The Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier can trace its roots to 18th century Switzerland when the Vaucher family made its first calibers in the Val-de-Travers. But in modern history, VMF was reborn in 2003 when Parmigiani Mesure et Art du Temps (founded by Michel Parmigiani in 1990) split into Parmigiani Fleurier, the brand, and VMF, which develops movements for some of the finest Swiss watch companies. The Sandoz Family Foundation and Hermes (which holds a twenty-five percent stake) together own today’s Vaucher. men watches for cheap The holding company, the MHF Group, comprises Les Artisans Boitiers, Atokalpa SA, Elwin and Quadrance & Habillage. With a new state-of-the-art facility in its historic home at Val-de-Travers, Vaucher is dedicated to producing, researching and developing movements. It is also a training company that teaches apprentice watchmakers and repairers in a four-year training program. Many of the firm’s clients are well known and include Parmigiani, Hermes, Richard Mille, Bulova, Corum and other high-end watchmakers. Others prefer to remain unnamed. Vaucher has the capacity to design and make from ten to 5,000 units a year for each watch brand according to its specifications.
It offers a generous range of calibers that can be adapted to the specific needs of each client and works in a variety of metals: gold, titanium, copper-nickel-zinc alloy, brass, aluminum and steel. Two levels cheap fashion watches Two levels of production are offered according to the needs of the client: classic movements made at a more industrial level in larger numbers; and more prestigious calibers that are hand-finished entirely and, of course, come in smaller runs. It takes about four years to develop a new caliber, and that is only when the client and manufacture agree on everything from the onset. Human nature being what it is, brands must make adjustments to changing markets or technological hurdles. It is therefore not uncommon for calibers to take longer than this time period to see the light of day. To put things into context, the tolerance levels, (the dimensions Vaucher works with) are one tenth of the diameter of a hair. A simple watch mechanism will contain roughly two hundred parts and can be assembled in as little as one hour.
A more complicated piece, such as a minute repeater, has around seven hundred parts will take about two months to put together. Movement procedures As calibers are made, each watchmaker works with twenty kits at a time, assembling the components without the escapements and oscillating weight. luxury mechanical watch They then go to another specialist who fits the escapement, balance wheel, which are fine-tuned and adjusted for rate and amplitude. This is where the movement becomes “alive”. They then get assembled with a calendar system and the oscillating weight, followed by a two-week test. Each piece is tested to make sure that all systems, including the oil, are working smoothly. More complicated modules, such as a tourbillon or perpetual calendar, are worked in a separate area, one kit at a time. The Black Tourbillon by Parmigiani, for instance, is particularly delicate and can scratch easily, so it needs to be assembled in a particularly clear space. pocket watches The rotor and bridges are cut with precise machinery and can be made of differing metals and in various sizes. They are washed, sandblasted according to the final finish desired, polished, filed and beveled.
Vaucher can provide the metallic patina desired for each part, such as rhodium or nickel finish. Finishing In the case of a rhodium-plated piece, a layer of gold is first applied, followed by nickel and then rhodium. The case is placed in a vat with a liquid and salt (either rhodium, nickel or gold salt) and subjected to a certain voltage, which enables the ions of the gold material to stick to the surface of the metal. This is called the galvanic process and it renders the desired finish and color of the materials. The pieces are then custom-decorated and engraved as requested by the brand. mens quartz watches The more prestigious movements are hand decorated in a separate room. It can take a month-and-a-half from the decoration to the final assembly of the movement, and up to three months for delivery.