Horological Meandering

Ornatus-Mundi
[Zenith]
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Finishing & Assembly

1.) Finnisage
Regardless of whether parts are produced within the premises of a company or sourced outside, it is the finishing where enthusiasts put particular emphasis on.

Finishing provides not only an aesthetic pleasure; it is essentially ‘unnecessary’ (in a technical sense) and thus an attribute of luxury and refinement. Good finishing is hand applied, and with increasing complexities of mechanisms and shapes it adds significant to the price point of a watch.

Seasoned collectors even can read the ‘language’ of finishing, and consider its quiddity and execution as distinguishing marks of a certain brand or even individual watchmaker.

We already inspected the company’s capabilities in terms of dial engraving and applying colouring surface treatments. DeWitt certainly also does not disappoint when it comes to hand-applying decorative patter or polishing movement parts.

I’d like to mention that I did not focus that much on finishing during my visit because I wanted to spend as much time as possible with other, more unique aspects of the manufacture (see: dial making!). Nevertheless, I will present finishing briefly. In its early days, DeWitt utilised vintage movements, mostly chronographs, as base upon which exemplary refined timepieces were created. The movements mostly came in a raw state and were magnificently embellished in the  workshops:





DeWitt’s watchmakers in the dedicated finishing ateliers master the different traditional techniques of watch finishing, such as the chamfering, anglage, polishing, skeletonising or engraving as well as other decorations:





It took me a bit by surprise to see that ancient procedures are used here to perfect the decidedly modern timepieces of the DeWitt collection. Just look at this watchmaker mirror-polishing a tiny spring:

















2.) Case Polishing:
Another aspect of finishing, albeit one that is often overlooked, is the finishing of the case. Given the complexity of DeWitt’s signature case design with its exposed details, due attention had to be given to preserve the acuity of the columns on the case band. An ingenuously simple solution has been found:





The case protection allows the precise and fast polishing of the case band.









The result is impressive:





If the watchmaker is content with the results, the case is cleaned in an ultrasonic bath. Now, its ready for having its heart implanted!













3.) Assembly:
As you may have noted, DeWitt offers a broad range of complicates starting with automatic time-only watches going up to the reigns of breath-taking Grande Complication watches. Regardless of the ‘complication-endowment’, each watch is assembled by one watchmaker from A to Z!









Nevertheless, the assembly is divided into separate areas for less and more complicated watches, respectively. Depending on actual demand, watchmakers are free to meet on middle ground (pun intended): between the two areas there are additional workbenches that watchmakers can use if needed.





Generally, watchmakers receive kits of movement parts for them to assemble. Depending on the model, those can be quite frightening plentiful:





These parts are alone for the tourbillon and the escapement!









I’d like to draw your attention to the bridge below the movement main plate in the left area of the image. Notice that the jewel is not yet fixed into to bridge?





Well, this is done during assembly, where the watchmakers use dedicated equipment to perform the final touches:









One tiny piece after the other finds its way to its foreseen place.





As the last – and very personal – touch, the watchmaker fits a plate with his/her name on the movement, giving the watch a unique personality (this is only for the complicated pieces!):





The movement is now ready to be encased:




After a final round of inspection, it is carefully mounted in its case. The watch now can go on its journey to its new owner!








Did you notice that some benches are empty? Well, the last sequence of this article sheds some light into this issue… ;-)