The 25th Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie has ended on a positive note. Despite turbulence linked to the external value of the Swiss franc, and tension in certain markets, the exhibiting Maisons were highly satisfied with this quarter-century edition. Visitors were once again able to appreciate the full measure of their skills, both mechanical and artistic.
SIHH 2015 was indeed a showcase for the unique expertise of these sixteen Fine Watch Maisons; it also paid tribute to their unfailing support of an event which has established itself as an international reference within the profession, as once again demonstrated by the collections on display. After the exuberance witnessed in previous years, watchmakers have returned to more classical but nonetheless masterful interpretations of time. Skeletonised movements rival with astronomical indications and calendars; the métiers d’art lend their beauty; grandes complications capture the quintessence of time measurement.
For a number of years, the SIHH has been a privileged setting for exhibitions devoted to horological wonders of the past. For this 25th edition, the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, which organises the event, chose a more pragmatic approach. Initiation to watchmaking workshops invited visitors to take apart then reassemble a mechanical watch movement. There is an ongoing fascination with this world of the infinitely small, and this new angle on horological culture kept all its promises.
An exclusive, invitation-only gathering, SIHH 2015 recorded a similar level of attendance as previous editions. Reserved for trade visitors from the media and distribution, it welcomed 14,500 guests from around the globe (+4% on 2014) 1,200 of whom were journalists. After a twenty-five year existence, the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie boasts a maturity worthy of the finest vintage.
