The timepieces manufactured in the canton of Geneva have their own certification: it is the Poinçon de Genève, a physical mark that aims to distinguish local manufactures as well as watches meeting criteria of satisfaction as to their good and their reliability. Created in 1886, this Hallmark is emblematic of a desire that can be found in most Swiss labels and certifications: to validate the superior quality of the manufacture of a timepiece and to guarantee the rarity of a know-how of Excellency.

1886, year of birth of the Hallmark of Geneva

It is in Switzerland, especially in and around the canton of Geneva, that modern watchmaking history takes off between the 18th and 19th centuries. At the time, the name of the town, engraved on the movements of watches made locally, is a kind of label guaranteeing the origin and quality of the room.

But because the history of technical success is, too often, that of counterfeiting and abusive exploitation, the name of Geneva is quickly diverted from its job to mark timepieces of varied quality (generally mediocre), produced in a few years. others countered by unscrupulous manufactures. Other brands do not hesitate to appropriate the cantonal label to attract the barge via advertisements in the Swiss newspapers.

This is how the notion of “controlled origin” comes into being, applied to timepieces. In 1886, in order to guarantee the validity of the know-how of the Geneva watchmaking companies, the Geneva Watchmaking Society, created less than ten years earlier (in 1878), and the Council of State, proposed a bill aimed at define the contours of a certification of watches produced in the municipality: this law is called the “Optional Control of Geneva Watches – Hallmark of Geneva”.

Thus, the Grand Council of the Republic and Canton of Geneva establishes a Bureau of control of the watches, which has for attribution to affix a seal – the official hallmark of the State – on the watches having passed rigorous controls. But the first criterion among all of them remains this: that factories that submit their timepieces to the test of the Bureau themselves reside in Geneva. A condition sine qua non which aims to preserve the territory a valuable know-how, at a time when many homes choose to settle abroad.

The criteria for obtaining the Poinçon de Genève

Only brands that manufacture their timepieces in the canton have the opportunity to apply for the Hallmark of Geneva – but no watch company is forced to submit to it. This is because access to this horological grail is restricted. First, because the certification is complex, based on criteria relating to:

  • Movement
  • Operation
  • The box
  • The precision
  • Reliability
    sealing
  • The power reserve

The technical choices

Note that these criteria are those adopted by the Technical Committee of Punch in 2011, on the occasion of the 125 years of the label. Some of these criteria apply to the completed watch and take into account the technical progress of the watch industry. The official Poinçon de Genève website will teach you more.

Secondly, because this certification pays off, and this high price is not justified for all brands. Indeed, obtaining a label such as the Poinçon de Genève makes it possible to distinguish a product from the mass of the production, as an honorific title. However, the general public is not necessarily well armed to understand the value of this brand, and not always ready to pay a higher price under this pretext. For watchmaking companies, it is therefore above all a strategic choice.

The Hallmark of Geneva, a particularly rare watchmaker Grail

The brands that benefit from the Poinçon de Genève – whether the totality or a fraction of their movements – can be counted on the fingers of both hands. Here they are :

  • DeMonaco Workshops
  • Cartier
  • Chopard
  • Louis Vuitton
  • Patek Philippe
  • Roger Dubuis
  • Vacheron Constantin

In 2016, the Louis Vuitton brand was the last, to date, to join the very exclusive club distinguished manufacturers by the Poinçon de Genève. And there are more than a million timepieces bearing the seal of Poinçon!