Well-established in the professional network and cultural life of the city to which it makes a significant contribution, HEAD – Genève wishes to give prominence to watch design and Fine Watchmaking, of which Geneva is the undisputed capital.

By launching this Chair in Watch Design, HEAD – Genève aims to contribute to the industrial economy and creative output of Geneva and Switzerland. Mindful of the need to integrate the cultural and economic landscapes of the region, the university intends to promote partnerships with the economic fabric and encourage the professional insertion of its graduates, while at the same time remaining attentive to industrial and economic requirements. This Chair is an exceptional opportunity to train the watch designers of tomorrow and could also contribute to Geneva’s position as an international centre for contemporary watch design.

At the very heart of the project, Jean-Pierre Greff, director of HEAD, points out “What is highly significant is that the various professionals we consulted, notably within specific brands, voiced their support for this project and indicated their readiness to contribute to it. Many of them wondered why this idea had not been formulated sooner in Geneva.”

The Chair in Watch Design is an optional specialization within the Product and Industrial Design programme at HEAD – Genève, being part of the Bachelor’s course (3 years) and the Master’s course (2 years). This option includes classes in watch design and culture. It is indeed important to offer training situated within the wider context of the field of design in order to enhance the sensitivity of products that are simultaneously an expression of the market and watch culture. This programme therefore offers a specific pathway within the general curriculum of jewellery and accessory design and trains designers capable of working in the field of creative watchmaking.

The professorship will be led by Marco Borraccino, watch designer and lecturer in the design of watches, industrial products and luxury goods, who has taught at HEAD – Genève since 2008, where he has gradually developed training in this sector. He will be assisted by three or four key figures from the watchmaking world as well as numerous external international contributors.

“Our involvement in the field of watch design has a long history, but this Chair – funded by a private Swiss Foundation – gives us the means to develop an entirely new goal.” says Marco Borraccino.