t the dawn of the 1990s, before the arrival on newsstands of watchmaking media aimed at the general public and before the eruption of the internet, two pioneering and historical titles were the focal points of news in the watchmaking and jewellery sectors in Switzerland and abroad. Their role as ‘’information relays‘’ means that they have become essential institutions.

La Maison de l’Horlogerie

Geneva Watch Days, from 28 August to 2 September 2024

As part of the key watchmaking event of the 2024 summer season, the Maison de l’Horlogerie gallery in Geneva is hosting a premiere: more than 240 years of watchmaking information available in old and bound volumes. They come from Europa Star and the Journal suisse d’horlogerie JSH, two legendary media that embody the life of the sector over almost a century and a half.

Vibrant archives, both physical and digital

For the first time ever, it will be possible to ‘touch’ and ‘flick through’ so many old volumes: a truly rare opportunity to get up close and personal with a key part of the history of watchmaking, which is inextricably intertwined with the history of Switzerland and the world. The Watch Library Foundation, partner of this exhibition, will be showcasing the digital side of the exhibition, allowing visitors to browse through the digitised archive treasures of the two publications.

Witnesses of inspiring times

The Swiss Watchmaking Journal (JSH) was launched in July 1876 at the Palais de l’Athénée in Geneva by the Société des Arts de Genève, which was celebrating its centenary, following a survey by the Watchmaking Section of the Classe d’Industrie et de Commerce. From 1925 onwards, it has been the official organ of the SSC and, for several decades, that of the Basel Fair. Since 2019, its editor-in-chief stands as journalist Joël A. Grandjean.

Also in Geneva, in 1927, Hugo Buchser, an entrepreneur and publisher, laid the foundations of Europa Star, a publishing venture dedicated to the whole industry and its international impact. This unbroken legend of the watch and jewellery press has been perpetuated by his grandsons Philippe and Pierre Maillard, and is still in family hands, run by Serge Maillard, his great-grandson representing the fourth generation, who is also co-founder and chairman of The Watch Library Foundation.

Panel discussion, Saturday 31 August at 1.30 pm Venue: GlassBox, Geneva Watch Days

Serge Maillard and Joël A. Grandjean, the current faces of Europa Star and JSH, will share the stories of their respective media, while Martine Depresle will talk about the preservation and accessibility of this heritage through The Watch Library platform. Above all, they will highlight the extent to which illuminating and understanding the past can offer promising perspectives for the future.

Europa Star, established in 1927

In 1927, Hugo Buchser, a young watchmaking entrepreneur, launched a guide to the industry that would soon become a reference and a tool for the entire sector. An experienced traveller, Buchser then introduced a series of specialized magazines around the world to support the international development of the watchmaking industry. From the 1950s onwards, these included editions in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Thai and Russian.

Hugo Buchser, founder of Europa Star, in the 1920s

Since 1962, under the leadership of his son-in-law Gilbert Maillard, all the publications have been united under the ‘Europa Star’ identity. Over the decades, Europa Star became one of the world’s leading specialist watch magazines. The 1990s saw the third generation, led by Philippe and Pierre Maillard, take over. And in 2014, Serge Maillard, the fourth generation of publishing, joined the company to further the editorial mission begun almost a century ago, through a wealth of innovative formats.

The JSH Swiss Watch Journal, founded in 1876

It was established at the Palais de l’Athénée in Geneva in July 1876 under the patronage of the Société des Arts (1776). In 1925, it became the Official Bulletin of the Swiss Chronometry Society (SSC), founded a year earlier in October 1924. For several decades, it was also the official organ of the Basel Fair. Relaunched in 2019 by JSH Archives & Patrimoine, it is now aimed primarily at watchmaking professions. A world first, it has the unique feature of refusing to include the watch brands’ “product” advertising pages, and instead covers the latest news from the sector, focusing instead on highlighting the watchmaking suppliers network.

The Watch Library Foundation

The Watch Library foundation, recognized as a public utility foundation in 2021 by the Swiss Confederation, is a major initiative for the entire watch industry. The mission of The Watch Library Foundation is to preserve and enhance the watchmaking heritage towards a wide audience. It reconciles heritage and digital technology and aims to demonstrate how shared data and knowledge foster innovation, creativity and thus feed the imagination of experts, current and future professionals and watch enthusiasts.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

• Exhibition ‘Over 240 years of watch press’.
• From 28 August to 2 September 2024
• 10 am to 6.30 pm (6 pm on 31 August)
• Opening on 28 August from 7.50am to 10.10am

• Maison de l’Horlogerie
• 24, rue du Cendrier
• Place Kleberg
• 1201 Geneva