Guess in Which City Is the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry?
Bingo! Unsurprisingly, the powerful trade organization that regulates Swiss Made-ness and preserves the interests of its member brands across the globe is located right here in Bienne, a 2 minute walk from the train station.
The Fédération Horlogère (FH) as we know it today results from the merger of 2 century old entities: the Swiss Chamber of Watchmaking and Allied Industries, an industry organization by regional representation, and the Swiss Federation of Clock and Watch Manufacturers Association, directly representing the interests of its member companies. The merger took place in 1976, establishing headquarters in Bienne. As already discussed on this blog, Bienne is quite arguably the capital of Swiss watchmaking, making it an obvious home for the FH.