The Project Concept Preface

Time has a sound. It is the sound of the bells of our childhood and of the family grandfather clock, a souvenir of the past. It is the sound of the mechanical watch, like a sultry rhythm at our sides. It is the sound of the camera’s shutter, clicking for an instant to capture time in its memory. The sound of time and to look at a photograph stirs our memory and transports us. Baume & Mercier embodies a similar quality of timelessness, synonymous with not only history and tradition, but also extremely high-quality, state-of-the-art technology. And there exist parallels between Baume & Mercier and the history of photography. Indeed, our watch-making company is almost as old as photography itself.

In one hundred seventy-eight years, its story and techniques have evolved a great deal, but have always remained faithful to the grand tradition of watchmaking that was born in Switzerland. The company shares in all of this creativity, that it is always reinventing itself through tireless aesthetic research. No doubt an echo of our professional passions, we have come to appreciate photography as both art and technology, because it offers a way to present the best, the most magical, the grandest of emotions, drawing one in like the beating of the heart or the ticking of the hand on a clock. Causing one to forget technique and surrender oneself to dreams. Its power is universal.

We are proud that Baume & Mercier can serve as witness to the lively interest in photography by supporting large-scale projects such as this. Baume & Mercier is also well aware of the great responsibility that each photographer bears in his mission, and we stand behind the belief that this book represents a high-quality commitment to reproducing each photographer’s vision. The company does not wish to remain an observer, but instead wishes to become an actor in the universe of photography, with its strong resemblance to the world of watchmaking. After paying homage to the great masters of photography, to those exceptional men and women, we would also like to commend the voyage undertaken by Gérard Rancinan and Caroline Gaudriault, who are both recognized professionals and long-time friends. In the footsteps of these authors, we have traveled through our era; by knowing them, we have harvested a collective memory, a testimonial, a point of view, which we have the great pleasure of sharing with the world today.