Facts are facts….

Hi peafjp,
I should start off by saying that I am rather biased since I have ordered one of Bernhard’s watches already ;-) In fact I even love Eric’s design too! But I am used to seeing watches take shape from drawings, sketches and renderings, so I believe I have a good ‘feel’ for what the end product will look like.

All that aside, for me anyway, facts are facts, and the Vallée has changed a lot. Just take a look at a movement, any movement from 10 years back and place it next to one produced today in the Vallée. You would be surprised I think.

And this is not just Bernhard’s view. If I were to put some of the quotes from interviews I did with Philippe Dufour and Daniel Roth on this subject here, you ears would turn red. Their views on the state of affairs with the mechanization of watchmaking are pretty devastating indeed, whether inside or outside the Vallée for that matter.

Personally, I think it is fantastic that there are people out there, like the aforementioned and others, who value the traditions from the past. I would never say that theirs is the only way; indeed even I have Rolexes here without a stitch of finishing of any kind inside, and I don’t think less of Rolex for that. But I am really pleased traditions are still alive and kicking!
Jus my 2 cents worth,
Theodore

💰1849 Marketplace Listings for Rolex›

A Solitary Watchmaker: Bernhard Zwinz and his ‘Calibre R’

By: 219 : February 20th, 2011-04:39

Time stands still in the Vallée de Joux. This is a place where change is slow; the alternation of the seasons is about as fast as is it gets. The famed watchmaking traditions this valley once stood for has however changed, slowly, through the course of ti...

Hi Andrew....Thanks for the article :-)

By: CL : February 20th, 2011-08:01

The movement may be impressive but I'm not liking the design of the watch , imvho. To be very fair and honest, I did not read who design the watch when I first see your article. I click and scroll down , see the watch picture and thought in my head ' this...

Seems like we suffer from the same ailment CL

By: SJX : February 20th, 2011-08:45

I too find several of Eric's designs, especially the newer ones (like the Heritage Watch Manufactory stuff), not to my taste. But Zwinz's work is quite intriguing! Thanks for the scoop Andrew. - SJX

Not knowing...

By: sklim8 : February 20th, 2011-18:51

who Eric Giroud is, I agree with you that the dial is not very attractive, at least in the form presented. However, I would think it could very well look very different in the metal.

First of all, I would buy even...

By: Ornatus-Mundi : February 21st, 2011-03:21

the UNITAS movement with Bernhard's proprietary balance, I am as much in love with this intriguing construction. However, I am having a problem with the logic of his watch. Why would you strive to advance watchmaking as an art and as it stood in the 20s o...

Specification list

By: Bernhard Zwinz : February 21st, 2011-12:55

Many thanks for your reaction. The dates given should not be taken too literally. I have taken much of my inspiration from these times without making a blunt copy. The fundamental idea of the case was to create a sturdy shell for the movement, a kind of s...

Thanks for being here Bernhard

By: aldossari_faisal : February 21st, 2011-13:38

to respond to our posts, as im excited about your talent , experties thus your creation. i know thats the finished watch will look different from the cad drawings as i know its the begning of the road... im excited that im looking forward even for your ne...

Dear Bernhard, thanks for this additional background...

By: Ornatus-Mundi : February 22nd, 2011-04:24

which is well appreciated. I tend to take manufacturer's information very seriously and thus often get quite confused of what I read ;-). 'Schwamm drüber' , as the German phrase proposes (engl: let bygones be bygones!). More important is that I think...

Not sure why the rest...

By: peafjp : February 20th, 2011-21:20

of the Vallée de Joux has to be bashed in order for this guy to market his watch.

Facts are facts….

By: Theodore : February 21st, 2011-02:19

The design reminds me of Quai de l’Ile series....

By: CL : February 21st, 2011-07:04

from Vacheron but simpler. I'm sure the watch will better than the cad drawing. It's wonderful that we have another watch that's deeply rooted base on history. I look forward to view the real thing, either in pix or metal Congrats to your new watch Please...

Please provide examples of the decline over the past decade - interested [nt]

By: peafjp : February 21st, 2011-19:08

Thanks Andrew

By: aldossari_faisal : February 21st, 2011-13:41

for keeping us updated.. always love to read your posts . Faisal

How exactly does this case help future polishing?

By: CL : February 21st, 2011-16:17

This is something I'm very interested to know more. Now we have a bigger lugs with a very much straight forward edge, no tricky bend or contouring that will show us evidence of over polish. So when we hit one lugs and create a ding, do we just polish that...

This is an excellent question.

By: Bernhard Zwinz : February 23rd, 2011-01:57

In the past, cases were reconditioned by grinding out all scratches and dents first and then the same surface was restored by grinding and polishing. Of course this is always associated with a substantial material removal and thereby also a change in geom...

Excellent answer......Thank you

By: CL : February 23rd, 2011-10:56

for such a detail response I ask because such detail truly interest me. I have seen quite a few of Patek vintage watches that have all these rounded edges and even some modern lange with uneven lugs, al victims of uneven polishing. I'm glad you think of s...

contact information

By: poseidon1964 : February 22nd, 2011-08:04

please do you have contact information

Why don't you send him...

By: Ornatus-Mundi : February 22nd, 2011-09:37

a private message through PPro's messaging system? In other words - I don't know either ;-) Cheers, Magnus This message has been edited by Magnus Bosse on 2011-02-22 09:49:28