Mentioned in the official speech given by Carlo Lamprecht at the 11^th Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix in Geneva, on the stage of the city’s Grand Théâtre, the use of the term“12t^h art” in reference to the art of measuring time deserves special attention. The idea is excellent, but how could it be applied and who should guide such a procedure ? The first seven arts are clearly identified, since the German philosopher Hegel, in his early 19^th century classes on aesthetics, defined them according to an order comprising architecture, sculpture, painting, music, dance and poetry, while the French-Italian film critic Ricciotto Cando published a Manifesto for the Seventh Art in 1923. Although not attributed to any one person in particular, the 8^th art encompasses photography, radio and television, while we owe the designation of comics as the 9^th art to Belgian cartoonist Morris. The somewhat vague definition of the 10^th art relates to digital arts, and certain restaurants lay claim to the title of 11^th art for the culinary art. From a purely chronological standpoint, the art of time measurement ranks right up there with the earliest art forms, and it certainly deserves its 12^th rank. Its origins are believed to date back to the 12^th century B.C., when the Babylonians devised an initial representation of the heavenly cycles in terms of 12 months of 30 days each. Time measurement subsequently had a profound influence on the expansion of successive civilisations, from the great maritime conquests to the advent of computer science. The countless existing references to the number 12 include the figure that dominates each watch or clock dial. Officially institution-alising the 12^th art should prove an undisputable and unifying endeavour. The initiative might be supported by a foundation (that of the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix ?) or by a federation (the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry immediately springs to mind, even though other crafts are involved). And why not in conjunction with a watch magazine which is celebrating its 12^th anniversary in 2012 ?