The 2026 Rendez-Vous de l’Horlogerie will take place at La Foire du Valais on Friday, October 9, at 10:10 a.m., at Martigny Expo (Bourbon Hall).

Watchmaking in Valais?

Instinctively, it’s hard to believe!

And yet! Beautiful watches aren’t made only in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the Vallée de Joux, or on the other side of Lake Geneva. Valais plays an active role in the production of some of Switzerland’s most prestigious timepieces. As part of an event specifically dedicated to Valais watchmaking, the Sédun-based brand Norton Peak aims to shine a unique spotlight on this reality, which remains all too little known.

This Watchmaking Gathering will bring together company representatives, industry experts, and education professionals. Whether during the roundtable discussion or the on-stage interviews, our goal remains the same: to highlight Valais’s expertise in watchmaking and boost the industry’s visibility in our canton.

Date: Friday, October 9, 10:10 a.m.

Location: Salle Bonne de Bourbon, Foire du Valais, Martigny

Admission to the Foire du Valais: Included with your registration

Program

Moderated by

Valère Gogniat

Journalist, entrepreneur, former head of the economics and finance section at Le Temps.

10:10 a.m.: Opening remarks & welcome

10:15 a.m.: The watchmaking industry in Valais. Historical context.

Pierre-Yves Donzé

Swiss historian and professor at Osaka University in Japan, recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on the economic and global history of the watchmaking industry; he is notably the author of the seminal work *Catching Up with and Surpassing Switzerland: A History of the Japanese Watch Industry from 1850 to the Present” and “The Making of Excellence: A History of Rolex,” which garnered international acclaim.

10:30 a.m.: A “fireside chat” with Jean-Claude Biver

Jean-Claude Biver

An iconic figure in Swiss watchmaking. A visionary and passionate entrepreneur, he has left his mark on the industry by leading and developing several prestigious brands, including Blancpain, Omega, Hublot, and TAG Heuer. Jean-Claude Biver has a very special connection to Swiss heritage—from cheese to the mountains to cows. And what about the Foire du Valais? We’ll ask him that question.

11:00 a.m.: Roundtable Discussion: “Making Watches in Valais—An Anomaly?” ”

Yves Bugmann

President of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH)

Eric Bianco

Head of the Department of Economy, Tourism, and Innovation for the Canton of Valais

Nicola Thibaudeau

Vice President of the Jura Cantonal Bank (BCJ), municipal councilor of Orsières, member of the Board of Trustees of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), and holder of various positions on boards of directors and foundation boards

Lucas Cucinotta

Founder of Norton Peak and the digital agency iomedia, established 25 years ago

11:30 a.m.: Q&A with the audience

12:00 PM: Cocktail reception and networking

Partners: Watch Academy Foundation, Raiffeisen, Le Nouvelliste, Rhône FM, iomedia

For more information, please contact the organizer.