The Geneva Seal-Only Serious Watches Need Apply

The Geneva Seal is one of the highest accolades bestowed upon high-end timepieces. The criteria is beyond exacting and very few watches that are produced in Geneva, below 1% in fact, receive this prestigious crest.

The Geneva Seal began as a concept in 1886 as a control method for absolute quality and precision in watch making. The Canton of Geneva is sacred to the watchmaking community and so this Seal also guarantees the correct origin of a timepiece.

The checklist is gruelling, including but not limited to such points as…

• The good workmanship of all the parts of the caliber, including those of the additional mechanisms, must be in conformity with the requirements of the office of voluntary inspection of the watches from Geneva. Steel parts must have polished angles and their visible surfaces smoothed down. Screw heads must be polished, with their slots and rims chamfered.

• Movement must jewelled with ruby jewels set in polished holes.

• Watches having successfully undergone the rate tests can claim the title chronometer.

• Escape wheel has to be light, not more than 0.16 mm thick in large calibers and 0.13 mm in calibers under 18 mm, and its locking-faces must be polished.

…and many, many other criteria which must be adhered to. No wonder why so few watches come up to scratch. The full checklist can be found here (https://poincondegeneve.ch/fr).

Put simply, you are not going to find the Geneva Seal on an average, or even above average watch. Only the fines pieces are bestowed with the honour. So if you see the crest engraved on a movement you know you are dealing with absolute quality.

This is the Geneva Seal on an L.U.Chopard Regulator movement. An absolutely beautiful thing. Can you spot it?

It's subtle but very, very important in the watchmaking world.

Hope you enjoyed reading, everyone.

Josh