Watchmaking gets the respect it deserves, awarded Unesco heritage status

Switzerland and France had last year presented a joint application for their centuries-old cross-border watchmaking craft to be included on the list. Photo: AFP

The craftmanship of Swiss and French mechanical watchmaking on Wednesday (Dec 16) won Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific And Cultural Organisation) intangible heritage status, casting the spotlight on an art practised for centuries in the Jura mountain region straddling the two countries.

Inclusion on the prestigious global list highlights "a living and emblematic tradition in the French-Swiss Jura Arc", the Swiss cultural ministry said in a statement.