Movement assembly is done in a clean room so visitors have to suit up before entering.
Lab coat...
And shoe covers
No running!
Assembly is split into four areas: mechanical, quartz, high complications and casing up.
Below: Entering assembly department
Assembly for mechanical and quartz movements are done assembly line style, with one watchmaker assembling one portion of the movement.
In the mechanical movement assembly section, movements are slid from one watchmaker to another via a seesaw. In the mechanical section for example, one watchmaker installs the wheels of the gear train while another puts in the escapement and so on, finally reaching the watchmaker during regulation.
Below: Regulation of 1904 MC
Below: Assembly of Central Chronograph 9907 MC
The mechanical movements put together here are mostly time-only calibres like the 1904 MC and small complications like the Central Chronograph.
Below: Various calibres assembled here
click here for Part VII. This message has been edited by SJX on 2010-07-08 07:48:08