Brace yourself for a closer look at Swiss clockmaking that’s hitting the national spotlight. This weekend, 60 Minutes turns its lens toward Switzerland’s famed Vallée de Joux to profile the people, processes, and businesses behind some of the world’s most revered watch brands.
The long-running CBS News magazine is delving into the art, craft, and industry of Swiss watchmaking, featuring a slate of legendary names and up-and-coming talents in a segment airing on Sunday. Veteran correspondent Jon Wertheim travels to Switzerland to profile watchmakers, artisans, and executives, including Philippe Dufour and Max Büsser, along with storied manufacturers such as Patek Philippe, Richard Mille, and Jaeger-LeCoultre.
These are figures and stories familiar to Hodinkee readers, a collection we’ve followed for years. CBS’s choice to spotlight the Swiss watch industry is a meaningful milestone for horological culture and underscores how mainstream watchmaking has become. Wertheim notes his fascination with the industry’s distinctive aims and structure—where mastery of mechanics and technique often takes precedence over rapid scaling or short-term profits.
“It was a fascinating glimpse into a subculture. We were struck by the depth of craft, artistry, and artisanal effort that goes into every piece, and by what it takes to produce it—often at the expense of conventional business values like efficiency and quick growth,” Wertheim explains.
(Philippe Dufour pictured with Wertheim. Courtesy of CBS News / 60 MINUTES)
In the segment, Swiss industry veteran Max Büsser argues that watches are art, even as he candidly concedes that the craft can be “pointless” from a practical standpoint. A preview clip from the interview accompanies this write-up.
This topic sits well with a program that has been on air for more than six decades and is renowned for its connection to time itself. As Cole Pennington explored a few years back, the iconic 60 Minutes image—a precise, ticking stopwatch—has become an emblem of perfect timing in television history.
