Switzerland offers St Petersburg a gift of time
Switzerland’s official gift to mark the 300th anniversary of the Russian city of St Petersburg could not be more timely or visible.
The Swiss are offering the authorities 100 clocks to be located at prominent places around the city.
This year’s Swiss president, Pascal Couchepin, is on Wednesday presenting the commemorative clocks to civic officials at a ceremony in Russia’s second city.
Among the “100 Clocks for St Petersburg” is the familiar Swiss railway station clock with its red second hand.
Timeless design
A classic of the Swiss watch and clock making art, the clock with its timeless design will be installed in St Petersburg’s railway stations, at the airport and in main squares
“We wanted to offer something which is immediately linked to Switzerland and the Swiss railway clock is known worldwide,” the chief executive of Presence Switzerland, Ambassador Johannes Matyassy told swissinfo.
Presence Switzerland, part of the Swiss foreign ministry, has been coordinating the programme surrounding Switzerland’s participation in the city’s celebrations.
“We wanted to offer something which is useful to the whole population and something that will ensure a sustainable presence of Switzerland in St Petersburg,” he added.
Flying the Swiss flag
The clocks, in two versions, will feature on the dial the Swiss national flag of a white cross on a red background.
A competition has taken place for the city’s inhabitants to suggest suitable locations for some of the station clocks.
The winners are to receive a wristwatch version of the railway clock.
Under the “100 Clocks for St Petersburg” programme, Swiss clockmakers have also been working with Russian experts on restoring the highly treasured Mendeleyev Clock.
A Swiss company is assembling a modern mechanism for the clock, which is situated under the Triumphal Arch of the General Staff building. The arch opens on to the impressive Palace Square with the Hermitage, the former Winter Palace.
The city of Geneva is presenting the city with a floral clock that will be installed in the Alexandrovsky Park, while the Rado company is offering a Meeting Point clock.
swissinfo, Robert Brookes
The Swiss Days programme in St Petersburg (July 6 – 13) features activities focused on architecture, science, youth, economy and timepieces.
The first Swiss watchmakers in St Petersburg were two men from Geneva, Jean-Pierre Ador and Robert Jurrine.
The Swiss Railway Station clock was patented in the 1940s and is produced by the Moser-Baer company (Mobatime).
The official Swiss railways watch is manufactured by the Mondaine Company of Zurich.
The official Swiss gift to the city of St Petersburg is 100 clocks.
They will be installed at the airport, in railway stations and in the city’s main squares.
Swiss clock makers have been helping Russian experts restore the city’s priceless Mendeleyev clock.
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.