditions and terms

remain strictly the same.

This is consistent with the mission of the contest, to revive the chronometry spirit and to reunite

the watch making world around these values. Thus, the jury and the organizing committee favor

the participation of as many watchmakers as possible around these values.

This decision will be officially proclaimed on Monday, October 20th, 2008, after the participants

have been informed.

Why have an International Chronometry Contest in 2009?

In view of celebrating its 50th anniversary at the Château des Monts, the watch museum of Le

Locle will organize in May 2009 the first International Chronometry Contest of the 21st century.

This Contest was developed based on the contests of the observatories. The goal is to revive the

interest in chronometry of today's watch making. With an innovative method, the traditional

competences are adapted to the modern technologies of testing the presented pieces at the

Contest. It is also one of the first times that we will test performance and reliability. This event

requires scientific, technical and cultural methods to show off the competences of the

watchmakers and watch companies, who live for the passion of perfection and precision that is at

the origin of the history of watch making.

Le Locle is the City of Precision, its reputation literally crossed over the oceans thanks to its

marine chronometers that were produced here in great numbers. Thus the scientific and

technological challenge of the contest recalls the importance of this City and the Canton of

Neuchâtel in the search for precision. It is also an opportunity to promote the interest of the

public for the technology by showing practical explanations and by promoting the image of the

excellence of European watch making, guardian of the highest precision and continually working

on improving its standard.

The revival of mechanical watches in the past years has heightened the interest concerning their

precision and so the perfect time has arrived for reviving an International Chronometry Contest,

adapted to the products and measuring methods of today and corresponding to the expectations

of the customers. This Contest is international because it is open to several countries and because

the tests will be done in two countries. You may find the rules of the International Chronometry

Contest 2009 on our homepage: www.chronometrie2009.ch

The International Chronometry Contest 2009 has been organized in cooperation with the official

Swiss Chronometry Control Authority (COSC), the observatory of Besançon (France), the

University of Applied Science ARC Ingénerie of Le Locle (Switzerland), with assistance of the

Swiss Society of Chronometry and in partnership with the watch forum "Forumamontres".

The members of the honorary committee

With the presence of famous personalities involved in the contest, visibility and credibility of the

contest is promoted, not only in scientific circles but also among the public. The honorary

committee of the International Chronometry Contest 2009 assists the jury in promoting the

contest.

Its members are:

The president : Claude Nicollier, astronaut, EPFL

- Ludwig Oechslin, curator, International Watch museum, La Chaux-de-Fonds

- René Beyer, Beyer Chronométrie A.G., Zurich

- Jean-Philippe Arm, journalist, Neuchâtel

- Keith Strandberg, journalist, Pomy

- Aurel Bacs, Christie's, Geneva

- Jean-Claude Sabrier, Paris

Its members are:

President :Michel Mayor, astrophysicist, Observatory of Geneva

Technical commissary : Laurent-Guy Bernier, Federal office of Metrology, METAS

Members :

- Jonathan Betts, National Maritime Museum of Greenwich

- Girolamo Ramunni, University Professor, Professor of the history of science and technology at Cnam, Paris

- Philippe Blochlinger, Witschi Electronic AG, Büren a/Aare

- Raymond Besson, University Professor, Besançon

- Anne-Marie Jacot-Oesch, lawyer and notary, Le Locle

- Cécile Aguillaume, curator of the watch museum Le Locle – Château des Monts

The accepted candidates are, in alphabetical order: