Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries The jewelry History dating back more than two centuries
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n Rome, time is transformed into history. And the Hausmann & Co. business, which boasts more than two centuries in the Eternal City, is no exception, insofar as the name – German in origin but Italian by
tradition – has become one of the most famous and prestigious among international watchmakers.
Palazzo Piombino and its shops. Print, c. 1890
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries The origins
I
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t all started in 1794, thanks to the initiative of
off. The bell-towers’ traditional role of marking the
Giovanni Romano Ricci, who opened his watch-
time of day – legend has it that there was one in
maker’s shop in the heart of Papal Rome, in Pa-
Rome for every day of the year – was coming to
lazzo Piombino. The position was excellent: right
an end.
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in the centre, in front of the Antonine Column, on the Via del Corso, which had already been the
In an age when watchmaking was a craft in the
city’s main street for a century.
true sense of the word, the master craftsman Romano Ricci won a reputation for skill in the making
This was the right moment and it was an imme-
and repairing of the delicate mechanisms of clocks
diate success: towards the end of the 18th cen-
and watches, and he soon became popular with
tury it was becoming more important to be able
the upper nobility and clergy. The shop on Via del
to check the time at any given moment, and the
Corso was also famous for the impressive range
habit of carrying a watch was beginning to take
of timepieces on offer: this was a time when inter-
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries The origins
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national trade was flourishing, making it possible
order to function. As a result of the increase in
to consolidate relations with the most prestigious
demand, and the high degree of technical innova-
master-clockmakers in Europe, particularly those
tion, the clock and watchmaker’s craft became an
in Geneva, with whom the Roman firm had some
industry, and the workshop a factory. The unique,
of the earliest business. The earliest commercial
privately commissioned pieces of the previous
document related to the Roman watchmaker con-
century gave way to mass produced models, and
tained in the Vacheron Constantin archives dates
the role of watch and clock retailer became more
back to 1854, suggesting that Hausmann & Co. is
important.
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their oldest still-operating representative.
Precision became a necessity with the progress of 19th century, particularly in view of the strict timetables on which the railways depended in
Milling cutter used to cut the teeth of the cogs. Brass, 19th century. Hausmann & Co. Collection
To the left, the store in Via del Corso 406, c. 1950. To the right, the notarized deed of purchase of the company, 1881
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries The jewelry
The Eternal City’s clock and watch shops
T
he clock and watch shop in Rome was inherit-
transformation as capital of the newly founded
ed by Romano’s son, Innocenzo Ricci. A man
Kingdom of Italy. Many neighborhoods, including
of substance with no heirs of his own, in 1870
the historic centre, were being rebuilt, and Palaz-
he took the decision to go into business with an
zo Piombino, the business’s original headquarters,
expert clock and watchmaker of German origin,
was demolished in the course of the broadening
drawn to Italy like so many of his countrymen
of Via del Corso. So in 1890 the Hausmann com-
by the allure of the Eternal City. Ernst Hausmann
pany moved to its current headquarters in Palazzo
was the right man for the new era. In 1881 he
Fiano, at Via del Corso 406.
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took over the business, consolidating its reputation under his own name, which became famous
The move was also an opportunity to develop the
in the sector as an ambassador of high-quality
workshop by using the best technicians available,
clock and watchmaking to the Eternal City.
capable of reproducing any given part of a clock or
In the same period Rome was undergoing major
watch entirely by hand and well versed in all the
In the foreground, Ernst Hausmann, to the right, and Hermann Frielingsdorf, to the left, with the technicians who restored the Planisphere Clock, c. 1905.
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries The Eternal City’s clock and watch shops
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technical developments of a sector in constant
as well as official supplier to the Royal House of
evolution. To this end, Ernst Hausmann teamed up
Savoy and to the Bank of Italy. For the Papal State
with a technician of rare accomplishment, a com-
it was also charged with the maintenance of all
patriot called Hermann Frielingsdorf who hailed
the clocks in the papal residences. It is probably
from the famous Kutter workshop in Stuttgart. The
also for this reason that Pope Leo XIII entrusted
arrival of this new partner was marked by the al-
Hausmann & Co. with the restoration of the fa-
tering of the company name to the current “Haus-
mous Farnese Planisphere Clock of Parma, an
mann & Co.” in 1895.
extremely complicated astronomical clock built in
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the early 18th century and still housed in the Vati-
Due also to its well established relations with the
can Museums.
most prestigious Swiss timepiece manufacturers, such as Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin,
The company continued to grow in prestige.
the firm became the most famous in the capital,
Shops were opened in Naples, in Via Santa Brigi-
The records contain the names of the noble clientèle from 1888 onwards
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries The Eternal City’s clock and watch shops
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da 7 (later moving to Piazza Trieste e Trento) and
(future foreign minister and head of government),
in Genoa, in Piazza de’ Ferrari, while the shop in
the poet Cesare Pascarella and the architect Gae-
Via del Corso reflected the tranquil prosperity of
tano Koch.
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the Belle Epoque, as can be seen in records and archive materials of the period, which have been
The city also bears the Hausmann stamp in the
carefully preserved over the years. Beautifully
many public clocks gracing the elegant palazzi of
traced in India ink are the names of all the royals
the historic centre, ever since the latter was re-
and Roman nobles, popes and cardinals, presi-
stored in the early 1900s.
dents and top politicians, and poets and musicians who have patronized the establishment. These
These years also saw the production of the first
include figures such as Queen Margherita of Sa-
Hausmann wrist-watches: mainly simple time
voy, the parliamentarian Antonio Salandra (later to
pieces, but some with more elaborate features
become Prime Minister in 1914), Sidney Sonnino
such as stop-watches (including monopusher
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries The Eternal City’s clock and watch shops
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chronographs), often ornamented with enamel dials. But most of the demand was for pocket
watches: products by Hausmann & Co. were sub-
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ject to the same quality control as the prized output of the most important Swiss manufacturers,
who were themselves suppliers of components
to Hausmann. Several models were created for the Royal Family, bearing the Savoy arms or the
initials of the kings Victor Emmanuel II, Umberto I and Victor Emmanuel III, and also for the nearby Holy See.
Spare parts for vintage watches. Hausmann & Co. Collection
Hausmann & Co. pocket stopwatch. Spiral tachymetric scale for measuring up to the third minute (red-green-black). Hausmann & Co. Collection
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries The jewelry
Acumen and tenacity in the period of the two wars
T
he years of the First World War were a diffi-
a somewhat awkward presence at the time. But
cult period for a German-named company, in
what destiny did not hold in store was their return
whose workshop many technicians of German or-
to Rome, and both Joe and Max Hausmann met
igin were employed. It was the generational tran-
their deaths under Austrian fire on Monte Grappa.
sition which saved the company from any hostili-
They now rest with their Silver Medals of Military
ty deriving from these circumstances, albeit at a
Valour at the Redipuglia military shrine near Gorizia.
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harsh price: the two eldest of Ernst Hausmann’s nine children, Joseph and Maximilian, who were
As a result of these losses, together with the dif-
Italian-born, both served on the Austrian front as
ficult economic conditions of the post-war period,
captains in the Sardinian Grenadiers. It was their
the company ceased its operations in Genoa. The
presence in the Italian uniform which persuaded
Naples branch was also sold on a few years later. It
the Romans to tolerate and accept as their own
was Aloys Hausmann, one of Max and Joe’s young-
those German insignia on Via del Corso, which were
er brothers, who helped Maurizio Frielingsdorf, Her-
Interior of the store in Via del Corso, c. 1950
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries Acumen and tenacity in the period of the two wars
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mann’s son, to run the business throughout these
land neutral, and what little stock managed to get
difficult years. Aloys was well known in Rome cul-
to Rome was thanks to the commercial “arts” of
tural circles, and in the ‘30s he managed to trans-
Maurizio Frielingsdorf, who was adept at bartering
form the Hausmann’s premises into a salon for
entire wagonloads of sorghum brooms, leather
artists and painters: regular guests included Cap-
pouches or flowers, in exchange for top-end watch-
ogrossi, Tamburi and Fazzini.
es. In this period employees’ wages were often
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It was under Maurizio Frielingsdorf and Franz Haus-
paid in kind, with sacks of flour or other foodstuffs.
mann, the youngest of Ernst’s nine children (and
Social commitment was to continue amid the hard-
Aloys’s younger brother), that the company arrived
ship: Maurizio Frielingsdorf together with his wife
at the threshold of the Second World War. Commer-
Maria Hausmann, Ernst’s daughter, helped a family
cial activity was to suffer greatly over the following
from Rome’s Jewish community to conceal itself,
years, especially at the higher end of the market.
thus earning the title of Righteous among the Na-
International trade was difficult, even with Switzer-
tions from the Yad Vashem memorial centre.
Benedetto Mauro demonstrates the mechanism of a vintage timepiece
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries Success
A
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t the beginning of the ‘60s leadership of
Research Council and a number of sporting ven-
the company fell to two brilliant youngsters:
ues). In addition, the production of watches under
Joe Frielingsdorf, who had graduated from Tech-
the Hausmann brand enjoyed renewed success
nicum at La Chaux-de-Fonds, the most important
in partnership with established manufacturers
modern watchmaking school of the time, and
like Ebel and Sarcar and thanks to the expertise
Ernesto Hausmann, with a degree in “Economie
of the watchmaker technicians employed in the
et Commerce” from the University of Neuchâtel.
workshop. This was the period of precious wrist-
Alongside its commercial activity the company
watches, with the cases and sometimes also the
also started distributing in Italy on behalf of Ebel,
bracelets in gold, platinum or silver, also featuring
and also IWC from the 70’s onwards. An internal
small complications.In 1969 came the right occa-
division of electronic timekeeping for industrial in-
sion to celebrate the successes of the postwar
stallations was opened (clients included the Italian
period, with the 175th anniversary of the founding
Navy for warships, Vatican Radio, Italy’s National
of Hausmann watchmakers. The Musée Interna-
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Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries Success
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tional d’Horlogerie (MIH) in La Chaux-de-Fonds,
New York branch on Madison Avenue and 59th. This
which may be regarded as the most important in
was headed by Joe Frielingsdorf’s eldest daughter
the world in this field, took part in the celebrations
Carla and her husband Benedetto Mauro, an ex-
by organizing the exhibition “La montre, du XVIe
pert in mechanical engineering. Hausmann was
au XIXe siècle” at Villa Maraini, headquarters of
one of the first companies to export Italian style
the Swiss Cultural Institute in Rome. This was the
across the Atlantic: in addition to the big names in
first time in the museum’s history that some of its
Swiss watches, the branch also featured impor-
most beautiful exhibits had left the premises to
tant fashion brands of jewellery, including Pomel-
grace a private exhibition.
lato, introduced for the first time to the American
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It was 1966 when the Pelloni store in Via del Corso
market with an exclusive resale agreement. The
140 was taken over, marking the start of a partner-
interior décor was also determined by Italian taste,
ship with the Rolex company. The ‘70s were years
inspired by the facade of the church of San Miniato
of expansion, culminating in the opening of the
in Florence: the splendid wall in wood, decorated
Some of the models featured in the exhibition, in the photos of the brochure from that period
The Hausmann & Co. windows on Madison Avenue, New York
The interiors of the New York store, executed by Italian master craftsmen
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries Success
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by Italian ébénistes to match the church’s archi-
most highly regarded experts in mechanical
tectural motifs and marble decorations, could
watchmaking, both antique and modern. Consult-
even be seen from the street, through the store
ant to the Court of Rome and auction houses, and
windows.
distinguished author of many contributions to spe-
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cialist horological publications, he is still one of the
The New York adventure finished at the end of
most highly esteemed opinion leaders in the field.
1982. Joe Frielingsdorf’s health was failing, and sadly he died prematurely in the mid-80’s. It was
At the same time, Hausmann & Co.’s political and
he who appointed his son-in-law Benedetto Mau-
social commitment is embodied in Ernesto Haus-
ro as successor to lead the company, confident of
mann, who acts as an excellent representative at
his strong technical grounding: this has proved a
all levels, ranging from the sports sector (board
judicious decision, ensuring even now the pres-
member of the Italian Basketball Federation, vice
ence at Hausmann & Co. of one of the world’s
president of the exclusive Rome sports club Circo-
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries Success
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lo Canottieri Aniene, …) to the professional sector (president of the National Federation of Goldsmith
Retailers, president of the Rome Goldsmiths’ As-
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sociation, president of the Italian Consortium for High Watchmaking, member of the board of direc-
tors of the Bank of Italy, president of the World
S
TO R
GI
Jewellery Confederation CIBJO, …).
O IE DI OROL
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries The bicentenary
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n 1994 Hausmann & Co. celebrated the
with the city with a guide to some of the capital’s
two-hundredth anniversary (1794-1994) of its
many ancient and often forgotten clocks. Patek
foundation, thus becoming one of the longest-es-
Philippe also joined in the celebrations with the
tablished watchmakers in the world.
production of an exclusive model of the Ref. 5000
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The mayor of Rome, Francesco Rutelli, endorsed
in rose gold with a customized back, in a limited
the celebrations with a reception at the Capito-
series of 100 items. Twenty watches from the
line Hill, at which CEOs Ernesto Hausmann and
Patek Philippe Museum were also made available,
Benedetto Mauro presented the volume “RO-
for the first time ever in the world, for an exhi-
MA-MISURA DEL TEMPO” (“Rome-Measure of
bition at the store in Via del Corso entitled “The
Time”), commissioned from two historians from
seven arts of Patek Philippe: stylist, watchmaker,
the Marco Besso Foundation, Manlio Barberito
goldsmith, bracelet-maker, engraver, enameler,
and Antonio Martini. The book celebrates Haus-
jeweller”.
mann & Co.’s two-hundred year old relationship
Patek Philippe limited edition for Hausmann & Co.: Ref. 5000 in rose gold with an enamel face
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries The new millennium
T
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he new millennium heralded not only a peri-
quately structured both for the new scenarios of
od of growth for the company, but above all
world distribution and to ensure the maximum of
a strategic change in direction. The generational
efficiency in the next generational transitions.
transition of the ‘90s saw the entry into the com-
In 2001 the new company philosophy effected
pany of Francesco Hausmann, Ernesto’s son, who
its first “modernist” breakthrough: alongside the
had graduated with flying colours from the Fac-
historic shop in Via del Corso a new, prestigious
ulty of Economics and Business Administration
retail outlet was opened in the exclusive Via dei
at Rome’s Sapienza University. Thanks also to
Condotti. The contrast between the two points of
university research which he had undertaken into
sale is fascinating: indeed, Hausmann & Co. have
production and distribution in the luxury watch
chosen to combine tradition and history, sym-
industry, Francesco Hausmann made a decisive
bolized by the purple-red walls and the ticking of
effort towards a radical transformation of the fam-
pendulum clocks in the historic shop on Via del
ily business into a modern corporate group, ade-
Corso, with the modernity and technology of the
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Francesco Hausmann, left, and Benedetto Mauro, co-leaders of the Hausmann Group
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries The new millennium
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two-storey shop in Via dei Condotti, where a high-
cluding the refined shopping itinerary down Via
tech but refined atmosphere represents the ideal
dei Condotti and across Piazza di Spagna. Mar-
environment in which to exhibit the Hausmann &
ble floors decorated in black and white diamond
Co. masterpieces of timekeeping.
shapes and hand-crafted crystal chandeliers re-
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flect the interior style of the shop on Via del Cor-
In accordance with the family tradition of excel-
so, and symbolize the company’s long history. As
lence, expertise and innovation, the business’s
in the shop in Via dei Condotti, in perpetuation of
historic association with the capital was further
Aloys Hausmann’s passion for art, the beauty and
reinforced in 2010 with the opening of a third sales
workmanship of the works of timekeeping on dis-
point in Rome in the elegant Via del Babuino, on
play are set off with paintings by contemporary
the prestigious premises of the historic Palazzo
artists, in a fascinating juxtaposition.
Fabri Saraceni. This street, with its exclusive shop
The opening of the store in Via del Babuino coin-
windows, now represents a pleasant way of con-
cided with the appointment of the fifth generation
The store in Via del Corso and the team which runs it
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries The jewelry The Watches
The store in Via dei Condotti and the team which runs it
The store in Via del Babuino and the team which runs it
The people who make up the Hausmann & Co. Group. In the centre, Ernesto Hausmann
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries The new millennium
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in the families handing down the Hausmann tra-
sign, materials and colours, whose luminosity en-
dition, and it was also a chance to modernize the
chants the public both from the window displays
famous technical service workshop, which moved
and from the pages of glossy magazines.
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to new and more spacious premises on the top floor of the shop.
Taken as a whole, these initiatives, due to their deep strategic significance and the revolutionary
Passion, dedication and the search for perfection:
style with which they have been applied, repre-
it is in accordance with these values that an exclu-
sent the true nodal point in the recent history of
sive line of jewellery has been added to the his-
the company, which is becoming increasingly rec-
torical, established production of watches under
ognized as an important point of reference for the
the Hausmann & Co. brand. The refined, timeless
entire luxury goods industry, due both to its in-
style of its more classical products is accompa-
vestment in past tradition and its ability to predict
nied by creations which are more modern in de-
and preempt future scenarios.
Jewels by Hausmann & Co. Earrings from the “Drops” collection
Rings from the “Cinque Terre” collection
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries The new millennium
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This awareness led to the launching of a new sea-
young students of composition at Rome’s Santa
son of social commitment in 2013. The economic
Cecilia Academy. Over the next few years it will
difficulties experienced by this country led to the
reward talent in scientific and medical research,
decision to set up an award for young, talented
the humanities and the arts.
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Italians, based on the conviction that the luxury industry shouldn’t be cut off from society, but has
a responsibility to support it. The award, which is also funded by the prestigious Maison Patek
Philippe as well as the Roman company, aims to support talent and intellectual commitment whatever its form of expression, right across all the many fields of human endeavour. The first Hausmann & Co./Patek Philippe Award focussed on the
Hausmann & Co. high jewelry creations
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F
rom watches to jewels: the Hausmann & Co. experience has gained in value day by day. A value consisting primarily of trust, which its clients have accorded it since 1794.
The collections of Hausmann & Co. make no concessions to the ephemeral nature of fashion: they are the authentic expression of the union of all the classic characteristics of the art of jewelry, without stylistic limitations, but with the grace of having been able to span the generations. What is precious is not the diamond itself, but the hands of the master craftsmen as they bring each creation into being, one at a time. The hands which work the precious metal, pick out the purest and most accurately cut stones and round off the beauty of the design through the precision with which the gems are set.
The jewelry The Watches
This crafted work is the antithesis of mass production: the creations’ unique nature and authenticity bears witness to a long-established tradition. Indeed, each of the pieces made by Hausmann & Co. is stamped with the original hallmark “RM 12”, one of the earliest to have been registered in the City of Rome. A customized service is also available for clients to create the jewel of their dreams, or to remodel inherited pieces.
The Jewelry Manager, Mario Didone
Diamond is at the heart of the “Bridal” collection and of the unique pieces collection “1794”
The technical service workshop The relat ionship wit ht he cit y of Roma
The technical service workshop
T
he Hausmann & Co. Service Centre is the company’s star operation. Horological expertise has formed part of the Hausmann DNA for over two centuries, representing a factor of strategic value which is
guaranteed by the sizeable team of master watchmakers and polishers employed in the workshop, which
The Popes, t he Vat ican and Hausmann &
makes it probably the most famous independent watchmaking workshop in Italy.
The interest in the repair and servicing of watches cannot be defined as economic, as the stringent servic-
ing procedures laid down by the principal Maisons orient towards quality, with no expense spared in terms of time or spare parts.
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent ur
The technical service workshop The relat ionship wit ht he cit y of Roma
The company takes pride in ensuring reliable
standards: two machines for ultrasonic cleaning
watch repair for clients where necessary, but it
(one for the prewash and one for the final one),
will also, more simply, verify and adjust a watch’s
chronocomparators to test a watch’s rate, instru-
rate, polish the watch so that it is as good as new,
ments for the testing of water-resistance, both un-
or advise in the case of any difficulties experi-
der pressure and under water, polishing, lapping
enced in using the timepiece.
and sand blasting machines to restore cases and
The Popes, t he Vat ican and Hausmann & bracelets to their original splendour, an engraving
As is required for state-of-the-art servicing and
machine and – finally – integrated software for
in order to comply with the standards laid down
monitoring the entire overhaul process and sim-
by the principal brands authorizing repair work
plifying communication with clients. The master
on their watches, great attention is paid to the
watchmakers’ professionalism is guaranteed not
standards of workmanship. The machinery used
only by the name Hausmann & Co., but also by
is in line with the most advanced technological
the qualifications deriving from the training and
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent ur
The technical service workshop
The relat ionship wit ht he cit y of Roma development courses regularly attended at the
include the Office of the President of the Republic
principal watchmaking companies; for example,
of Italy, and the Holy See.
we are proud to say that our Chief Watchmaker is
currently one of the few watchmakers to have at-
With its considerable watchmaking expertise,
tained Patek Philippe’s level-3 certification, which
Hausmann & Co. harbours the ambitious goal of
means that he is qualified to work the company’s
consolidating and defending the culture of watch-
Popes, t he Vat ican and Hausmann & Co. highest-quality pieces featuring complications
care. This is one of the reasons why the “Diary”
such as world clocks and annual calendars.
section on the webpage www.hausmann-co.com includes suggestions and tips for using mechan-
The Hausmann & Co. service workshop numbers
ical watches, accumulated over the course of
several institutions among its clients, which have
years of experience and readily made available to
never ceased over the years to place their trust
enthusiasts and anyone interested.
in the watchmakers’ expertise and ability; these
st ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries
Joe Frielingsdorf and Pope John Paul II receiving a gift of the Atmos Jaeger-LeCoultre
The Popes, t he Vat ican and Hausmann & Co. Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries
The Popes, the Vatican and Hausmann & Co.
h
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ausmann watches were already suppyling to illustrious members of the clergy in the 19th century. In 1902, the solidity and longevity of this relationship led Pope Leo XIII to commission the restoration of
the ancient Farnese Planisphere Clock housed in the Vatican Museums, better known as the Parma Planisphere due to its origins.
It was commissioned in the early 18 century from Italian clock-maker and mathematician Bernardo Facini of Parma by the Farnese Duchess of Parma, who desired a mechanical object which was unique in beauty and technical complexity.
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The Farnese Planisphere Clock, in photos of the period
The Popes, t he Vat ican and Hausmann & Co. Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries
At the time, the Parma Planisphere Clock was one
from scratch. A logbook and 24 technical tables,
of the most complicated timepieces in existence,
hand-drawn by Clelia Frielingsdorf, Hermann’s
due to the number of temporal and astronomical
wife, bear witness to the enormous effort under-
readings that it could give. It provided 24 differ-
taken, and the technical skill which characterized
ent indications, including astronomical minutes
the project. The technical drawings occupy 24
and hours, the times of sunrise and sunset, which
pages of a manuscript which is still housed in the
could be regulated according to various latitudes,
Hausmann & Co. archives.
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and solar and lunar eclipses, to name but a few.
Hausmann and Frielingsdorf worked with a team
Thanks also to his extraordinary achievement of
of thirty expert technicians for three years to re-
restoring the Planisphere Clock, Pope Pius X made
kindle the complicated motions of this marvellous
Ernst Hausmann a knight of the Order of St. Syl-
mechanism, for which they had to redesign each
vester, and made Hausmann & Co. official clock
of the pieces and build the missing components
repairers to the Holy See. Hausmann & Co. still
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Original, hand-drawn technical tables of the Planisphere Clock
The Popes, t he Vat ican and Hausmann & Co. Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries
has the honour of assisting the Holy See in the
dered, the cases engraved with the papal emblem
upkeep of the many clocks housed in the papal
or family arms.
apartments and pontifical palaces in Rome and at
This long collaboration has enabled Hausmann &
Castel Gandolfo. An expert technician is respon-
Co. to pass down several stories, including the
sible for the weekly care of over 70 pendulum
one about the pope who left a hand-written note
clocks, carriage clocks and ornamental clocks.
reading “noli tangere� (touch not) with reference
Another indicator of the close relationship be-
to the Atmos clock by Jaeger-LeCoultre housed in
tween Hausmann & Co. and the Roman papacy
his apartments, - a clock which was susceptible to
is the production of the silver pocket watches
the slightest jolt!
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commissioned by various popes during XIX and XX centuries. Pius X, Benedict XV and Pius XI
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were among those with the habit of making gifts of customized watches in return for services ren-
Exterior of the pharmacy on Corso Rinascimento
Palazzo dell’Unione Militare, largo Goldoni
Former Magazzini Zingone in Via della Maddalena
The relat ionship wit ht he cit y of Roma
The Popes, t he Vat ican and Hausmann & Co.
The relationship with the city of Roma
H
ausmann & Co. contributed to the restoration of Rome’s historic centre at the turn of the 20th century:
many public clocks were commissioned to adorn palaces and squares and as a point of reference for
passers by prior to the popularization of wrist-watches.
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries The jewelry
Newspaper kiosk on front of Palazzo Sciarra, on Via del Corso
The relat ionship wit ht he cit y of Roma
The Popes, t he Vat ican and Hausmann & Co.
The most noteworthy of these are the one on the
day-to-day lives, and the time of the clocks them-
Palazzo dell’Unione Militare (1906) in Largo Goldo-
selves, which mark moments in human history and
ni, which is crowned with a stately eagle, wings
the immeasurable time of the eternal, which we
spread, the one on the building of the historic
all perceive and measure deep down in our soul”.1
Magazzini Zingone in Via della Maddalena and the
one on the Farmacia in Corso Rinascimento, the
Hausmann & Co. contributes to the measurement
dial of which is unsigned. The historic newspaper
of the first with its public clocks. And it bears wit-
stand in front of Palazzo Sciarra on Via del Cor-
ness to the second, having accompanied develop-
so, adorned with a Hausmann & Co. clock and is
ments in the Holy City for over two centuries.
Hist ory dat ing back more t han t wo cent uries
unique for its unmistakeable Art Deco style.
“... because omnipotent Time has elected You from
“The clocks of Rome tell two times: the materi-
among all the cities to be its throne…”
ally visible and therefore measurable time of our
1
Wihelm von Humboldt, “Rome”
The jewelry
Barberito, Martini: “Roma – Misure del Tempo”, 1994. Published for the bicentenary of Hausmann & Co.
The Watches
The watches
H
ausmann & Co. proposes to its loyal customers fine watches from the most prestigious and exclusive firms. Our showcases exhibit pieces belonging to the collections of Houses that went down in
watchmaking history, representing today a reference point for all watch lovers in the world. Hausmann & Co. technical competency and long experience allow to offer a premium selection of the best brands and products in terms of mechanics, aesthetics and value.
Graphic design Carlo Audini Photo Marco Ravasini Print Tipografare srl - Rome
Hausmann & C. srl Via del Corso, 406 - Rome corso@hausmann-co.com Hausmann Condotti srl Via dei Condotti, 28 - Rome condotti@hausmann-co.com Hausmann Trident srl Via del Babuino, 63 - Rome babuino@hausmann-co.com
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