Vicenzaoro Highlights, September 2023: The Divine Art of Timepieces
Ugo Pancani, Professor in Mechanical and Electronic Watchmaking and Trainer at Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, will be lecturing at VO' Clock Privé between talks on the future of Italian watchmaking and courses for the watch addicted
When was the mechanical watch invented? In what era and thanks to whom? The latter question can be summarized by saying that it was the brainchild of some of the most ingenious minds of the past, whereas, as far as the historical period is concerned, its existence was already recorded in the 14th century. And it was none other than Dante Alighieri, who, in the Divine Comedy, mentioned "orioles" twice, in Cantos X and XXIV of Paradise (verses 138/148 and verses 13/18). Ugo Pancani, Professor in Mechanical and Electronic Horology and Trainer at Fondation de la Haute Horologerie, a regular on the VO' Clock Privé stage since its very “first hour”, has recently been tracing this aspect of mechanical watch history. It was his idea to organize and moderate a talk at Vicenzaoro entitled “Italian watchmaking and its future”, to be held today at 4.30 pm in the VOC Lounge, where, together with a panel of illustrious sector expert guests, he will outline the panorama that will be taking shape over the next decade, starting from what has occurred in the more or less distant past. « I feel it is only right to emphasize the importance that Italy has had over the centuries in the development of timepieces. Even Brunelleschi, as well as Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo Galilei, were great watchmakers. This craft is therefore a part of our DNA that has been revived during our time by companies that have courageously created manufacturing able to impose its own style.» Saturday and Sunday, however, will feature the two FHH appointments, curated by Pancani as lecturer. The first, scheduled on the 9th from 9 am to 7 pm, will be the Watch Essential course, or rather, the first level of certification issued by the prestigious Foundation, complete with a test at the end of the day in live streaming with the Geneva headquarters. The second event, scheduled for Sunday 10th from 11 am to 1 pm, will be a conference on the “Tourbillon. One of the most fascinating complications in haute horlogerie”.
