This year’s edition drew nearly 5,000 visitors. Over the course of 12 editions, the Watchmaking Heritage Biennal has become a flagship event offering the almost unique opportunity to step inside not only renowned companies but also more discreet venues within the watchmaking world.
The number of places available for guided tours was deliberately kept limited to ensure a high standard of service. Although the number of participating companies is steadily increasing, the current capacity is insufficient to meet the very high public demand. Consequently, 1,740 spots across all companies had been booked by the time registration closed.
A fine range of cultural activities centred on the theme of time had also been organised, in partnership with numerous regional institutions. Among the highlights of this year’s event were demonstrations by watchmakers Bonniksen and Sekiguchi on the historic workbench at the Rural and Craft Museum in La Chaux-de-Fonds; the guided tour of the watchmaking murals at the exomusée in Locle; as well as the film screenings followed by discussions organised by the Espace Noir cooperative in Saint-Imier.
This edition marked the first introduction of an admission charge. Providing financial support for the event’s organisation and logistics that are managed by the non-profit Watchmaking Urbanism Foundation, the Biennial Pass and admission fees appear to have been well accepted and understood by the public.