Vacheron Constantin Partners with North American Swiss Watchmaking Institute


Vacheron_NAIOSW_1_150Vacheron Constantin and the North American Institute of Swiss Watchmaking (NAIOSW) have announced a new, two-year partnership to promote and support high watchmaking in North America. Vacheron Constantin is the first Swiss watch brand to partner with the NAIOSW, based in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.

The Classes of 2013 and 2014, which Vacheron Constantin is sponsoring, celebrated their first day of school on September 13th with a special reception hosted by Denis Jaquenoud, president of the NAIOSW, and Hugues de Pins, president of Vacheron Constantin North America.

The North American Institute of Swiss Watchmaking opened its doors in 2009, with a mission to preserve the art of fine watchmaking and meet an increasing demand for qualified watchmakers and craftspeople. The highly-selective program accepts only six students per intake to guarantee students ample one-on-one training with its instructors, who are regarded as among the finest in the industry.

Vacheron Constantin will provide mentoring and educating of students about the watchmaker’s career from a brand perspective. The brand will supply educational tools on high-watchmaking topics such as the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva, founded in 1887. In addition to other initiatives that are planned, students who graduate at the top of their class will be invited to Vacheron Constantin in Geneva for a three-week “discovery internship” at the manufacture.

“This partnership is faithful to our values of perpetuating the tradition of high watchmaking and transmitting the know-how of our watchmakers,” said de Pins. “As the first Swiss watchmaker to have started, nearly 200 years ago, trading timepieces in the United States, we are proud to partner with the NAIOSW, to support its mission and create a bridge between our watchmaking apprenticeship initiatives in the U.S. and Switzerland.”

Two certificates are offered at the NAIOSW: the Watch Encasing Technician Certificate, which requires 640 hours of training over four months; and the Watchmaker Certificate, which requires 3,000 hours over two years. The two-year Watchmaker program provides an advanced education and training. Both programs meet the exacting requirements of the “Swiss Made” standard and feature a student-centered learning environment offering the student both knowledge and understanding based on theory and experience. Collectively, the Institute trainers have more than 50 years of watchmaking and teaching experience.

The NAIOSW is part of The Institute of Swiss Watchmaking (IOSW), founded in 2008 in partnership with Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program (WOSTEP), an independent institution based in Switzerland and recognized as an exemplary training center in the field of watchmaking. WOSTEP partners with watchmaking schools throughout the world to ensure high training standards and quality education in accordance with the demanding criteria of the Swiss fine watchmaking industry. Vacheron Constantin’s partnership with the NAIOSW is an extension of its worldwide support of the IOSW.

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Vacheron Constantin North America president Hugues de Pins (third from left) with NAIOSW’s John Sokol, Jessica Thakur, Jeff Peden, Stanley McMahan and Mathieu Coraze
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The NAIOSW Classes of 2013 and 2014

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