The Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres, or COSC, plans to upgrade its standards for chronometer certification and is vowing to be more transparent as it faces increased competition. In a rare interview, COSC director Andreas Wyss says the organization aims to be more consumer-focused and will improve the accuracy requirements for COSC-certified movements to less than the current 10 seconds per day.

"The tolerance today is 10 seconds – minus four and plus six – we will reduce that by a good portion,'' Wyss says. The standard for accuracy could be cut in half to as little as five seconds per day, he adds.

Founded in 1973, COSC is the biggest organization for chronometer certification in Switzerland. It tests more than 2 million movements annually from some 60 Swiss brands, including Rolex. Funded by fees paid by brands, which it says are less than 10 francs per tested movement, the neutral organization certifies about 40% of the mechanical watches exported from Switzerland each year.

However, the COSC's standards have fallen behind those of other certifications, such as the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS), which requires an accuracy of five seconds per day. METAS also requires other tests, including water resistance, power reserve, and anti-magnetism, for the 'Master Chronometer' certification utilized on some Omega and Tudor watches.

At the same time, brands have also developed their own certification standards. The Rolex 'Superlative Chronometer' classification requires the already COSC-certified movement to be accurate within -2 to +2 seconds per day.

Wyss says COSC's standards and testing requirements for certification need to be boosted to reflect improvements in Swiss watchmaking.

"The watch industry has had big evolutions,'' Wyss says. "We need to follow them, and we need to evolve.''

COSC and its partner brands plan to introduce new certification cards, which will give consumers precise data on their watch's tested movement. The authority currently tests each movement for 16 days, and COSC facilities operate seven days a week throughout the year, with only a 10-day break over the year-end holidays.

Wyss said the new initiatives will be funded by the fees paid by brands and with the cash reserves the organization has accumulated. "We have to promote not only the accuracy but the excellence of Swiss watches,'' Wyss says. "Until now, we were not open to the public. We will change that.''

For more information visit the COSC website.