DonCorson
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3358
Bernhard Lederer - Independent Watchmaking
We haven't heard anything from Bernhard Lederer for the last couple of years, but his remarkable watches such as the Blu Tourbillon MT3 below haven't been forgotten.
The Blu MT3 from my BaselWorld report 2009
I recently heard that his new shop is just around the corner from where I work, so I gave him a call and went for a visit. Much has changed since the high-flying days. The big BLU stand at Basel World has been replaced by developments for 3rd parties, smaller structures and relative invisibility. Lederer's new structure is called MHM SA Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie et Micromécanique, the focus is on product development, finishing, assembly and control for third parties.
As Bernhard tells it, he has the great privilege to do what interests him the most; imagine, develop and realise mechanisms and complete watches, bringing them to their “first heartbeat”. Prototyping is an integral part of development as it is the first confrontation of pure ideas with the mechanical world where only the laws of physics apply.
Bernard explains that MHM SA is the synergy of his years of experiences in the domains of:
- Watchmaking
- Restauration of vintage clocks from private collections
- Creation of unique pieces
- Leading his own brand
- Inhouse movement manufacturing.
Mr. Lederer has gathered a group of creative and ambitious people around himself. These people with their knowledge along with high quality tools and machines enables their great results. He sees the role of his team as that to remove all technical sorrows from customers shoulders while underlining the customers goals.
And because this subcontracting business is growing well Bernhard has the resources to continue to work on his new creations. Years of new ideas can now find their way to fruition. Those ideas all circle around escapements. The movements we see in the following pictures of my shop visit are the first prototypes of the first of this series, a new movement using a kind of an échappement naturel (first made by Abraham Louis Breguet in 1802). It would not be Bernhard if it would be a simple “copy” of Breguets invention. What we will see soon is a very clever development made on a solid base. The future will see movements with other escapements taking reference to milestones of the great masters as well as totally new escapements. I can't wait!
Let's take a look around in the shop. First, we visit the watchmakers doing movement assembly.
New prototypes mean trying out many new parts, here we see the “graveyard” of rejected parts.
A “movement kit” looks somewhat different.
We head to the decoration shop. The perlage has just been finished on this movement plate.
Cleaning up the movement edges to remove the machining marks.
Polishing the beveling.
This side of the plate will now get its brushed finish.
Lapping film is glued to a glass plate so the film is perfectly flat. The piece to be brushed is then carefully pushed in a straight movement over the lapping film. This is repeated until the surface is perfectly flat and evenly brushed.
The difference to the first picture is enormous.
The tools needed are designed and made here. This is a tool to hold a bridge during decoration.
These are the bridges for the escapement naturel movement, 18 hours of decoration work.
Although part manufacturing for series production is done by contractors (using machines owned by Lederer) everything needed for prototyping is available. Here a Schaublin 102 lathe, the watchmakers favorite.
A wire electro-erosion machine.
Gears that have been produced on the electro-erosion machine.
Part milling
Parts from the milling machine.
Mr. Lederer with the movement designer.
The échappement naturel movement on the development screen.
Bernhard isn't limited to just wrist watches but also makes and restores clocks. The pendulum of this clock was missing so a new pendulum in the correct style was made. The lead shot we see in the bob is to test out the correct weight for the pendulum as it is not known.
A 1.5 second Lederer pendulum clock where the wheels are also directly indicating the time. It is 14:26.
I would like to thank Bernhard Lederer for the chance to visit his shop and hear what the future has in store. I can't wait to see the future series of watches with varying escapements. I am sure that Bernhard will keep us informed.
Don
Bernhard Lederer - Independent Watchmaking
