RETURNING THE CENTRAL

ROLE TO THE WATCHMAKER

WITH THE VALUE HIS ART

AND CRAFT MERIT

PRESS RELEASE

time æon press release november 2006

background

Time æon is a new alliance of independent watchmakers dedicated to perpetuating the arts and crafts involved in horology of the very highest level. To ensure an effi cient focus towards that goal, Time æon is structured as an umbrella covering of three entities: Time æon Alliance, Time æon Heritage and Time æon Enterprise.

Time æon Alliance is a group of talented independent master watchmakers committed to sharing their knowledge and craft : both with each other and with future independent watchmakers. At present the alliance consists of Philippe Dufour, Stephen Forsey, Robert Greubel, Vianney Halter and Kari Voutilainen. Modeling themselves on the old craft-guilds, these founding members call themselves “Watchmaker Companions”; a name embodying the fundamental values of companionship, or commpannage, as it was practiced in days gone by - specifi cally in the transmission of expertise and values and here adapted to the realities of the 21st century.

Left to right : Stephen Forsey, Kari Voutilainen, Philippe Dufour, Vianney Halter, Robert Greubel .

Time æon Heritage is responsible for safeguarding the precious knowledge, craft and philosophy that the alliance’s members possess and thus ensuring that their savoir-faire will be perpetuated and made available for future generations of independent watchmakers. Time æon Heritage will disseminate the skills of its Alliance’s members by a program of selecting promising young watchmakers and structuring bespoke training tailored to the skill level of the trainee.

The training program will take a number of years in which the ‘apprentice’ will study and work with each of the Alliance’s members. As the aim is to train future independent watchmakers, the trainee will be truly acknowledged as completing his study when he has not only crafted his own timepiece, but has also, as a new member of the Time æon Alliance, completed the circle by assisting in the training of a new student.

Time æon Enterprise is the commercial arm which generates revenue to enable Time æon Heritage and Time æon Alliance to function. Time æon Alliance members will each create a small range of special timepieces exclusively for Time æon Enterprise, who will in turn market the watches through its own dedicated sales channels.

the three muses

To speed up the development – which is already well underway - of these exclusive new models for Time æon, Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey have made available three magnifi cent double tourbillon 30° timepieces. Given the role of these watches in nurturing the exciting new enterprise and with the name ‘æon’ coming from Greek roots, it is fi tting that each of the watches bears, along with a discreet Time æon stamp, the engraved name of the Greek muse each represents: Mnemosyne, Thalie and Clio.

The Muses are the Greek goddesses who preside over the arts and sciences and inspire those who excel at these pursuits. While they are perhaps better known as goddesses of music, song and dance, and the source of inspiration to poets, they were also goddesses of knowledge who remembered all things that had come to pass.

Mnemosyne : mother of the muses, goddess of memory - mnemonic, meaning to assist the memory, comes from her name. As a Titan daughter of Ouranos (Heaven), she was a goddess of time who represented the oral preservation of the stories of history. Mnemosyne represents the safeguarding of knowledge.

Thalia : the «Flourishing» is the muse of comedy and of playful and idyllic poetry; she often carries the Mask of Comedy and a shepherds crook. Thalia is worshipped because the fame of those whose praise she sings fl ourishes and lasts for long periods of time. Thalia represents a lighter side; a reminder that taking pleasure in ones work promotes passion in ones work.

Clio : the ‘Proclaimer’, the scholar or researcher who inspires our desire to record, to investigate and to experiment. Clio encourages us to record our past so that we may learn from both our triumphs and our mistakes and so are able to better plan for the future. Her symbol is a scroll or set of tablets: fi tting attributes for an alliance dedicated to the preservation and transmission of knowledge.

The three muses each of the timepieces represent will be Time æon’s Godmothers. The funds generated by their sale will enable Time æon to kick start the commencement of their training program and to fund the development of horological programs already in the pipeline. Recognising the importance of the role that these three timepieces will play in the evolution of Time æon, the proprietors of the three muses will be accorded an elevated status within Time æon in recognition of their positions as ‘Godfathers’.

Time æon is moving ahead strongly and is looking forward to the exciting and productive time ahead.

For further information on Time æon and/or the three Muses, please contact us at:Time æon

Case postale 2 Avenches 1580

Switzerland Telephone: +41 (0)79 436 78 33, email: m.fragniere@timeaeon.com