Franco Cologni is not only one of the major figures in the watchmaking world, but also he is a fascinating personality in his own right, a visionary who is widely considered to be one of the watch industry’s leading gurus. Consider his unusual career path. Born in Milan in 1934, Franco Cologni is first and foremost of a literary bent. In 1957, having earned a double doctorate in literature and philosophy, he became professor of theatrical history and communication at the Catholic University of Milan, as well as being a journalist specializing in cinema, theatre, television and communication. His life took a whole new turn in 1969, propelling him from the academic world into the luxury industry, when he founded Tobako International, a company devoted to distributing luxury products in Italy. Among them was a name that was to transform his entire life: Cartier. In 1973, he opened the first international Cartier subsidiary in Italy, and as a member of the management committee he subsequently played a leading role in the explosive growth of the brand, alongside another key figure in Cartier’s development, Alain-Dominique Perrin. In 1997, he initiated the successful revival of Panerai, and when Cartier was acquired by the Richemont Group, Cologni was a natural choice as Executive Director, with special responsibility for the Watch and Jewellery divisions. It was under his guidance that the group acquired IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Lange & Söhne, which joined Baume & Mercier, Cartier, Piaget, Vacheron Constantin and Panerai in making the Richemont Group one of the most powerful players in the field. From 2000, he simultaneously held several positions, including that of President of Vacheron Constantin, as well as co-authoring some fine books on Cartier, Vacheron Constantin, and more recently Jaeger-LeCoultre. In 2005, however, he relinquished all his operational responsibilities in order to focus exclusively on Group strategy, its numerous corporate projects, and most of all, on what he considers his life work: the preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage he calls Haute Horlogerie, or Fine Watchmaking.

Europa Star: You have recently created the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH). What are the aims of this Foundation?

Franco Cologni: Fine Watchmaking is the repository of exceptional skills, as well as the guardian of traditional crafts that would otherwise have disappeared. But it also ensures their dissemination, their continuity and their authenticity, which represent the fundamental conditions for their development and renewal. The Foundation we have created is here to defend and promote these values that represent a genuine culture. And culture also implies a code of ethics. The Foundation defends and promotes the moral values behind a product, meaning the rules of conduct governing its production and therefore determining its legitimacy and authenticity.

ES: So one cannot place all watch products and watch brands on a par?

F.C.: One can safely say that the field of what we call Fine Watchmaking encompasses around 40 watch brands. But this perimeter is variable, in that it is not so much the brands themselves that count, as the products themselves. Fine Watchmaking can be produced by a major watch company or by a small craftsman or independent master-watchmaker. Here again, it is the ethical framework within which a product is created and its authenticity that matter. Not to mention its originality. One cannot admit a product into the category of Fine Watchmaking if it lacks genuine creativity. Moreover, the global expertise involved does not stop with the product: distribution, after-sales service and the communication surrounding it must all display the same quality and the same depth. Fine Watchmaking is a complete virtuous circle.

ES: You often reiterate your concern for the dissemination of information, which is also the aim of the Design School you have set up in Milan.

F.C.: Disseminating not only the skills, but also the intrinsic values of Fine Watchmaking, lies at the very core of our educational mission, directed both at the younger generations and at countries where this awareness of authenticity is still weak or in a minority. By showing that a product has real substance, that it emanates from a real culture and a philosophical approach, we wish to demonstrate that a purchase can reach beyond a mere impulse to become an act imbued with intelligence and emotion.

ES: What tools does the Foundation have at its disposal in pursuing these goals?

F.C.: We have recently launched a website (www.haute-horlogerie.org) endowed with extremely rich content and representing a real Fine Watchmaking encyclopaedia, where everyone can find a reference guide to the world of Fine Watchmaking – a vast and fascinating domain that we present in a modern, interactive and educational manner. Moreover, we are also active at grass-roots level, particularly through local representatives and Fine Watchmaking Ambassadors serving in the various markets. We regularly organize prestigious large-scale exhibitions in which the public gets a chance not just to admire the products, but also to see and meet the craftsmen at work. Our entire range of activities, while rooted in the authenticity of a noble tradition, is firmly oriented towards young people and emerging nations. Being a living ‘Conservatoire’ means keeping in step with current events, working on behalf of innovation and creativity, and all the while maintaining a keen awareness of the most authentic values that remain the same as they have always been.





Source: Europa Star April-May 2007 Magazine Issue