The MIH
Musée international d’horlogerie
La Chaux-de-Fonds
MIH: uncovering treasures of horological heritage
The MIH is a shrine to the measurement of time, from its earliest origins to the present day. It holds the world’s largest collection with over 10,000 artefacts, of which some 3000 are on display, along with tools and machines used for measuring time. The museum has three main sections : exhibitions, documentation and research, as well as restoration of antique pieces.
The Gaïa Prize
Creativity, innovation, insight, originality. Each year, the Gaïa Prize celebrates the dynamism of the watchmaking world.
In 1993, the International Watchmaking Museum created the Gaïa Prize to honour individuals who have contributed, or are contributing, to the renown of watchmaking—its history, its techniques, and its industry. Unique in its kind, the Gaïa Prize stands out by selecting the best among the best. The museum sought to acknowledge the spiritual heirs of the watchmaking culture that permeates both its collections and the city itself.
The Gaïa Prize was established in tribute to one of the museum’s first patrons, Maurice Ditisheim, who was the Chairman of the Board of the Bureau de Contrôle des Ouvrages en Métaux Précieux (Precious Metals Assay Office). It has earned a reputation on the international watchmaking stage as “the Nobel Prize” of watchmaking.
Gaïa, in ancient Greek, means “Earth,” and is also the name of the goddess symbolizing it.
The Gaïa distinction is represented by an acrylic globe pierced by a beam of light.
