How Watches Are Made, Step-by-Step Guide.

Every watch design is a new piece of art with a story to tell. The global watch market size averaged a little over US$ 70 Billion in the year 2022.

The ever-growing fashion world continually increases the demand for top-quality accessories such as handcrafted luxury watches as a symbol of status.

Production of watches is led by Switzerland, representing about 50% of all watch productions globally. Some of the leading brand names originating from Switzerland are Rolex, Patek Phillipe, Breitling, and Omega.

Other major watch producers are France, Britain, China, Germany, and Japan.

The luxury section of the global watch industry gives employment to a large number of people like craftsmen. This article will provide a step-by-step guide to the watchmaking process.

1. Design The Watch Concept / Idea

When the idea of a new watch for the market is conceived, artists are employed to provide a visual overview of the new watch concept. Artists need to take into consideration the aesthetical and mechanical aspects of the watch.

This is normally a rough sketch to allow for the finalization of the idea or watch design.

2. Making The Prototype

This is not a common step for all watches. Some luxury watches will build a prototype of the sketched watch. Prototype watches generally will come in a bigger size as compared to the actual size of the watch to be produced.

This enlarged prototype allows a design team to analyze the watch for any further inputs and corrections.

3. Computer-Aided Design

Computer-Aided Design is a tool widely used in architectural designs, products, and technical drawings. In the watch industry, approved sketch designs and prototype is turned into blueprint with AutoCAD.

AutoCAD replaces manual sketches and provides a pathway for the entire manufacturing process, from sketch to assembly. Here, exact specifications in dimensions such as size and thickness and also color and appearance can be delivered.

4. Production of parts

Specific materials are used in the production of a watch. Brass, steel, and titanium are some materials needed for specific parts of a watch. The steels used are specially selected to be highly resistant to rust and corrosion.

Based on the blueprint, parts like cogs, wheels, and gears are machined.

Small parts of a watch are machined using milling, stamping, or spark erosion process. Ultra-violet lithography and deep reactive-ion etching are used in extremely small parts production that requires extremely fine tolerance.

Some of these parts are very tiny and on the scale of microns. Working with these tiny parts is a big challenge in the watch industry with very little or no tolerance or margin for error.

The dial of the watch is carefully crafted. The outer case is made with great attention to detail. All engraving work is done by hand and afterward checked for imperfections. All parts are verified to continue to the next stage.

5. Construction Of Watch

Holes are drilled with great precision in various positions where needed. Jewel bearings, typically synthetic rubies or sapphires are put on fabricated parts for the watch movement. Jewel bearings aid in reducing friction in these moving parts.

Color is applied to some visual parts of the watch by electroplating. Ink is prepared to stamp numbers on the dial of the watch and other details. Tiny indexes or numbers are then placed on the dial.

6. Watch Assembly

At this point, watchmakers have all the parts produced and carefully finished, ready for assembly. Watches can be assembled from a down-top process in two parts: time measuring section and date measuring section.

Different parts are integrated into the base of the watch. Skilled craftsmen carefully place various cogs, gears, and wheels into position. Also, various specially shaped metal plates are placed into position to support watch internals.

The balance bridge which is the most fragile part of the watch is placed in support of the balance wheel. Then train wheel bridge is put in position.

The escapement wheel also referred to as the heart of any mechanical watch is finally placed. The escapement wheel produces the tick-tock sound of mechanical watches.

Mostly, the first time you will hear and see the watch moving is after the escapement wheel is placed. The time measuring section is now done.

Installation of the date measuring section follows. A crafted dial with indexes is placed. The hour and minute hands are integrated. The date dial is placed followed by indicator hands.

Once, the watch assembly is finished, it is gently placed in the outer case. Watch straps are joined at the end.

7. Quality Control

As you have read from the beginning, quality control checks are done in every stage of the watch production process from components to final products. Quality control checks are done for finished watches for any imperfections.

Quality control officers check every detail in the functioning of the watch from battery controls and power reserve, push-piece, bezel rotation, sufficient automatic winding, and time and calendar operations.

If the watch is designed to be water resistant, the watch will be placed in water to check for leaks by any evaporation of bubbles. With no air bubbles evaporation or water penetration into the watch, the watch will then pass the water resistance test.

For visual inspections, the checks include surfaces free of scratches or damage. Metals of watches are well-plated without peeling. Diamonds and expensive minerals are firmly positioned and secured. Last but not least, logos are engraved correctly and with high precision.

It can be observed that mechanical watch production is a complex and delicate process that requires combined effort with manual assembly and machine-aided techniques.

Starting with the design of the watch, the assembly of the time and date movements and final quality control testing, each step is undertaken with high focus and accuracy.

The manufacturing of any mechanical or automatic watch is a tedious and time-consuming process that requires skilled labor and always contributes to the selling cost of these watches.

The end result is always a beautifully and intricately crafted timepiece that embodies the artistry and excellence of traditional watchmaking.