Labels and certifications pertaining to watches and movements are essential for the watchmaking industry. This is true for watch enthusiasts, who are naturally drawn to prestigious watch labels that validate high technical quality. But it is even more critical for manufacturers, as obtaining a watchmaking label or certification has become a guarantee of craftsmanship and authenticity, helping to solidify the reputation of high-end production. We invite you to explore the various existing distinctions – particularly Swiss ones.

The Watch Label: an Essential Quality Benchmark

At the origin of every watch label and watchmaking certification lies the first of the Swiss distinctions: the Swiss Made. This horological label, affixed to the dials of timepieces, was intended to certify the quality of materials and the craftsmanship of watchmakers at a time (the late 19th century) when counterfeits were becoming increasingly prevalent.

The problem, even then, was not new. The question of origin has stirred consciences since the beginnings of large-scale watchmaking: as early as the late 18th century, more cunning artisans would sign their mechanisms with the names of renowned master watchmakers – allowing them to sell their production more quickly while reassuring buyers – and readily lied about manufacturing locations, preferring to cite cities known for their watchmaking quality. However, as it developed, this system began to seriously threaten production, leading to the officialization of the Swiss Made watch label to indicate Swiss origin.

From then on, watch certification became a guarantee of quality and controlled origin. Many regions launched their own watch labels, in Switzerland and elsewhere: the most famous are undoubtedly the Poinçon de Genève, instituted by the Société des Horlogers de Genève and the Conseil d’État in 1886; and the Poinçon vipère, created by the Besançon Observatory in 1897. This type of watch certification aims to protect local craftsmanship and guarantee buyers the possession of a high-quality product, genuinely manufactured on-site.

Watchmaking Certification Proliferates

Indeed, this need, felt since the beginnings of watchmaking industrialization, has only continued to strengthen with the evolution of the sector and the global market, prompting the field of watch certification to transform alongside them. A prime example is what happened with Swiss Made: this distinction, which was once unquestionable, was challenged by Swiss manufacturers themselves starting in the 1980s, as lower-cost parts manufactured in Asia began to infiltrate the cases of Swiss timepieces, exploiting loopholes in the 1971 ordinance. As a result, it became necessary to evolve and consolidate this watch label so that it would retain its full value.

Subsequently, other certifications emerged – partly due to the distrust caused by doubts regarding the criteria defined by Swiss Made, and partly because brands wished to highlight their own production. In the municipality of Val-de-Travers, four independent watch brands launched a watch label in 2004, issued by the Fondation Qualité Fleurier, with the particularity that it distinguishes finished models. For its part, the Patek Philippe brand, based in Geneva, seceded to launch its own Seal – with its own control criteria. As for Jaeger-LeCoultre and Montblanc, they developed internal control processes for their movements.

Furthermore, there are also professional tests conducted by independent workshops, such as the Chronofiable from the Dubois S.A. laboratory in La Chaux-de-Fonds, which involves conducting in-depth analyses of movements (under development or nearly completed) with the aim of validating brands’ choices. The watch label issued by the FQF, moreover, requires undergoing these very tests.

Precision and Reliability: the Chronometer Certification

However, however demanding a watch label may be, it cannot always guarantee the precision and reliability of a movement. For this, there is an entirely different kind of watchmaking certification: the chronometer label. This title is awarded by associations independent of the brands, known as ‘control offices,’ the most well-known of which is undoubtedly the COSC, or Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute. The Besançon Observatory, which affixes the Poinçon vipère, is also authorized to issue a timing certificate.

Chronometer certification is highly sought after by high-end manufacturers – such as Omega, Rolex, Breitling, and others – who submit all or part of their movements for extremely rigorous tests. These tests aim to measure the deviation between the movement and the reference time, down to half a second of difference.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the concept of a watch label is inherently evolutionary, as the standards in force at any given moment, both in terms of technical quality and aesthetics, are bound to change and no longer be accepted as they are by brands. While watch certification remains an equally valuable hallmark, favored by manufacturers because it constitutes a form of guarantee to present to the consumer (and because it allows for an increase in the selling price of a timepiece), the trend is towards the creation of exclusive labels specific to brands, guaranteeing their internal quality.