Independents

 

 

Speake Marin

Dufour

Vianney Halter

Calabrese

Andersen

Lang & Heyne

Van Der Klaauw

Gauthier

Voutilainnen

Sarpaneva

....

 

I know for example some do use unitas, peseux and other movements ofcourse the end product  is very different.

Do I dare to ask ... is the simplicity  a completely new movement or did Mr Dufour find his inspiration in an other (old?) movement.

And what about the others ? I would think RW Smith would be  an own created movement .... or not ?

 

Not an indepandant but Patek for example did imo start from a vintage calibre to create the 5959, which everybody considers as 100% inhouse

 

 

To my knowledge all but two from your list above have at times or in general used parts from existing movements. 
And for those two it is my lacking knowledge if that has ever been the case, not negative evidence.
I do not think, however, that using an existing movement as a base or using parts from an existing movement should be a major criteria. 
The question is what the watchmaker does with those parts. 
Where does their creative vision take them? 
How do they differentiate themselves, make their asking price realistic?
You can give two painters the same paints, the same raw materials, and they will make two completely different works of art.
We can look at them and say that one is better, more successful than the other. 
But they are from the same parts. 
Does that make the more successful work of art loose some luster because someone else used the same materials to create something that we find is less good?
It is the vision of the person behind the brush that makes the difference.
I think that there is where we should be placing our focus, not on whether they are able in their own shop to manufacture all the parts themselves.
And I can confirm that all of the names above have the knowledge to completely make their movements if they thought their vision for their work made it necessary.
Don

...

This is the best explanation for how best to approach this issue that I can remember seeing.  The Observatoire is what it is and is simply stunning. Not like other watches with the same starting materials.

I have seen some 100% original creations that were not so impressive.

misses the point of the question. Of course, it is irrelevant if one uses an existing ebauche or not, I don't think relevance was part of the question.

Cheers. Francois

The question is recurrent but (no offense) it is not that meaningful.

Thank you for participation and sharing your approach Mr Halter.

Thank you very much for your answer !

Ofcourse  I would never say you, or others play in the same league as patek. I know this is a different world. Untill today I still prefer the bigger brands BUT that is changing. I want to know more about your work ( and other independants).  I feel some kind of need to acquire at least one 'very special watch' and with 'very special' I do mean a watch made by 1 person, 1 independant.

I'm just not sure yet what I really want.  I did not decide yet what I like the most.  A superb finishing ? A new or very nice modified movement,  a specific complication, ...

Do I look for a brand / person with a very low production number ( 50 or so per year) Or  is the more or less from  Journe still fine ?

So thanks again for answering my post. I'm still undecided and it will take some time before I know what I want ... so more questions might follow  ;-)

 

To end, just a little remark. This message made by Don Corson opened my eyes ( Just a tiny screw)

I had no idea  it took so much effort and time to make something (unimportant)  as a screw.

I wrote 'unimportant' in parentheses because I do know every part of a watch is important, but I'm sure a lot of us had no idea what it takes to make just a screw.

These kinds of post are posts we imo need to see more, this explains a lot to me

watchtech.watchprosite.com

It is such a pleasure to learn from someone who is behind the watch. May I say the independent watchmaking is a way to express the idea and understanding of watchmaking via the products(which is the watch and its accessories) and reflects the emotion of the master behind it? If not, what is the soul of independent watchmaking?

That's brilliant.  And its what ownership of an independent watchmaker's watch is about.

Coming from Mr Vianney Halter, we see it from the point of view of the maker of such timepieces.

Some adopt the Opel/Vauxhall/Holden model of using same chassis, engine, transmission, even body panels. Some are simply rebadging excercise. Some are modified to beyond recognition, some immediately recognizable once you pop the hood. And there are those who insist on developing something ground up.