As the recent Intellectual Property Day at Geneva University's School of Law clearly spelled out, counterfeiting is a global scourge and the weapons with which to fight it still lack bite. The first in a three-part file.

With exports growing 16% last year to almost CHF 16 billion and a further 23% in January 2008, the Swiss watch industry, if we needed reminding, is hot property. Were we to look only at Fine Watches, the market goes from hot to boiling-point, gaining 25.3% in value terms over the twelve months of 2007 to reach CHF 7.83 billion (up 16.7% in volume terms), and almost 40% for the first month of 2008 (+45% in volume), according to statistics published by the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry.

Asked why certain prestigious brands don't support the work of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, which he presides, Franco Cologni throws them a line when he answers with this Italian proverb, adding that watchmaking's values are worth fighting for. What is Fine Watchmaking? Why is the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) no longer in charge of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva? Is the FHH infeuded to the Richemont Group, the reason why several brands may refuse to join? The Foundation's president, Franco Cologni, puts the record straight.