Geneva, 6 February, 2024 – The year ahead marks a significant moment for the Fondation Haute Horlogerie, as its own FHH Academy prepares to celebrate its 10th anniversary with watchmaking aficionados and industry professionals through a series of events taking place in key markets around the world. The intention: to spread awareness of the Foundation’s educational offerings and highlight the craft of its storied partner brands.
06 February 2024
FHH Academy 10th anniversary
2024: A Milestone Year for the FHH Academy, celebrated through a series of events taking place in key markets around the world.
After a decade of shaping horological minds, the FHH Academy proudly celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2024. The organisation’s impressive journey over the years has been marked by several significant achievements, all aimed at spreading and democratising watchmaking education and culture.
Since its founding, the FHH Academy has empowered over 30,000 alumni with the only international training programme of its kind. Several other highlights have broadened its offering over the past ten years, including the creation of the Watch Live application in 2019, which allowed the Academy’s audience to grow substantially. The successful deployment of Watch Essentials e-modules and live courses, followed by Watch Specialist and Watch Experts courses (in increasing order of difficulty) encompass further turning points over the years.
Initially, these programmes were aimed at educating members of the watch industry, particularly sales staff. However since 2019, the FHH has opened its Watch Essentials trainings to the general public, with plans in the works to extend this to all its trainings in the near future, in keeping with the Academy’s philosophy of inclusivity and accessibility in the watchmaking sector.
Furthermore, out of all its students, over 10,000 have gone on to be granted official FHH Certification, the only distinction of its kind in the industry. For its recipients, it represents a deep dive into both the technical mastery and the cultural heritage of watchmaking, offering one a comprehensive understanding that transcends mere mechanics.
In fact, FHH Certification is a strong selling point for candidate training and recruitment in the watch industry, particularly for retail positions. A wonderful example of its implementation comes from none other than Audemars Piguet, a founding member of the FHH itself. Over the course of only the past year, 120 members of its staff enrolled in FHH Academy programmes managed to attain FHH Certification, with a quarter of them going on further to become FHH Watch Experts, the most elite status the FHH Academy can award.
As part of this significant year in its history, 2024 will see the FHH Academy gearing up to host a series of dynamic events across key markets around the globe. These events are not only a showcase of the Academy's rich educational offerings but also an opportunity to celebrate the art of watchmaking with enthusiasts and industry professionals alike.
Anticipation is building as the FHH Academy prepares to unveil the details of these events later in the year. Watch enthusiasts and members of the greater horological community are encouraged to stay connected with the Academy through its website and social media channels for forthcoming updates and announcements providing all the information needed to be part of these unique events— perhaps in a city near you!