THE 2018 edition of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie saw an almost equal number of exhibitors belonging in the Historic Maisons, with 18 brands, and the Carre des Horlogers, composed of 16 independent (or low-volume, at least) watchmakers. This development followed the arrival of 13 brands at the show’s 2017 edition. A year earlier SIHH had 24 exhibitors, nine of which were indies. To say this annual paean to fine watch-making is growing is to call the weather outside its exhibition halls as just a tad nippy.

Now SIHH organizer Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie has announced the inclusion of Breitling among its “partner brands,” bringing to 43 the number of watchmakers residing on this list. The FHH said Breitling is well suited to this “unique environment” because it is a company “recognized for its history, creativity, expertise and innovation.”

For its part, the FHH crowed that since its founding in 2005 it has been mounting exhibits in which the finest watch companies are able to showcase their wares, as well as inform the media and consumers about these. The FHH was started by the Richemont Group, Audemars Piguet and Girard-Perregaux.

Besides Breitling, the FHH counts as partner brands A. Lange & Sohne, Armin Strom, Audemars Piguet, Bovet, Breitling, Bulgari, Cartier, Chanel, Chopard, Christophe Claret, De Bethune, De Witt, F.P. Journe, Ferdinand Berthoud, Girard-Perregaux, Greubel Forsey, Gronefeld, H. Moser & Cie, Hautlence, Hermes, HYT, IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Laurent Ferrier, Louis Vuitton, MB&F, Montblanc, Panerai, Parmigiani, Piaget, Ressence, Richard Mille, RJ, Roger Dubuis, Romain Gauthier, Speake-Marin, TAG Heuer, Ulysse Nardin, Urwerk, Vacheron Constantin, Van Cleef & Arpels, Voutilainen and Zenith.