Press Release
Patek Philippe, Geneva
September 2017
The Patek Philippe Craftsmanship and Precision Competition: The Genevan manufacture
celebrates the eighth edition of its watch talent competition
On March 30 and 31, 2017, 18 students from six Swiss watchmaking schools participated in theseventh Patek Philippe Craftsmanship and Precision Competition (Concours de Bienfacture etPrécision). The prizes were awarded at the Patek Philippe Museum on Saturday, June 17, 2017. The
ceremony took place in the presence of Patek Philippe President Thierry Stern, jury chairman Carlos
Dos Santos, Human Resources Director Daniel Rochat and Watchmaking Division Director Laurent
Moles.
The eighth edition of this competition reaffirms Patek Philippe’s commitment to its partnerships withthe six Swiss watchmaking schools. It is based on an initiative that dates back to November 2008. The
objectives are to intensify the relations between the manufacture and the watchmaking schools, tocontribute to the training of future professionals, and to hand down the heritage and know-how ofPatek Philippe in the fields of precision adjustment and precision timekeeping.
Opportunities for young talent
As its name implies, the competition is aligned with Patek Philippe's fundamental values:
craftsmanship and precision. These values reflect the operating principles and the concept of quality
applied in the manufacture and mandated by the directives of the Patek Philippe Seal. The
competition motivates the students to achieve their training goals and provides an objective evaluationof their professional aptitude. It creates equal conditions for all participants.
As was the case in earlier years, the intention of the competition is to make trainees aware of thesignificance of artisanal skills and to identify the most promising and talented individuals. The term
artisanal skills refers to dependability and precision in manual finishing and timing processes. The
pedagogical goal of the competition is supported by the invaluable know-how and expertise of
members of the manufacture’s staff. It gives the participants a rare opportunity to work with amechanical movement that complies with the extremely strict directives of the Patek Philippe Seal.
The trainees are offered a glimpse into the exclusive realm of haute horlogerie.
The technical tests are rated in the manufacture's ateliers under the supervision of a jury composed ofsenior Patek Philippe employees: Carlos Dos Santos (Supervisor, Precision Timing Ateliers 1 and jurychairman), Vincent Lemmelet (Head, Advanced Technical Training), Hakim Hakkar (Head, Precision
Timing Atelier 2 and Escapement-making), and Patrick Conus (Watchmaker Training Instructor).
Theoretical and practical introduction with focus on precision timing and balances
On the first day of the competition, the candidates of the 6 schools (3 per school) and their instructors
paid a visit to several departments of the manufacture (Spiromax® Balance Springs, Timing, Haute

PATEK PHILIPPE SA GENEVE
Chemin du Pont-du-Centenaire 141 – 1228 Plan-les-Ouates
P.O. Box 2654 – CH - 1211 Geneva 2 - Switzerland
Tel. + 41 22 884 20 20 – Fax + 41 22 884 25 47 – www.patek.com

Continued 2Horlogerie, International Customer Service). The tour was followed by a theoretical introduction and asubsequent series of practical exercises reserved for the candidates.
During the theoretical introduction, they were familiarized with the methods for starting and adjusting aGyromax® balance. At Patek Philippe, these processes are applied in virtually all domains ofproduction. Then, the trainees were acquainted with the practical requirements.
The examinations
During the competition, the participants are expected to assemble the balance and the balance cockin a Patek Philippe movement, to poise the balance, and to adjust it in six positions as specified by thedirectives of the Patek Philippe Seal. Additionally, the trainees must demonstrate their awareness ofthe practical working guidelines that apply in the watch industry and especially those defined by Patek
Philippe. This includes keeping the workbench neat, the tools in proper order and the work wellorganized.
In assessing the candidates, the time taken for the assignments, the parts used, and obviously theresults of their work are all taken into consideration.
As in previous years, the results showed a very uniform picture with regard to the success andabilities of the candidates, which illustrates the consistently high level of training provided by all of theparticipating watchmaking schools. The eighth edition again confirmed that the skill levels of thestudents are steadily and continuously rising.
Award presentation at the Patek Philippe Museum
On Saturday, June 17, 2017, President Thierry Stern and the members of the jury presented theawards to all prizewinners during a ceremony at the Patek Philippe Museum. The top threeprizewinners (see below) have the opportunity of working in the manufacture's ateliers: Here, they will
experience at first hand the company’s culture and philosophy, work on a manually wound and a selfwinding caliber, and be able to visit the different production facilities of Patek Philippe in Geneva(Plan-les-Ouates and Perly). During their internship, they will also encounter students from otheraffiliated watchmaking schools (Hiko Mizuno College in Tokyo and the CCI of Saint-Malo inFougères).
As every year, the winner of the first prize was invited to a week’s internship at the service center ofone of Patek Philippe’s subsidiaries. This year, it will be at Rhône Products in London.
The awards ceremony was preceded by a tour of the Patek Philippe Museum.
Patek Philippe very much looks forward to organizing the ninth edition of the "Concours deBienfacture et Précision" with various participating watchmaking schools in 2018.

Continued 3Prizes
1st prize:

2nd prize:
3rd prize:
4th prize:
5th prize:

1 winner's trophy (large replica of a balance and hairspring that can bekept by the winning school for one year and is then awarded to thenext winner in 2018) + 1 week of training at the Patek Philippe
workshops in Geneva + 1 week of training at Rhône Products, thePatek Philippe subsidiary in London + 1 tool set
2 weeks of training at the Patek Philippe workshops in Geneva + 1 tool set
1 week of training at the Patek Philippe workshops in Geneva + 1 tool set
1 tool set1 tool set

Winners of the Patek Philippe Craftsmanship and Precision Competition 2017
1st rank

BULLONI Marco

CEJEF – Ecole des Métiers Techniques de Porrentruy (JU)

2nd rank

HIVERT PaulCIFOM – Ecole Technique du Locle (NE)

3rd rankJULIUS PUCHER Per

BBZ – Zeitzentrum Uhrmacherschule Grenchen (SO)

3rd rank ex aequoHÜGLI Thoma

CIFOM – Ecole Technique du Locle (NE)

5th rank

SALZMANN Nico

CIFOM – Ecole Technique du Locle (NE)

The six participating schools
The following six schools participated in the Concours:• CFPT – Ecole d’Horlogerie de Genève• ETVJ – Ecole Technique de la Vallée de Joux
• CEJEF – Ecole des Métiers Techniques de Porrentruy• CIFOM – Ecole Technique du Locle• BBZ – Zeitzentrum Uhrmacherschule de Grenchen• CFP – Centre de formation professionnelle de Bienne