The Vallée de Joux, home to the Dufour family and known worldwide for its watchmaking, is a Swiss valley where thousands of residents live. Despite its international fame, the valley struggles to maintain its healthcare infrastructure and public services.
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Established in the heart of the region, the Vallée de Joux Hospital, where Philippe Dufour was born in 1948, has existed for nearly a century. It has become a recognized health center, serving the regional population with comprehensive healthcare facilities, including a medical center, maternity ward, 24/7 emergency room, and integrated community care such as home healthcare services and an elderly care facility.
With a significant but isolated population (7,000 residents and over 8,000 cross-border workers daily), this hospital plays a crucial role in the regional healthcare infrastructure. The stakes are high, especially in maintaining 24/7 emergency services.
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Today, the Philippe and Elisabeth Dufour Foundation announces the donation of a scanner to the Vallée de Joux Hospital, in partnership with the Paul-Edouard Piguet Foundation and the Louis Napoléon Foundation. This donation reflects the Foundation’s commitment to supporting urgent humanitarian needs both locally and internationally, including projects in Madagascar and Peru focusing on community aid and education.
Dr. Naiken, Medical Director and Chief Surgeon of the Vallée de Joux Health Center, commented: “The Philippe and Elisabeth Dufour Foundation is our largest donor. Thanks to the scanner funded in partnership with the Paul-Edouard Piguet Foundation and the Louis Napoléon Foundation, our hospital now has essential technical equipment for reliable diagnostics, offering crucial time savings and better patient care, especially in life-threatening situations. This scanner arrives at an opportune moment in our hospital planning, enabling us to meet the criteria for maintaining 24/7 emergency services. It is a relief for both the local population and our medical team, who can avoid transferring patients far from their homes.” Since the installation of the scanner in February, the Vallée de Joux Health Center has already conducted 296 exams.
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The donation of the scanner by the Philippe and Elisabeth Dufour Foundation is more than just about support for the hospital; it shows a deep understanding of the region’s challenges.
Philippe and Elisabeth Dufour stated: “Our family has a strong connection with this hospital, and we know how much this establishment is supported by a fantastic team, led by Dr. Naiken, who dedicates his energy and skills to keeping it operational for the entire Vallée de Joux population. We need to maintain a hospital here with 24/7 emergency services. Thanks to this scanner, we can detect, identify, and treat more effectively, saving many families from long distances and separation. Our goal was to contribute to this hospital, and we are happy to do so.”
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“Helping, giving, and supporting are important human actions that demonstrate our solidarity with those in need. These actions can have a significant impact and bring hope and comfort. It is important to remember that even small actions can positively impact others’ lives. We do not claim to solve all problems, but we sincerely wish to do what we can to provide solutions, equipment, and support by contributing our part. As the saying goes, Small streams make big rivers.”
The Dufour family thanks all their friends and partners, especially Claude Sfeir, who was present at a critical time, and all their clients and horology enthusiasts without whom the Foundation would not have been possible.
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The Philippe & Elisabeth Dufour Foundation
On June 3, 2023, Philippe Dufour celebrated his 75th birthday at the Hôtel des Horlogers in the Vallée de Joux. This significant event for one of the greatest living watchmakers took on an international dimension with the announcement of the creation of the Philippe and Elisabeth Dufour Foundation.
The Dufour Foundation, a non-profit organization, was established to support the most pressing humanitarian needs worldwide. In the words of Mr. and Mrs. Dufour: “Helping, giving, and supporting are important human actions that demonstrate our solidarity with people in distress. These actions can significantly impact our fellow human beings and bring them hope and comfort. It is important to remember that even small actions can positively affect others’ lives. Being human means having the capacity for empathy and compassion towards the underprivileged and seeking ways to help and support them in their daily lives.#We wanted a philanthropic foundation that is open to all the great challenges facing a world whose future might seem bleak. There are urgent needs, whether humanitarian, environmental, educational, or public health-related. We do not claim to be able to solve all problems, but we sincerely wish to do what we can to alleviate the suffering and despair of the most disadvantaged by contributing our part. As the saying goes, Small streams make big rivers.”
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These situations include access to food, water, healthcare, housing, education, and environmental support. The Foundation has already established fundraising programs for various projects.
The Dufour Foundation hopes to be the beginning of a “passionate human and philanthropic journey that, we hope, will make a positive difference in the world.” They are encouraged in the knowledge of having “loyal clients and watchmaker friends… who could provide valuable assistance in this endeavor,” and they are “convinced that, together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of those who need our help.”
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The Founders – Philippe & Elisabeth Dufour
The journey of Philippe and Elisabeth Dufour has been marked by challenges. Their incredible determination to overcome the obstacles they faced has allowed them to achieve their dreams and become role models for others.
Persevering despite the difficulties encountered is essential for success in life. It is important to keep one’s goals in mind and show determination and resilience in the face of obstacles.
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Their journey is a source of inspiration for all those who seek to achieve their goals and make a difference in the world. Their determination, perseverance, and philanthropic commitment are qualities that can guide us on the path to personal and collective success and well-being.
Philippe and Elisabeth Dufour are the founders of the board of directors, with Maricela Lancoud and Daniela Dufour as members.
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Objectives of the Philippe & Elisabeth Dufour Foundation
- Provide aid to people in emergency and disadvantaged situations.
- Participate in creating and renovating hospital and healthcare facilities, and providing medical equipment and supplies.
- Participate in environmental projects to support ecosystems.
- Support education and learning for individuals in precarious situations.
- Support artisans in transmitting their craft to younger generations.
- Contribute to the preservation of the tangible and intangible heritage of artisanal crafts.
Philippe Dufour – Biography
Considered a living legend and undoubtedly one of the most revered ambassadors of fine independent watchmaking, Philippe Dufour’s philosophy of ‘No compromise, No limit’ has been the guiding principle of his 45-year career as an independent watchmaker. Indeed, it might be more accurate to describe Philippe Dufour’s dedication to the design and creation of wristwatches as a vocation—a natural calling to which he has devoted his life, thereby making an immeasurable contribution to the advancement of the art and craft of high-precision watchmaking.
For Philippe Dufour, perfection is a quest. In his workshop in the village of Solliat, in the Vallée de Joux, each watch is entirely handmade, often using traditional manual tools, adhering to the most demanding artisanal standards. Each watch is custom-ordered directly by the client. A Philippe Dufour wristwatch is a complex mechanical masterpiece that epitomizes true luxury, with its design being the aesthetic Grail of simplicity.
Born in Switzerland in 1948, Philippe Dufour graduated from the Vallée de Joux Watchmaking School in 1967 and was hired the same year by Jaeger-LeCoultre. However, his personal watchmaking journey follows in the footsteps of several great modern horological geniuses, including George Daniels and François-Paul Journe, through the repair and restoration of antique pocket watches. His reputation for excellence was such that, in 1982, Philippe Dufour was commissioned by Audemars Piguet to create five Grande Sonnerie pocket watch movements, the last of which was delivered in 1988.
A year later, thanks to his mastery of the Grande Sonnerie complication, Philippe Dufour created the wristwatch that would mark a turning point in the recognition of his supreme watchmaking talent and the establishment of the Philippe Dufour brand. This wristwatch was the first in the world to be equipped with a Grande and Petite Sonnerie minute repeater movement, one of the most challenging horological complications to construct, especially within the unprecedentedly confined space of a wristwatch case. Born from the desire to create something never before achieved, the Grande Sonnerie was presented at Baselworld in 1992 after two and a half years of work.
Following the success of this extraordinary world first, Philippe Dufour developed and produced another groundbreaking timepiece. His next wristwatch model, named ‘Duality,’ was launched in 1996 and was the first wristwatch to feature a double escapement. The movement is constructed with two balance wheels compensated by a central differential, a system based on the principle that the differential averages out the errors between the two escapements, thus halving the potential errors. Only nine examples of the ‘Duality’ were ever made.
At Baselworld in 2000, Philippe Dufour presented the model that is perhaps the most well-known among collectors, ‘Simplicity.’ Reflecting Philippe Dufour’s relentless pursuit of perfection, this model was originally created to meet the high demand for his watches in Japan and is the only current production model. About 200 examples have been produced to date, in either gold or platinum, and the demand is such that no further orders can be accepted.
Philippe Dufour was unanimously awarded the Special Jury Prize at the 2013 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Following this exceptional honour, he was invited to become a member of the Jury, where his decades of experience at the highest level of watchmaking make his contribution invaluable.
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Philippe Dufour SA
Born in Switzerland in 1948, Philippe Dufour graduated from the Vallée de Joux Watchmaking School in 1967 and began his career repairing and restoring antique pocket watches. In 1982, his excellence led Audemars Piguet to commission five Grande Sonnerie pocket watch movements, the last delivered in 1988.
In 1992, building on his mastery of the Grande Sonnerie complication, Philippe Dufour presented the world’s first wristwatch to feature a minute repeater movement comprising both a Grande and Petite Sonnerie – one of the most challenging horological complications to construct, especially in terms of fitting it into the confines of a wristwatch case. Following the success of this extraordinary world first, which marked a turning point in the recognition of his supreme watchmaking talent and the establishment of the Philippe Dufour brand, his next model, named ‘Duality,’ was launched in 1996 as the first wristwatch with a double escapement. In 2000, Philippe Dufour introduced ‘Simplicity,’ his most well-known model among collectors and the only current production model.
In July 2022, Philippe Dufour transformed his sole proprietorship into Philippe Dufour SA, with 100% of the capital still exclusively held by the Dufour family. The company has maintained total financial independence since its inception, with no external financing or partners.
Today, Philippe Dufour SA is the only legal entity for selling Philippe Dufour watches, marketed directly to collectors and clients.
For inquiries, please contact: atelierphilippedufour@bluewin.ch