La technologie périphérique

PERIPHERAL TECHNOLOGY

The Challenge Patented by Carl F. Bucherer

Peripheral technology is the hallmark of Carl F. Bucherer’s watchmaking excellence and witness to its pioneering spirit. The company has combined this highly complex and aesthetically pleasing technical innovation with outstanding complications such as the tourbillon, the minute repeater, and the big date window. Samir Merdanovic, Chief Technology Officer at Carl F. Bucherer, provides us with a behindthe-scenes take on this unique expertise.

TEXT SOPHIE COLIN

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In 2008, Carl F. Bucherer became the first watchmaker to develop and launch peripheral technology in series production. Back then, the company rose to the unprecedented challenge of positioning the rotor of an automatic caliber on the periphery of the movement, refining its thickness and revealing the beauty of the mechanism. Aspiring to new heights, in 2018 the watchmaker mounted a tourbillon on the periphery alongside the rotor, and in 2021 added the minute repeater regulator. This revolutionary technical innovation is now enhanced by a new complication, the big date window. Samir Merdanovic presents the Manero Peripheral BigDate to us and traces the thrilling epic tale of peripheral technology, revealing the consummate art of assembling the components and complications to create a timepiece of signature perfection and harmony.

SAMIR, CAN YOU EXPLAIN PERIPHERAL TECHNOLOGY TO US AS WELL AS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DOUBLE AND TRIPLE PERIPHERAL?

In our automatic watches, peripheral technology is a system designed to guide the rotor toward the periphery of the movement via three ball bearings, instead of at its center as is the case for conventional automatic watches. The advantage is a flattening of the movement and an unobstructed view of the latter. In fact, the rotor never obscures any part of the movement regardless of the latter’s position.

The precursor of this concept is our CFB A1000 caliber, launched in 2008. This inspired us in 2016 to develop the CFB A2000 caliber, followed by the CFB T3000 caliber. Our CFB T3000 caliber is a self-winding tourbillon movement. This movement is called the double peripheral because besides the rotor, the tourbillon cage is also peripherally mounted. Looking at the tourbillon, it seems to have a “floating” cage, apparently suspended in space and not held by any other movement components. None of the cage components are therefore concealed by a bridge or any other mounting system.

In the case of the CFB MR3000 movement with its triple peripheral technology, we used the two peripheral principles of our tourbillon movement and added a further complication, a minute repeater, which is no small feat. The challenge consisted of integrating the peripheral system into the regulator of a striking watch.

The regulator controls the speed at which the hammers strike the gongs so that the hours, quarter hours, and minutes chime in horological harmony. In a traditional regulator system, the mechanism is mounted on a central axis with two ruby bearings. The drawback of this conventional arrangement is its thickness. By mounting the regulator peripherally, we succeeded in eliminating its pivoting movement and thus reduced its thickness by 30% to 40%.

WHY DID CARL F. BUCHERER OPT TO EXPLORE PERIPHERAL TECHNOLOGY; WHY THIS PARTICULAR ASPECT OF WATCHMAKING?

We have never spared ourselves any effort, and have always invested a lot of time and money in seeking technical solutions to create our own DNA. We neither aim to imitate, nor seek inspiration from other calibers, but to innovate with respect for the tradition of fine watchmaking. Today, we are a high-end manufacturer of cutting-edge technology focusing on niche products. We do not produce millions of movements every year, nor do we wish to do so. Instead, we aspire to satisfy the expectations of collectors who appreciate unique, outstanding timepieces. We were the first watchmaker to develop and launch series production of peripheral technology. Today, the success enjoyed by our models pays tribute to all those efforts that culminated in the creation of exclusive timepieces engineered to an exceptional degree of technical complexity, function, and aesthetic beauty that fully satisfy the expectations of our customers.

HOW MANY ELEMENTS CAN BE MOUNTED ON THE PERIPHERY OF A MOVEMENT? IS THERE A LIMIT?

No, there are no limits really. However, if there is no technical or aesthetic benefit for the movement, we do not apply the principle just for the sake of it. Its use must be justified; there must be a rhyme to the reason.

TELL US ABOUT THE MANERO PERIPHERAL BIGDATE.

It is a new model, a very beautiful, unique timepiece that is fitted with our outstanding CFB A2011 manufacture movement. It is COSC-certified and of course features our automatic peripheral system and the highly practical big date and day of week displays. The displays are positioned at 10 o’clock for the big date, at 9 o’clock for the day of the week, and at 3 o’clock for the power reserve. One glance at the arrangement of the displays tells you that you are looking at a Carl F. Bucherer watch. And indeed, we are the only watchmaker to use this dial typology. The movement is also fitted with a stop-seconds mechanism, which is a particular favorite of mine. When you are setting the time, it enables you to stop the second hand via the crown. You can therefore set the time to the second. The movement is beautifully finished in the traditional manner, beloved of our brand: Côtes de Genève–striped, angled, and diamond-beveled bridges, polished screwheads, circular-grained gear wheels, and sunburst rachet.

HOW DO YOU POSITION THE COMPONENTS OF A WATCH TO ENSURE PRECISION WORKING AND HOW DO YOU STRIKE A BALANCE WHEN ADDING COMPLICATIONS? WHERE DO YOU BEGIN AND WHAT CHALLENGE DOES THIS POSE?

Well, the challenge is part of the job. When you have a movement with more than 600 components, you leave nothing to chance. From the outset of a project, we have to be clear about what we want to display and hear, the composition and arrangement of the movement, and any constraints to be considered. For instance, we might have technical constraints of a dimensional nature – the movement might have to have a maximum diameter and a desired height – or aesthetic dictates such as the position of the tourbillon at 12 o’clock, or hammers visible from the dial side. We have to begin by visualizing our goal, then we think about ways of approaching it; we explore various paths in order to achieve what we set out to do without making any compromises in terms of the quality and precision of the movement. A huge number of challenges, considerations, and constraints are involved in creating a timepiece worthy of our name; it is a real feat of engineering.

IS THERE A HIERARCHY OF COMPONENTS AND IF SO, WHAT IS IT?

Certainly – as I explained earlier, nothing is left to chance. We start by positioning the energy of the movement, which is the organ that occupies the most space in a caliber. Take the Manero Peripheral BigDate, for instance. We size and position the barrel, then the assortment, the escapement, the gear wheels, and the manual winder, finishing with the automatic peripheral system. Then we focus on the other side of the movement in order to put in place the hand-setting, displays, and calendar complications.