In 2014, the Foundation Haute Horlogerie (FHH) introduced the FHH Academy, a series of courses that span the fundamentals of watchmaking to culture and heritage as well as more advanced technical curriculums, catering to both industry professionals and enthusiasts. One of the most unique aspects of the program is that it’s offered entirely online in 11 different languages, resulting in participants across 20 countries worldwide. While accessibility has been at the FHH Academy’s core, there are also select courses offered in-person at the FHH headquarters in Geneva as an extension of the platform. Now, the academy is expanding once again as the FHH announces a new partnership with the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
The GIA is globally acknowledged as the foremost authority in gemology and a leader in the gem and jewelry sector. Since its founding in 1931, the organization has set the standard, educating more than 200,000 professionals worldwide across its seven campuses throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. With its longstanding commitment to education and the dissemination of specialist knowledge within the luxury jewelry industry along with its global reputation and reach, the GIA presented itself as an incredible partner to expand its offerings into the world of horology and for the FHH to expand its in-person training. The partnership marks the first time the GIA has worked with an external entity and allowed trainers outside the institute to teach on its campuses.
Over the past several years, we have seen the FHH making more and more efforts to develop its presence in the US market – one of the largest and most influential markets in the watch industry. Beyond its participation in local events, the FHH will take things a step further with this new partnership whose pilot program will take place at the GIA’s flagship campus in Carlsbad, California. In addition to reaching enthusiasts and industry professionals in the States, the FHH will also be able to tap into a new audience within the jewelry industry, connecting with burgeoning professionals pursuing careers at auction houses and luxury retail who want to extend their knowledge in an adjacent field.
“This collaboration is certainly going to be an experiment,” shares Pascal Ravessoud, the Vice President of the FHH. “But we love to think differently and experiment with new things. We started close to home, participating in watch events in Geneva and then globally,” he continues. “Now, we are looking for more opportunities to reach new people outside of the watch industry and out of our comfort zone. The watch industry is such a small world, and we are always trying to make it bigger – to increase the appreciation for watches and the interest in watchmaking. We hope this partnership will be another way to do that.”
Through the new collaboration, the GIA will begin offering FHH Academy programs to its students beginning in early 2027 with the Watch Advisor, the academy’s first level of
Certification, alongside open sessions with dedicated tutors. To stay up to date on the latest information as the offerings unfold, you can head directly over to the FHH.
