Fondation Haute Horlogerie Guides the Journey of Watchmaking Knowledge at INHORGENTA 2026

Key Highlights

• FHH designs its Cultural Space at INHORGENTA 2026 as a journey from first encounter to informed dialogue.
• The travelling «Watch Makers» exhibition showcases métiers d’art and the skills behind fine watchmaking.
• FHH Academy workshops turn curiosity into structured knowledge and recognised learning pathways.
• The FHH Forum’s Watch Talks examine craftsmanship, jewellery, digital influence and contemporary watch culture.
• A growing partnership positions FHH and INHORGENTA as a European reference for watchmaking culture.

From first emotion to structured understanding

From 20–23 February 2026 in Munich, the Fondation Haute Horlogerie (FHH) returned to INHORGENTA with a Cultural Space conceived as a curated pathway rather than a commercial stand. In Hall A1, visitors moved from an initial emotional response to a clearer view of the work and knowledge behind each watch.

For Pascal Ravessoud, Vice President of the FHH, the visible watch is only the starting point. Behind it lies an often-invisible world of craftsmanship and transmission that the FHH presents through three stages: Discover & Experience, Deepen Knowledge & Get Certified, and Share, Debate & Project.

Through its Watches and Culture pillar, the FHH opened the journey with discovery. The travelling «Watch Makers» exhibition, first presented in Geneva and now in Munich, transformed the Cultural Space into an atelier focused on movement assembly, decorative finishing, engraving, gem-setting and other arts that define haute horlogerie.

FHH partner brands Piaget and Oris reinforced this approach through demonstrations and storytelling sessions, allowing visitors to observe crafts at close range and recognise the human dimension behind each timepiece.

From curiosity to knowledge: the FHH Academy

For visitors ready to go further, the next step took shape through the FHH Academy. At INHORGENTA 2026, free workshops invited participants to disassemble and reassemble a mechanical movement under expert guidance, turning observation into hands-on experience.

These sessions showed how the Academy translates complexity into accessible content and creates a shared language for professionals, emerging enthusiasts and newcomers. Beyond the fair, the Academy extends this pathway through public online courses, including the Watch Essentials certification programme, maintaining a consistent framework of learning in over 20 countries.

By making education accessible both in-person and online, the FHH positions itself as a neutral reference in watchmaking and supports the transmission of expertise across generations and regions.

Dialogue, craftsmanship and contemporary voices

Knowledge for the FHH also evolves through exchange, embodied at INHORGENTA 2026 by the FHH Forum and its Watch Talks programme. Brand leaders, designers, retailers, journalists and new-generation voices examined watchmaking from multiple angles, including jewellery, digital influence and craft.

One discussion, moderated by Scarlett Baker, explored how watchmaking and jewellery intertwine, with perspectives from Piaget, Grima Jewellery and WEMPE at a time when design, identity and craftsmanship are central. The conversation underlined how jewellery codes and watchmaking innovation increasingly share creative ground.

Another session, moderated by Clio Godrèche, brought forward digital voices including Julia Carrier-Angel, Andrea Casalegno, Tom Exton and Marc-Henri Ngandu. It highlighted a desire for authenticity, transparency and community-building, where social platforms can ignite interest while deeper engagement with watches, brands and experts often crystallises offline.

Craftsmanship itself was the focus of a panel moderated by Elizabeth Doerr, with contributions from Armin Strom, Tutima Glashütte and Watches_and_Culture. The discussion emphasised transparency and the partnership between precision tools and skilled hands, presenting craftsmanship as the human element that guides technology and supports long-term quality.

Why it matters

By structuring its presence around Discover, Deepen and Share, the Fondation Haute Horlogerie turned a major trade fair into a coherent cultural journey. For INHORGENTA, the FHH Cultural Space now forms part of the watch segment, adding context and dialogue to commercial presentation and brand storytelling. For GCC collectors and professionals, this partnership signals a maturing ecosystem where education, craftsmanship and informed discourse shape how watches are created, presented and understood.