MTTA LAUNCHES WATCHMAKING RESILIENCE INDEX

At Microcity Neuchâtel, MTTA has launched the first national initiative to measure the resilience of Swiss watchmaking, helping SMEs, suppliers and policymakers identify strengths, risks and future needs.

«Swiss watchmaking is often judged by its export performance. With the IMRH, our ambition is also to measure the resilience of the people and companies behind the industry, and to co-create the tools they need to face tomorrow's challenges.»

Robin Rossier

Head of Technology & Innovation, Les Métiers du Temps – Time Arts (MTTA)

Swiss watchmaking is often measured through exports and global brands. But the sector’s long-term strength also depends on a dense ecosystem of SMEs, subcontractors, specialist workshops, independent brands and métiers d’art. Now operating as an independent company, Les Métiers du Temps – Time Arts (MTTA) is recognised by the Swiss Confederation as a national competence centre for the preservation, promotion and transmission of watchmaking know-how. As part of this mission, MTTA has developed the Indice MTTA de la Résilience Horlogère (IMRH), a new tool designed to make the ecosystem more visible, measurable and actionable.

Officially launched at EPHJ 2026 in Geneva, the IMRH is designed to become a reference tool for understanding how well the Swiss watchmaking ecosystem can respond to economic, technological, human, strategic and leadership challenges. The confidential questionnaire takes around 15 minutes and assesses five dimensions of resilience: supply chains, diversification and client dependency; production efficiency, innovation, R&D investment and digitalization; transmission of know-how and skills; governance, traceability and environmental transition; and the capacity of leadership teams to anticipate and adapt.

Alongside the index, MTTA is developing a national mapping platform for watchmaking métiers d’art. The interactive tool already highlights more than 20 areas of know-how and over 110 companies, with a first focus on Neuchâtel, Vaud and Geneva and the ambition to expand across Switzerland’s watchmaking cantons. It is designed to help brands, workshops, subcontractors and public partners identify specialized capabilities, complementary expertise and potential partners across the Swiss watchmaking value chain.

As part of Microcity and Switzerland Innovation Park Network West EPFL, MTTA acts as a facilitator between watchmaking companies, research institutes, academic partners, training institutions and public authorities. Inspired by the role of Microcity in microtechnologies, its mission is to identify industry needs, improve access to expertise and technologies, support innovation among SMEs and subcontractors, and accompany digital, technological and sustainable transitions. From 2028, its planned move into the future HDV7 building in Le Locle will further strengthen its role as a national reference point for watchmaking know-how, innovation and resilience-oriented transformation.

Key Facts

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    Official launch year of the first MTTA Watchmaking Resilience Index at EPHJ

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    Dimensions - Economic, technological, human, strategic/environmental and leadership resilience.

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    Minutes - Estimated time to complete the confidential questionnaire.

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    Savoir-Faire - Current scope of the métiers d’art mapping platform, with a first focus on Neuchâtel, Vaud and Geneva.

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