CONTENT COURAGE TO TAKE RISKS FOREWORD SCULPTING TIME TRADITION REINTERPRETED THE COLLECTIONS INTERVIEW NOT MY FIRST LOVE AFFAIR MANUFACTORY
DESIGN FABRICATION DECORATION ELECTROPLATING ASSEMBLY
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3 6 9 20 24 30 32 41
Peter W. Frey Professional Journalist has been a journalist for forty years. A passionate watch collector, he is a regular contributor to daily and weekly newspapers on the subject of watches and the watchmaking industry.
COURAGE TO TAKE RISKS Peter W. Frey
The decision taken by Armin Strom AG in 2008 to manufacture its own movements in the future called for a great deal of entrepreneurial courage and lots of confidence in its own ability, although the chosen timing did not seem ideal at first glance: the financial crisis was beginning to make its effect felt on the economy, and sales by the Swiss watchmaking industry had also stalled as a consequence of this. And yet there was an inherent logic to the quantum leap from the crafting of individual hand-skeletonized pieces to a small watch manufactory. The tradition of the skeleton watch established by Armin Strom was an invaluable asset, upon which in-house production of movements with specific aspirations could be based. DNA, the actual or presumed genetic make-up of a watch brand, is the subject of lively discussion in the Swiss watchmaking industry. There is no need to look far for this in the case of Armin Strom. It is clearly visible in the first in-house movement, the Calibre ARM09. Its architecture is certainly new and innovative, yet it is based on a traditional skeletonized movement. 3
Introduction Peter W. Frey
Successful brands are characterized by products which not only meet the highest expectations from an horological point of view, but are also authentic and have a story to tell. As this book shows, Armin Strom AG has no need to resort to historical digressions in order to impart credibility to the brand. The history and the global reputation of Armin Strom are capable of ensuring that almost unaided. The years since the turn of the century have seen the launch of a number of brands in the Haute Horlogerie sector, to the accompaniment of much glamour and expense, only for these brands to slip quietly from view again in the crisis. This has not been the case with Armin Strom. Without making a great fuss, and in only a short time, an enthusiastic young team has achieved the establishment of its own production and the development of its first in-house movement. The Armin Strom brand now needs to find a sustainable position for itself in the market. There is no reason to doubt that the smallest watch manufactory in Switzerland will succeed in this endeavour, and that its courage to take risks will be rewarded. Peter W. Frey Watch journalist
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THE PERFECT 足COMBINATION AND AN EYE FOR DETAIL. Serge Michel, born in Burgdorf in 1978, is the CEO of Armin Strom AG and is responsible for sales and marketing for the watch manufactory.
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Foreword Serge Michel
FOREWORD Serge Michel
In its essence, a successful company strongly resembles the construction of a watch. At its heart is the drive mechanism, the core, which is responsible for making the entire arrangement run in the first place. This consists of a large number of small parts, which interact smoothly with one another to ensure perfect operation. These various processes are enclosed within a case, which not only provides the entire assembly with an appropriate framework, but also offers a secure connection to the outside world. Finally, in com足 bination with additional components, it forms a bridge to the wearer of the watch, or, as in the world of business, to our customers and partners. In fine watches, as in well-functioning enterprises, all these components must be perfectly attuned to one another. Here at Armin Strom, a highly qualified and committed team of employees invests a great deal of effort and enthusiasm to transform our watches into a unique brand. Driven by a motivation to venture continually down new paths, each individual helps to make the fantastic feat possible. Yet they never lose sight of the fundamentals, and are thus able unfailingly to offer the wearers of Armin Strom watches the utmost authenticity. Armin Strom AG has quadrupled its workforce in the last four years. Many people were astonished by our major investments in the crisis years of 2008/09. Nevertheless, these investments enabled Armin Strom to equip its manufactory as a complete machining facility to permit the independent manufacture of a movement. As a result, the first presentation of its own in-house calibre took place as early as November 2009. Furthermore, great freedom in decision-making and correspondingly short decision paths have allowed us the necessary flexibility and the opportunity of a shorter time-to-market.
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The appearance and the image of the Armin Strom brand were also consolidated during this period. The movement has always occupied a position at the centre of the brand for Armin Strom, and it continues to do so to this day. By achieving the greatest possible vertical range of manufacture, we can further strengthen our position in the future, and once again demonstrate our outstanding expertise in high-end watchmaking. On our way to worldwide distribution, this permits us to take an innovative approach without at the same time losing sight of our roots in the great tradition of watchmaking. To return once more to the similarities between a company and a watch, they share one further point in common. There is always an initial idea – that certain something which gets the ball rolling and without which a complete work would not be possible. Our aim in publishing this book is to familiarize you more closely with this idea. It presents a portrait of Armin Strom AG in all its many facets, where we are today and how we have achieved our targets. From the history of the company and the long tradition of the watchmaker’s art via the manufactory and the value-added process to our strongest areas of expertise, the Armin Strom watches themselves. I wish you lots of fun on your journey of discovery. Sincerely, Serge Michel CEO of Armin Strom AG
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Armin Strom’s appreciation of refined and exclusive things began at an early age. In addition to his hand-skeletonized wristwatches, his first pocket watch with a hand-engraved movement appeared in 1981. (Images taken from: Armin Strom, The grand tradition of skeleton timepieces, published in 2006)
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History Armin Strom 1950 – 2002
SCULPTING TIME The history of Armin Strom AG
Armin Strom AG has its roots in the picturesque town of Burgdorf located northwest of Bern. The history of the watch factory begins with the founder and namesake of the business, Armin Strom. After completing his watchmaking appren ticeship and gaining early independent business experiences in Lotzwil and St. Moritz, the still young Armin Strom opened his own shop in the Altstadt (Old Town) area of Burgdorf in the year 1967. In addition to sell ing and restoring watches, he soon began working on his own creations in the workroom behind the shop. His first masterpiece was a gold pocket watch, with a hand-engraved dial in polished blue lapis lazuli. His mature manual dexterity and incredible attention to detail soon made the budding watchmaker aware of where to specialize in his valuable items:
the art of skeletonizing. His idea of cutting away all the parts of the move ment which have no active function for its operation characterizes the appearance of Armin Strom watches to this day. He then set about engraving and decorating the remaining parts with intricate detailing and fitting them into fine cases, all with the greatest of care. Although initially available only from his shop, creations from Armin Strom were first presented at the internationally renowned Basel Watch and Jewellery Fair in 1984. The business really took off from that time. These incomparable timepieces soon came to the attention of the media, and customers from all over the world began to show an interest in the unique, hand-skeletonized masterpieces from the Burgdorf watchmaker. The Armin Strom collection had grown to 20 models by the mid-1980s, and during
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History Armin Strom 1950 – 2002
this period the master himself was always pleased to adapt or decorate his movements according to the wishes of individual customers. Finally, building on the successes of his men’s watches, Armin Strom also ventured into the production of his first wristwatch for women. His goal of designing this to be as small and delicate as possible immediately gained him an entry in The Guinness Book of World Records as the smallest watch ever to be skeletonized by hand. His excellent reputation and recognition at an international level brought Armin Strom major contracts in the 1990s from some prestigious watch com panies, for which he would skeleton ize a number of series by hand.
In the meantime, his own brand was expanding continuously as the result of increasing demand from all over the world. The company was incorporated as Armin Strom AG in 2006, and in 2009 it moved into its new, large production facility in the watchmaking town of Biel. Armin Strom AG today has a workforce of 16 and looks back with pride over nearly half a century of watchmaking tradition.
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Watches have always been important for Armin Strom. However, there are and have always been other interests close to his heart, including his family, dressage and beautiful cars. (Images from: Armin Strom, The grand tradition of skeleton timepieces, published in 2006)
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History Armin Strom 1950 – 2002
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This ladies’ model gained an entry in The Guinness Book of World Records in 1990 as the watch with the smallest ever hand-skeletonized movement. In terms of its type and size, it remains unsurpassed to the present day. (Image from: Armin Strom, The grand tradition of skeleton timepieces, published in 2006)
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Hand-engraved pocket watch, ref. 002, Movado calibre movement
The pocket watch (ref. 003) pictured opposite, for which no original image is available, is the first watch with a hand-skeletonised movement – completed in 1983. Armin Strom first began skeletonising pocket watch movements because these are somewhat larger and therefore easier to work on.
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Watches from Armin Strom have always been individual pieces. Many a watch enthusiast has commissioned an exclusive, unique item from the master in line with his own wishes and ideas. (Images from: Armin Strom, The grand tradition of skeleton timepieces, published in 2006)
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Armin Strom Armin Strom himself is still actively involved at Armin Strom AG, where he 足continues to skeletonise watches painstakingly by hand on a daily basis.
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Present and future
TRADITION REINTERPRETED The present and the future of Armin Strom AG
At first sight, Armin Strom AG today has little in common with the master skeletonizer’s original business. Individual pieces crafted by hand in the minutest detail were the foremost priority in those days, and Armin Strom worked alone for many years. Today the company is a true manufactory equipped with the latest machine tools, and its 16 employees produce small series of watches of the finest quality fitted with an in-house movement.
On the basis of the skeletonized watches – which are still available – Armin Strom AG is now developing and manufacturing new watches of contemporary design. The exposed movement occupies centre stage here, not only as the drive mechanism, but above all visually. How the energy store, wheel train and escapement engage with one another can be perceived threedimensionally by the observer, and the functions become transparent. This represents a new interpretation of the watchmaking First appearances can often be decep- tradition of skeletonization. tive, however, and in fact there are many similarities. For one thing, the brand would A precondition for building watches not even exist without Armin Strom, who with in-house movements was the estabstill skeletonizes watches enthusiastically. lishment of a component parts-manufactur But above all, it is his horological values ing facility from 2008. Only a company which are shaping the company today and which makes its own plates, bridges, levers, in the future. These values include his springs, wheels, pinions and screws and love for the smallest detail and his quest is able to control the fabrication process at not only for technical, but also for aesevery stage can bring a movement of the thetic perfection. Finally, there is the con- requisite quality successfully from the iniviction that a hand-finished movement, tial concept to series production. as an object of high-precision mechanical art, is too good to remain hidden behind a dial and a steel case back. 20
For Armin Strom AG, the development of the Calibre ASR07 movement was proof that the com pany was on top of the devel opment process. Although not a completely new movement, this represents the exacting conversion and refinement of a volume-produced movement for a watch with the offset regulator display of the hours, minutes and seconds. Since the presentation of its own in-house Calibre ARM09 for the watches in the One Week collection in November 2009, Armin Strom AG can now rightly describe itself as a manufactory. The entire movement is manufactured in-house, with the exception of the escapement, and a large proportion of the value added for the product originates within the company itself. With its vertical range of manufacture, this small brand has nothing to fear from a comparison with manufactories with a history stretching back over more than a century.
Everything under a single roof All the departments at Armin Strom AG are housed in the same building at Bözingenstrasse 46 in Biel-Bienne, which has been converted to meet the needs of the manufactory.
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Present and future
Armin Strom intends to position itself not through extravagant design, but through watches finished by intricate handwork. The timepieces are finished with skeletoniza tion and by the engraving of bridges, the application of decorative ground patterns or the polishing of levers. However, they are always watches with obvious hand-crafted and aesthetic added value for the customer.
Although the brand is on a growth track, its watches will not be manufactured in huge quantities, not even in ten years’ time. The timepieces making up the current One Week collection are limited to four times one hundred examples, and future models are also likely to be produced in series of a hundred, rather than a thousand pieces. However, one thing that is clear for Armin Strom AG is that the movements offered by thirdparty suppliers, which can still be found in some of the watches in the collection, will gradually be replaced by its own inhouse movements.
Armin Strom produces watches for connoisseurs and enthusiasts who are interested in engineering, possess a flair for design, are able to appreciate the highest quality of workmanship and are looking for something exclusive in the Haute Horlogerie sector. Timepieces for people for whom an Armin Strom is certainly not the first high-quality watch that they have owned.
The development of the Armin Strom watchmaking company has the backing of a committed investor, and is supported by an enthusiastic young team of highly qualified specialists and by the master skeletonizer himself, from whom the company takes its name. What Armin Strom has created in around fifty years will progress into the future with respect for the legacy of the brand, with hard work and with considerable innovative talent.
Serge Michel, born in Burgdorf in 1978, is the CEO of Armin Strom AG and is responsible for sales and marketing for the watch manufactory.
Claude Greisler, born in Burgdorf in 1978, is Head of Product Development and is therefore responsible for the construction and design of the Armin Strom watches.
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Serge Michel CEO
Claude Greisler Head of Product Development
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THE COLLECTIONS Armin Strom watches at a glance
CALIBRE ARM09 Front 16 ½ ‘‘‘ Functions Hour, minute, small seconds, power reserve display Winding Hand-wound with crown wheels rotating on the dial side Drive Dual barrel made from a special brass alloy, specially developed for brass-to-brass engagement, mainsprings with a total length of 1800 mm with a blade thickness of 0.088 mm Wheel train Hardened pinions, polished pinion leaves, wheels machined with minimum material stress and profile-milled tooth profile Plates and bridges Manufactured from stress-relieved clock brass Rubies Synthetic rubies individually manufactured for Armin Strom
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ARM09 The appeal of the first in-house calibre from Armin Strom lies in its precision and optimal functionality. The fineness and delicateness of its detailed execution are the distinctive features of Armin Strom.
CALIBRE ARM09 Back 16 ½ ‘‘‘ Escapement Escape wheel and pallet fork made of solid gold with hardened working surfaces Regulating system True screw balance with gold screws, moment of inertia adjustment with four cramped steel screws, Breguet hairspring Frequency 18,000 Ah Number of rubies 34 rubies Number of individual parts 146 Diameter 36.60mm Height 6.20mm Power reserve 8 days
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ARMIN The ARMIN range combines dynamics with unmistakeable identity. The series One Week and Regulator models reflect the four natural elements.
The collections
ST10-WW.05 ONE WEEK WATER In-house movement ARMIN STROM Calibre ARM09 Mechanical, hand-wound movement with a 7-day power reserve, off-centre time displays Frequency: 18,000 bph Jewels: 34 Number of individual parts: 146 Case Stainless steel Sapphire crystal and case back with antireflective coating Diameter: 43.40 mm Total height: 13.00 mm Water resistant to: 50 m Dial White/dark blue Hands Stainless steel Strap Genuine ‘horn back’ alligator leather strap in dark blue with a stainless steel pin buckle
TI09-RA.11 REGULATOR AIR Movement ARMIN STROM Calibre ASR07 Mechanical, hand-wound movement, off-centre time displays and retrograde date display Jewels: 24 Power reserve: 46 hours Case Polished titanium Sapphire crystal and case back with antireflective coating Diameter: 43.60 mm Total height: 14.70 mm Water resistant to: 50 m Dial White / l ight blue (mother-of-pearl) Hands Stainless steel Strap Genuine alligator leather strap in white with a titanium clasp
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TI09-RE.40 REGULATOR EARTH Movement ARMIN STROM Calibre ASR07 Mechanical, hand-wound movement, off-centre time displays and retrograde date display Jewels: 24 Power reserve: 46 hours Case Titanium PVD black Sapphire crystal and case back with antireflective coating Diameter: 43.60 mm Total height: 14.70 mm Water resistant to: 50 m Dial Black / orange Hands Stainless steel Strap Rubber strap in black with clasp in titanium PVD black
RG10-WF.5N ONE WEEK FIRE In-house movement ARMIN STROM Calibre ARM09 Mechanical, hand-wound movement with 7-day power reserve, off-centre time displays Frequency: 18,000 bph Jewels: 34 Number of individual parts: 146 Case 18 ct. rose gold Sapphire crystal and case back with antireflective coating Diameter: 43.40 mm Total height: 13.00 mm Water resistant to: 50 m Dial Black / rose gold Hands Rose gold Strap Genuine ‘horn back’ alligator leather strap in black or brown with a pin buckle in 18 ct. rose gold
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Blue Chip The high-quality and diverse watches in the Blue Chip collection are available in various guises. Precious materials and the pinnacle of the watchmaker’s art distinguish these prized items.
The collections
BLUE CHIP BLACK CHRONOGRAPH ST10-CR.90 Movement Mechanical, self-winding movement Chronograph function and date aperture Jewels: 25 Power reserve: 46 hours Case Stainless steel, PVD black coated, guilloched cuts on side Sapphire crystal and case back with antireflective coating Diameter: 46.50 mm Total height: 15.90 mm Water resistant to: 50 m Dial Black Hands Stainless steel Strap Genuine alligator leather strap with safety clasp, screwed lugs
BLUE CHIP SKELETON AUTOMATIC ST09-SA.76 Movement Automatic movement Fully hand-skeletonized and hand-engraved Jewels: 24 Power reserve: 46 hours Case Stainless steel, guilloched cuts on side Sapphire crystal and case back with antireflective coating Diameter: 46.50 mm Total height: 15.90 mm Water resistant to: 50 m Dial Anthracite Hands Stainless steel, blued Strap Genuine alligator leather strap with stainless steel safety clasp
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Manufacture d’Horlogerie
BLUE CHIP MANUAL WINDING ST08-OM.95
Manufacture d’Horlogerie
Movement Hand-wound movement Jewels: 17 Power reserve: 46 hours Case Polished stainless steel, guilloched cuts on side Sapphire crystal and case back with antireflective coating Diameter: 46.50 mm Total height: 12.90 mm Water resistant to: 50 m Dial Black / silver Hands Stainless steel Strap Genuine alligator leather strap or stainless steel bracelet with a safety clasp, screwed lugs
BLUE CHIP SKELETON POWER RESERVE RG09-SP.70 Movement Automatic movement with power reserve display Fully hand-skeletonized and hand-engraved Jewels: 24 Power reserve: 46 hours Case 18 ct. rose gold, guilloched cuts on side Sapphire crystal and case back with antireflective coating Diameter: 46.50 mm Total height: 15.90 mm Water resistant to: 50 m Dial Anthracite Hands Rose gold Strap Genuine alligator leather strap with 18 ct. rose gold clasp
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A QUESTION OF CHARACTER An interview with Armin Strom and Serge Michel
AS: Armin Strom, SM: Serge Michel
Serge Michel, what makes Armin Strom watches so unique from your point of view? SM: Perfection occupies the centre ground in Armin Strom watches. The superb execution of the embellishment and the high added value in the movement. There is also the fact that our models are not mass-produced items, and a large proportion of the watches from Armin Strom are limited, or at least numbered editions.
How many watches do you have to choose from? AS: I have a few watches, although these days I wear this model almost exclusively. SM: Today, of course, I wear only Armin Strom watches, and I always choose a watch that is suitable for the occasion. How do you make the choice? SM: The subconscious is bound to play a major part. My watch does not necessarily have to match my clothing. I don’t mind if it is eye-catching, and it can also contrast with what I am wearing.
What makes an Armin Strom watch different from other watches in the high-price segment? SM: Definitely the exclusivity – it should be a privilege to own an Armin Strom. Armin Strom, what type of watch do you wear today? AS: A Blue Chip Skeleton, which I have skeletonized for myself personally.
A person’s attire often tells you a lot about his character. What about watches? Does the same thing apply? SM: A watch is clearly a character trait. The particular brand that you wear on your wrist says a great deal about a person – just as wearing no watch at all is also a character trait.
And you, Serge Michel? SM: An ARMIN One Week Earth. The watch with our first in-house calibre.
What meaning does a watch have for you? AS : If you devote as much time as I do to perfecting a watch movement, you can grow very fond of your watch.
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What is a typical day in the company like for your? SM: I am pleased that there is no such thing for me. AS: Most of the time I can be found in my workshop, busy skeletonizing watch movements.
From your point of view, which step has left a particular mark on the company in the last few years? SM: Among other things, our first in-house calibre. Through team dynamics and great commitment, we successfully designed and produced an outstanding calibre in 2009. The Calibre ARM09 movement has enriched our collection with new models.
You keep on reinventing Armin Strom watches with different models, movements and designs. How do you come up with new ideas, and can you give an example? SM: We wanted to take our basic idea in a modern direction with the ARMIN collection, for example. So we developed a concept which features the four elements; water, air, earth and fire. This led to our Regulator and One Week ranges.
What do you like to do when you are not busy with watches? AS: I play golf as relaxation. SM: Formula 1 is a great passion of mine. I find the engineering and the perfection of the vehicles fascinating.
Your activities at Armin Strom are clearly separated. In spite of that, Serge Michel, how much influence do you have on the design of the watches? SM: Claude Greisler, our constructing engineer and designer, always produces the first draughts based on a defined basic strategic idea. We then discuss his proposals and make adjustments. Everyone is welcome to contribute his or her ideas!
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Passion
Not my first love affair.
Passions can trigger intense sensations, make people happy and bring people together. They can be lived out in activities, as themes, in relation to other people or with objects. Passion is to experience an extraordinary interest and commitment in devoting oneself completely to something. Whether as a watch enthusiast, as an art collector, as an athlete. Passion is accompanied by a special feeling in every case. We may well recall our first passion, our first love. As a child, we display considerable interest in new things. Some of this t足ruly captivates us, occupies us incessantly, in足 creases with time and may even remain with us for a lifetime. There are passions which take hold of us to such an extent that we strive permanently to improve them, which engage us constantly and arouse in us the need to see them through to perfection. For many people, these markedly intensive interests ultimately take on such all-consuming dimensions that they occupy a significant part or even the largest part of their life. Armin Strom, for example, has until now devoted a large proportion of his time to watches. The following pages profile a number of prominent people who have also nurtured to the full a passion that is now closely associated with their name. Many passions are merely transient, however, or are superseded by new ones. They fade after the first great fascination. Time brings many changes. New interests are awoken in the course of a lifetime, and valuable experiences are gained. Our attention to what is essential is only sharpened. The short-term and transitory is reconsidered and sifted out. We will eventually come to appreciate what really matters, and will no longer need to prove anything to anyone. The same is true of the enthusiasm shown for an Armin Strom watch. In the case of an Armin Strom watch, we are presumably not acting out our first passion for a watch. For appreciation at this level calls for knowledge and experience. Once we come to understand what is important in life, the time is then right for an Armin Strom watch.
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Cast off Many people’s passion for boats is closely linked with the concept of freedom, adventure and the great wide world. Once you are hooked on the idea, your love of seafaring is not something that you can easily cast off again.
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J端rg Kaufmann
Flavio Marazzi, born in Bern, Switzerland, in 1978 He discovered his passion for sailing when he was just six years old. With Olympic triumphs and five world championship titles to his name, Flavio Marazzi and his team sail in the Starboat class, sponsored by Armin Strom.
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Emotions gathering speed Becoming a racing driver was, and still is, the ultimate dream of many young boys. In motorsport, enthusiasm for engineering is fused with a fascination for cars, speed and danger.
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Mayk Azzato
Timo Glock, born in Lindenfels, Germany, in 1982 His career as a racing driver began in kart racing. His success in Formula 3 won him a place among the elite in Formula 1. Timo Glock drives for Marussia Virgin Racing, supported by Armin Strom as a partner. 37
Starting early A love of style is a particular passion. It enables you to find your own way and live a life free from compromises. It is the small things that make a difference and pave the way for later extraordinary achievements.
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Michael P. Sarp, born in Oldenburg, Germany, in 1948
As CEO, Michael P. Sarp was one person behind the success of the IWC brand. This successful businessman has previously managed many well-known companies in the luxury goods sector. The exclusive and high-quality watchmaking expertise of Armin Strom persuaded him to join the small manufactory as Chairman of the Board.
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MANUFACTORY THE ART OF OMISSION.
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DESIGN From idea to project
THE MOVEMENT THAT TICKS IN YOUR HEAD A watch movement of your own. A bold idea, perhaps. At least initially. The idea at Armin Strom eventually became a concept sketch. What supplementary functions should the movement include in addition to the display of hours, minutes and seconds? And what should the watch, for which the movement is being developed, look like? How large, how high? At Armin Strom, the visible watch movement is part of the overall picture. The movement is thus at the centre and has a decisive influence on the appearance of the watch.
For the design of the company’s first inhouse movement, the Calibre ARM09, it was taken for granted from the outset that the watches would capture the tradition of the skeleton watches from Armin Strom and give it a modern interpretation. This influenced the architecture of the movement. It should not be fully transparent, yet it must offer a view into the depths of the watch and reveal the beauty of its engineering when reading the time. Hand winding, a one-week power reserve and an offset arrangement of the motion work were other specified requirements for the Calibre ARM09. The design stage is preceded by calculations. Claude Greisler places an entire folder full of calculations on his desk. These are intended to provide information as to whether and how the idea is technically feasible. How much power does the mainspring barrel, the energy store, need to supply in order to meet the specified requirements? It soon became clear that the large power reserve could only be achieved with a twin barrel arrangement. What diameter and how many teeth do the wheels and pinions of the transmission have? What force must be applied to the escapement wheel to enable the balance spring to vibrate at the correct amplitude?
For a watch designer it is the pinnacle, and perhaps even a dream: to be given the opportunity to design a new watch movement from the ground up, to turn your own ideas into reality, and to contribute your knowledge and talent to the creation of a completely new product. When the decision to develop its own watch movement was taken at Armin Strom, Constructing Engineer and Executive Board Member Claude Greisler recalls that ‘it felt like my birthday and Christmas all rolled into one’. An idea takes concrete form The arrangement of the two barrels can be clearly seen on the computer drawing of the Calibre ARM09 in-house movement. 42
The movement on paper
The first step involves handwork The design of the watch movement on the screen is preceded by extensive calculations and freehand sketches.
The design of a watch movement is a long process of trial and error leading to a defined objective. ‘The movement is alive in your head and is actually finished,’ says constructing engineer Claude Greisler. But first you have to design the individual parts. With only a few exceptions, such as the escapement or the winding springs, every part of the watch movement is manufactured in-house at Armin Strom – screws, wheels, pinions, levers, springs, plates. Greisler sketches his ideas by hand on
paper and then transforms the data into a computer image. The elements of the movement thus take on three-dimensional form for the first time on the display screen. Their interdependence and their interaction can be appreciated, and possible problems become apparent. Initial prints of the computer drawings are revised by hand, and the modifications are again displayed on the screen – a process which is then repeated several times over. 43
Production begins
Design and Fabrication already work closely together at an early phase of the development process – the major advantage of the small manufactory. Once the designer has defined a movement component and has produced the relevant detailed drawings, he sends the data to Production. There, Workshop Manager Michael Dßnner can run a computer simulation of the machine tool to establish quickly how a plate or a bridge must be milled and drilled from the brass blank and how, if need be, the manufacturing process can be optimized. For example, an additional operation on the machine tool may be required if the designer specifies a radius of 0.30 for the rounding of a bridge, whereas this is not required for a radius of 0.40.
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While the designer is still working on the movement, the first parts of the prototype go into production in the mechanical workshop. The escapement, barrel bridge and wheel-train bridge are conclusively defined, even if the design of the remaining parts is not yet complete.
Born through teamwork The development of a watch movement necessitates close cooperation between Design and Fabrication.
Tol. gén ±10 N6
A-A ( 10 : 1 ) 9,60
Détail B
2,39° 0,05x45°
0,18
0,35
-6
5
B ( 20 : 1 )
A
Z m da d df
0,25
1,50 +0
A
NIHS 20-02 75 0.1350 10.4895 10.1250 9.7875
Calibre
Modification Remarque
Matière Laiton Dimension en mm Tolérances en µm
Roue de grande moyenne ARMIN STROM AG Rue J. Stämpfli 10 CH - 2502 Biel/Bienne
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Echelle
10:1
Format
A4 Dessiné
Spécification
17.03.2009
C. Greisler
Contrôle
ARM09-2000-02.ipt
ARM09-2000-02 01
FabriCation Turning and milling, but no punching
SMALL PARTS FROM SOLID BRASS With very few exceptions, Armin Strom manufactures every part of its in-house movement itself – plates, bridges, wheels, levers, springs, screws. This is a decision in favour of quality. Anyone who controls the manufacturing process from the raw material all the way to the end product is able to take responsibility for his watch without any ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’. Quality is also the paramount consideration behind the fundamental renunciation of movement parts produced by punching. Armin Strom uses drilling, milling, turning and wire-erosion techniques, but never punching. This is a more costly approach, but it is gentler on the mater ial. Punching of any kind changes the material structure of the machined metal. And this can lead to minute, but undesirable deviations from the dimensional tolerances.
Data for automatic machines The computer data received from the designer provide the basis for programming the machine tools.
Close cooperation Short paths between Design and Fabrication make a small manufactory efficient and promote quality.
Automatic machines at work Modern machine pool The manufactory has access to a machine pool adapted to its individual needs (right). This includes a machining station with 64 different drills and milling cutters for the machining of plates, bridges and levers (left).
‘Manu factum’, made exclusively by hand, does not accurately describe the parts of the in-house movement from Armin Strom, although they are meticulously polished and decorated by hand in subsequent operations. Computercontrolled machine tools are used, however, for the production of these parts from brass and steel raw materials. The machine pool is small, yet flexible, and is geared towards the production of small series. It comprises an automatic lathe, a wire erosion station, a gear cutting machine and a machining station, which is highly versatile and can be quickly changed over. The latter may thus be set up to mill and bore large plates in the morning and to machine small levers the same afternoon. 46
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How a screw is made
Long brass rods The raw material used in the production of movement parts is brass rods in various diameters and up to two metres in length.
Feeding the automatic lathe A production worker loads a brass rod into the automatic lathe, which will then produce screws.
Permanent inspection All parts are inspected with a loupe, a micrometer and under the microscope before they leave Fabrication.
Data become parts
ZERO-ZEROONE-ZEROONE-ONE-ZEROONE
In a world of microns and micrometres The scale shows the dimensions. In the watchmaking industry, measurements are taken in hundredths and thousandths of a millimetre.
The parts of a watch movement start out as binary data, bits and bytes on the hard drive of a server. They define the part drawn by the designer in three dimensions, and together with the detailed drawing they provide the basis for controlling the machine tools. Unless specifically indicated to the contrary on the drawing, the dimensions are regarded as being accurate to within one hundredth of a millimetre, and otherwise to within a thousandth of a millimetre, with a tolerance of zero to minus six thousandths. These processes are then programmed and simulated on-screen by Workshop Manager Michael D端nner. He sets up the automatic processing machine, as an example, to mill grooves for the spring barrels in the plate, to cut threads for the screws and drill openings for the jewel bearings, to change the tools in between, although not before cleaning them first with compressed air. Which milling cutter needs to move horizontally and vertically and in which way, and how deep the drill needs to make the hole, will all be generated from the basic data for the control of the machine provided by the designer. 48
Accuracy to within a thousandth of a millimetre
Is the height right? After machining, a plate is measured accurately with a micrometer to within a hundredth of a millimetre.
Extremely delicate holes Drills with a diameter as small as 0.18 millimetre are used in the production of movement parts.
High-speed tools with cooling
Nothing works without oil The drills and milling cutters at the machining station operate at up to 600 revolutions per second. Without permanent cooling with oil, the tools would overheat immediately. 49
Intermediate station After milling and drilling, a plate is ready for the next process.
How a pinion is made
Clamped For tooth cutting, the workpiece is clamped between two spindles rotating at a constant speed.
Cooled Oil is used as a coolant when the profile cutter mills the teeth in the workpiece.
After tooth cutting The finger makes the minute dimensions of the pinion clear.
Six hundred times per second There is a high-pitched buzzing sound in the mechanical workshop at Armin Strom. The multi-function turning centre, constantly cooled by oil, is milling at up to 600 revolutions per second through a piece of brass clamped on the worktable. A short time later, the automatic machine replaces the milling cutter in the tool carousel and picks up a drill. Before doing so, however, a laser beam reads in the height of the tool to an accuracy of two hundredths of a millimetre. If the laser is unable to read a value, the machinist knows that the tool is either defective or has slipped in the spindle. Things are quieter at the other end of the workshop. Here, checks are made not with a laser, but with a microscope. Every part must pass through a final optical inspection, known as measurement, after production. The movement part is placed under a microscope equipped with a camera for this purpose. The screen then displays down to the smallest detail whether the individual part corresponds in all respects to the template stored in the computer. Hair-thin The pinions can only be inspected with a loupe. At Armin Strom, the smallest pinion has a shaft diameter of only 0.09 millimetre. By comparison, a human hair has a diameter of between 0.05 and 0.07 millimetre. Ready A series of finished toothed pinions, ready for the next process stage.
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Large machine, fine teeth Where is the workpiece? The gear cutting machine cuts teeth in the minute escapement pinion. The workpiece is not actually visible in the jet of cooling oil.
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From machine to machine
Many parts of the watch movement need several machining operations on various machine tools. Bridges or levers are pre-milled on the automatic processing machine and are then cut out on the wire erosion machine. In this process, a fine 0.07 or 0.1-millimetre electrically positive wire cuts through the electrically negative workpiece under a jet of deionized water. The difference in polarity causes a tiny spark to jump between the wire and the workpiece, which melts the material and vaporizes it. Toothed wheels also pass through a number of stations. The wheels are first turned on the automatic lathe, and the arms are then milled. The small wheels which rotate in the movements from Armin Strom are not flat over their entire surface; the toothed wheels are meant to resemble car wheels, and they are even convex on their upper side. The tradition of the transparent watch is also perpetuated in the detail. Finally, the gear cutting machine mills a ring of up to 96 teeth in the wheel.
Critical check Is the wire erosion machine actually cutting out the workpiece correctly? 52
Template and workpiece Intermediate steps Movement parts like bridges (page on the left) or toothed wheels (bottom) pass through a number of machining operations. The arms are already cut out in the case of the toothed wheels, and cutting the teeth follows later.
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Feed A supply of unworked brass rods is ready for processing into movement parts (top) in Fabrication. Replacement milling cutters and drills for the machining station are kept in large drawers (right).
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DECORATION Skeletonizing With a loupe, saw and file Armin Strom begins the skeletonizing process by cutting out the movement parts with a fine saw blade (picture on the left). He then works and refines the workpiece with a file (bottom picture).
Workplace of a master Armin Strom concentrates on skeletonizing a watch movement. Clearly visible on his workbench are the numerous files which Armin Strom uses in his work.
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Skeletonizing is the most challenging and the most intricate form of watch embellishment, and at Armin Strom – thanks to the more than forty years’ experience of the company’s founder – also the most traditional one. To begin with, all the material that is not essential for the mechanical stability of the movement is removed from the plates and bridges by sawing and filing. The architecture of the movement and the engagement of the wheel train are exposed in this way, and the watch becomes a work of art to be appreciated in three dimensions. Armin Strom spends around one week on each watch. The working instruments of the skeletonizer are the fretsaws and countless files, which he himself sharpens for use in his work. And because skeletonizing involves handwork, all the watches differ from on another in numerous details.
Engraving
Burin and wax Steel burins in a variety of widths and wax-coated movement holders are the tools of the engraver.
Working at the microscope Decorating a single wheel-train bridge requires the engraver to work at the microscope for around one and a half hours.
Every piece is unique A movement part emerges from under the hands of the engraver as a unique work of art. Julia Seume draws the motif designed by her individually on the workpiece with a needle according to the original sketch. Yet her hand does not guide the engraver’s burin accurately to a tenth of a millimetre every single time under the microscope. Only a machine could duplicate engravings exactly. Traditional floral motifs are not used in the One Week model. Instead, the wheel-train bridge is engraved with motifs which represent the four elements of water, air, fire and earth. Eiger, MÜnch and Jungfrau Engraver Julia Seume created an embellishment with the worldfamous Alpine panorama of the Eiger, MÜnch and Jungfrau mountains as its motif for the wheel-train bridge in the One Week Earth model.
No two pieces are the same Six wheel-train bridges, six handdecorated unique pieces. The engravings on the individual movement parts differ from one another in the smallest details. 57
Filing to perfection
Fine The first process in working a crown wheel bridge involves the use of fine steel files.
Finer A rotating abrasive point draws the characteristic, cloud-like circular-grained finish on the plate.
Finest The final touch is applied to the crown wheel bridge with an electric polishing tool.
Patience and perseverance
No sharp edges A watchmaker uses a file to chamfer the edges of a wheel-train bridge of the Calibre ARM09 movement. Plates, bridges and levers with smoothed and polished, so-called bevelled edges, are held to be an important mark of quality in Haute Horlogerie circles.
Refining all of the parts of the movement makes every watch from Armin Strom a hand-crafted piece of jewellery. Working bare brass or steel by hand is a time-consuming process. The edges of plates, bridges and levers are perfectly smoothed or, to use a watchmaking term, bevelled, and the individual parts are polished – including in places where the refining will not even be visible later in the finished watch. Bevelling and polishing call for a trained eye, considerable flair and lots of patience and perseverance. A watchmaker can easily invest half an hour or even more of precision work in a single pallet bridge, a comparatively small movement part.
Work which demands patience When polishing movement parts, as well as cases, the watchmaker uses a series of increasingly fine-grained abrasive instruments in turn. This is work that calls for great patience and a delicate touch. 58
Polishing corners and edges Concealed polishing The longitudinal side of a crown wheel bridge is polished with a rotating felt cone. The movement parts are embellished even where this is no longer visible in the finished watch.
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Finishing with an abrasive wheel
Aids Armin Strom uses traditional machines to apply ground patterns to the watch movement.
Clouds on the watch movement A rotating abrasive point draws the characteristic, cloud-like circular-grained finish on the plate.
Circular-ground wheels Rotating movement parts at Armin Strom receive a circular ground pattern on their upper surface, applied by means of an abrasive wheel.
Geneva stripes and circular-grained finish Mechanical aids are also used at Armin Strom for part of the watch movement finishing process. The parallel Geneva stripes are produced by an abrasive wheel, which is guided along the workpiece by hand in perfectly straight lines. The watchmaker uses a rotating abrasive point, which is brought briefly into light contact with the workpiece to achieve circular graining, the finish resembling clouds applied to plates, for example. This produces the characteristic overlapping circular graining effect. Finally, all the rotating parts of the watch movement are provided with a circular ground pattern.
Hand work with support The hand of the watchmaker guides the motor-driven abrasive point for the application of the circular-grained finish. 60
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Finished to the last detail Hand-finished brilliance By decorating its watch movements with polishing of the movement parts, engravings and ground patterns, the Armin Strom manufactory is keeping alive the time-honoured craft values of the watchmaker’s art. Some of the small details of the finish are only visible under the loupe.
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Every screw head is polished. Large surfaces are finished with Geneva stripes. A sun pattern ground finish embellishes the spring barrel cover. Rotating parts receive a circular ground pattern. The plate is circular grained. Hand engravings decorate individual movement parts. All chamfered edges are polished by hand. A longitudinal ground finish is applied to the narrow side of the movement.
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ELECTROPLATING Gold, rhodium and ruthenium
EXQUISITE BRILLIANCE FROM THE PLATING BATH After polishing and decorating with ground patterns and engravings, bridges, plates, wheels and levers are ready for electrochemical finishing. All steel and brass components are coated first with pre-gold and then with a layer of nickel by immersion in an electroplating bath. Nickel not only protects against corrosion, but also hardens the surfaces. The thickness of the coating can be controlled with the duration of immersion and the current flow between the two poles in the electroplating bath. Depending on the particular version of the watch, the parts are immersed in a further electroplating tank after the nickel-plating process and a cleaning bath. From this point on, it is all about aesthetics. The wheels of the One Week Water model are provided with a surface of yellow gold, while the bridges receive a shining white coating of the precious metal rhodium. In the One Week Earth model, on the other hand, rhodium is used for the wheels and dark grey ruthenium for the bridges. The Air model has only rhodium-plated parts, and the Fire model combines rose gold and ruthenium.
Gold plated A wheel-train bridge for the One Week model is inspected after coating.
Finishing by immersion Suspended on hangers, the movement parts are coated in an electroplating bath. 64
The sheen machine Independent and flexible The manufactory has its own multi-tank facility and is not reliant on third parties for the electroplate finishing of its parts.
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ASSEMBLY
The whole consists of many parts
A WATCH COMES TO LIFE Until now, everything was in the form of individual parts – turned, milled, polished, decorated and gold plated. The watch movement now begins to take shape in several stages. The watchmaker uses a jewelling tool to insert the jewel bearings for the spindles of the toothed wheels into the plate and bridges. This is a crucial operation, and the manner in which the jewels are pressed into place influences the correct vertical play of the wheel train. Are the toothed wheels and pinions in correct engagement with one another? Or do they need to be corrected in height by a few hundredths of a millimetre? Once the wheel train has been adjusted and the bridges and plates have been screwed down, the winding springs are tensioned with a special tool and assembled in the mainspring barrels. The installation of the escapement comprising the escape wheel, pallet fork and balance finally brings the watch movement to life. 66
The watch is still not ready for final assembly, however. The movement must first be completely dismantled once again. All the parts are washed in cleaning baths and dried before being reassembled and lubricated. After timing, the watchmaker sets the hands, fits the movement into the case and screws on the back. The finished watch is subjected to an accuracy test on a watch winder over a period of several days. Its water resistance is also tested. Only when the watch has passed all the quality inspections is it ready for the customer.
Almost there Setting the hands is one of the final operations before encasing the movement.
At the end is the watch
Four components of every watch Movement, case, dial and strap with clasp.
Neat and tidy, with the instruments arranged in precise order A watchmaker’s workbench with a parts tray, watch movement and oil dispenser.
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Component parts of the watch Every little screw counts Exploded view of the Calibre ASR07 Regulator watch movement.
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The watch and its parts
From small to large The Calibre ASR07 movement in its individual parts and the assembled watch (next page).
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Regulator Fire
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Tools
Tensioning and assembly This tool is used for tensioning the winding springs and their assembly in the spring barrel.
Fitting ball bearings The tiny ball bearings of a winding rotor are fitted with this tool.
Cleaning movements The charging module is part of a cleaning machine for watch movements.
Not for dental check-ups The mirror permits the inspection of a tool in the processing machine from all sides.
Accurate to within a thousandth of a millimetre The digital micrometer is an indispensable instrument in Fabrication.
Roller-burnishing pivots The Jacot tool is used to burnish the pivots of the wheel train arbors.
Sharpening files The files used for skeletonizing the watch movement are sharpened with a grinding wheel.
Setting jewels The watchmaker uses these tools to press the jewel bearings into plates and bridges.
Closing the case Once the watch is fully assembled, its back is screwed down tightly with the help of this vice.
Riveting pinions The pinions are riveted to the wheels with a tool from this set.
Setting the hands This instrument is used for setting the hands precisely on the watch movement after final assembly. 72
Tools
Checking tools Tools are checked for their concentricity and true running on the radial run-out gauge.
Block for engraving The turning and tilting engraving block holds the workpiece to be worked by the engraver.
Tightening screws Screwdrivers with a blade width of 0.6 to 3 mm are to hand at every watchmaker’s workbench.
Taking a close look Watchmakers’ loupes can provide up to 15-fold magnification.
Fitting the shock-absorber Like the jewel bearings, the shock-absorber is also inserted with a special tool.
Preparations for turning The settings for the automatic lathe are prepared on this profile-turning lathe.
Keeping dust at bay Dust is the enemy of any watch. Individual components are stored under a glass bell during processing.
Winding watches A watch winder will reveal whether a watch is running smoothly.
Analogue rather than digital A micrometer with an analogue scale is also capable of measuring to an accuracy of one thousandth of a millimetre.
Movement parts into the bath Suspended on this hanger, movement parts are immersed in the electroplating bath.
Measuring the height Does the movement plate have precisely the required height? The height gauge will tell you.
Assembling the case The task of this tool is to press the bezel into place in composite cases.
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THANKS
I should like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all those employees who in recent years have contributed to the growth and success of Armin Strom AG with their great commitment and their unflagging drive. Without their daily input, we would not be where we are today. This makes me proud both of the whole team and our company. I wish to thank Armin Strom and the entire Board of Directors for the trust that has been placed in me as CEO for the past two years. This challenge presents me with a unique opportunity and is developing increasingly into a true passion with every passing day. My sincere thanks to everyone involved! Serge Michel CEO, Armin Strom AG
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Contact ARMIN STROM AG Bözingenstrasse 46 CH-2502 Biel/Bienne Tel. +41 (0) 32 343 33 44 Fax +41 (0) 32 343 33 40 info@arminstrom.com www.arminstrom.com Idea / concept cosmic Werbeagentur Bern AG BSW www.cosmic.ch Design Thom Pfister, Creative Director Roland Zenger, Art Director Tamara Janes, Graphic design Rahel Alder, Desktop Publishing Stefanie Broccard, Desktop Publishing Photography Simon Opladen Text Antonia Bekiaris Isabella Jungo Peter W. Frey Lithography Denz digital AG, Bern Printing Werbedruck Petzold GmbH, Gernsheim