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IT’S THE WORLD’S WATCH CAPITAL,
BUT WHAT MAKES GENEVA TICK?
WE HEAD THERE FOR A WEEKEND OF
EXECUTIVE STYLE AND STUNNING
TIMEPIECES TO FIND OUT...
MORE THAN 2,000
years old, Geneva has long been a city
of luxurious wonders. It’s a place where the future and the
past live in perfect harmony, where classic structures and
decadent art deco hotels co-exist with forward-looking
establishments such as CERN, the world-renowned
European Organization for Nuclear Research.
Nowhere is this synergy more evident than in the city’s
intimate relationship with horology (that means anything
to do with the art of watchmaking). This began in the
mid-16th century, shortly after reforms initiated by Jean
Calvin banned the population from wearing jewels and
the local goldsmiths employed their skills to craft
wristwatches instead. The official Watchmakers’ Guild of
Geneva – the first such guild – was formed in 1601 and the
city has never looked back.
Today, this horology culture is everywhere here – and
not just if you’re looking to buy the latest state-of-the-art
chronograph (though, of course, that desire is more than
adequately catered for). From galleries celebrating
watch-based art to museums dedicated to the rich history
of the Swiss timepiece, you could say that the city’s very soul
runs by clockwork.
SWISS
TIME
F A S H I O N B Y N I N O B A U T I
O L I V E R P I L C H E R
E L I Z A B E T H D O E R R
Jacket, price on request, cardigan, £270, both Canali; shirt, Paul Smith, £140;
tie, Hugo Boss Black, £69; glasses Tommy Hilfiger, £120
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GENEVA