Ed. W
688
Regarding tools
Dear Francois,
It's interesting because I had wanted to address this issue elsewhere, but why not now...
Steve Jobs, in a 1990 interview said
""I read a study that measured the efficiency of locomotion for various species on the planet. The condor used the least energy to move a kilometer. Humans came in with a rather unimpressive showing about a third of the way down the list....That didn't look so good, but then someone at Scientific American had the insight to test the efficiency of locomotion for a man on a bicycle and a man on a bicycle blew the condor away. "
There is really no way to make the machine that is a watch, without making other machines and tools (lathes, files, rose engines) first. It's by those tools that humans can make the marvelously small and mathematically accurate machines that we love so much here. Currently those machines are basically of three variants, computer controlled, cam/mechanically controlled, and hand controlled. All three are used at almost all manufacturers. Cam controlled machines are often used for small parts such as pinions, CNC for almost all mainplates, and rose engines for engraving. Even the ultimate "manu-facturer" Roger W. Smith uses machines that would qualify them as "non-manufactured" by your definition.
As we go on, it's highly likely that we'll see tool makers develop more CNC (computer controlled) machines that can do more and better, at which point we'll need to decide if anglage done by a machine that is more technically perfect than anglage done by a human hand holding a file is more or less desirable. This has already happened with Perlage (Panerai is at least one of the manufacturers that use a computer for the process), straight anglage (Glashutte uses a machine for this as well), and Geneva/Tokyo/Glashutte ribbing/waves.
I'll be glad to hear everyone's opinions on this.
Ed.
A visit to Hublot in Nyon: Judgements and redemptions
Hublot is a bit of a controversial name in horology, my opinion of the brand has fluctuated from great admiration in my mid teens (when the Big Bang was introduced and heavily advertised) to mild contempt after discovering their movements were 7750 based....
Great report!
I wish I could have joined you and this factory tour should have been done long time ago. Thank you, Ed, for doing this. An excellent write-up and I sure hope you have deeper understanding of the brand. Again, thanks for great report! Best, Ken
Thanks for the compliment Ken, wouldn't have been possible
without you and PuristSPro
HQ report.
It's always nice to see what's behind the courtain. Thanks for sharing. vte
Indeed, it's better than just watching the selective
Youtube videos. Glad you enjoyed it! Ed.
WOW.... Awesome post.
Hello Ed. W Does not get much better than that Watches, Tools, and Technique. Thanks for all the tool shots, made my day. Anthony
Thanks doc.
Your technical insights are always welcome, and I hope to see more of them over at WatchTech. Ed.
Thanks a lot Ed for this great report!
I have the feeling to know better the Manufacture thanks to you! Fx
Nice report Ed
Thanks for sharing and brings back some memories of doing the tour a few times myself. Cheers Andrew
Thanks Ed. Manufacture...hey! .....
I see a definition : "The making of articles on a large scale using machinery" in the American/English version..... I also see the definition : from Latin " manufactura" ...hand made!!! It is so bizarre that nowadays we can use the word "manufactured" for...
Thanks for English lesson...
... you learn something everyday. But when it comes to watchmaking, established brands including but not limited to Hublot as well as Lange (which I visited more than a few times) do make parts by machines (by single push of one finger). The most importan...
English lesson? Did I give an English lesson????
Bizarre, I thought I only posted two definitions of the word "Manufacture".....anyhow when one makes say, a hand made shirt one uses scissors not one's teeth "anymore" and most likely also a sawing machine :) I have nothing against using tools or even hig...
Just to be clear, I am not the one making war.
I just literally replied to your comments. Ed read your post the same way. Stop always blaming others, but read your post again. Nobody is perfect and I am okay with that as long as people admits it. One more thing to be even clearer: All healthy posts or...
Regarding tools
Dear Francois, It's interesting because I had wanted to address this issue elsewhere, but why not now... Steve Jobs, in a 1990 interview said " "I read a study that measured the efficiency of locomotion for various species on the planet. The condor used t...
Thank you Ed. for your reply. As I have already....
answered Ken, I have nothing at all against using tools even very high-tech tools in order to produce an object, however it was your use of certain pictures accompanying the text which made me thought about Manufacture. I did like very much a phrase in Ti...