New caliber-maker ValSwiss is a supplier to C.T. Scuderia, among other brands.
ments per month, it has three movements of its own design and manufacture with twin main barrels. The Cal. TT-781 is a manual-wind movement and the Caliber TT-738.00 is an automatic movement with a five-day power reserve. Technotime’s capability is proven in its Caliber TT-791 tourbillon, which is offered is six different references. Most significant is Technotime’s production of hairsprings; this will become increasingly important to other movement manufacturers, most of which continue to rely on the Swatch Group’s Nivarox division for this critical component.
The Rolex Caliber 4161 as configured for its Yacht Master II features a true regatta countdown feature. It is a column-wheel chronograph and has a chronometer certification.
ValSwiss ValSwiss AG is perhaps Switzerland’s youngest and smallest movement manufacturer. It opened for business in 2010 in Quartino near the Italian border. It presently manufactures five different automatic calibers with varying module complications. Providing it can acquire the components it does not manufacture itself, ValSwiss is well positioned to grow along with the rising demand for mechanical movements. La Joux-Perret/Citizen La Joux-Perret is based in La Chaux-de-Fonds and employs 170 people. The company makes numerous modules and movements, reportedly more than 50,000 units of both varieties in total per year, and performs many stamping, machining and finishing operations for many other Swiss mechanical movements. The company is a source for many top Swiss manufacturing companies and watch brands. Citizen, which of course offers its own Miyota workhorse mechanical movements to brands worldwide, purchased La Joux-Perret in 2012. Chronode Ten years ago Jean-Francois Mojon opened Chronode SA in Le Locle with the ambitious plan of producing some of the most complex and exquisite movements to Switzerland’s most prestigious watch brands and providing design services to realize design ideas of its clients. His collaborations include Harry Winston, MB&F and HYT, among others. In recent years he has produced several in-house calibers, including a tourbillon, having a total annual build of roughly 1,500 movements.
The ETA Valgranges Ca. A07.171 with a diameter of 36.6 mm was designed to meet the requirements of larger watch cases. The automatic movement has 24 jewels and a frequency of 28,800 vph.
Soprod Owned by the Les Reussilles-based Swiss Festina Group, Soprod is a large-scale quartz and mechanical movement maker with most movement production supplied to other watch brands. Soprod has a production capacity of over 100,000 units per year of its SOP A10 automatic movement, often compared to the ETA 2892. Dubois-Depraz This distinguished manufacturer, founded in 1901, creates high-end complication modules for top brands in Switzerland, Germany and England. Its specialty is chronographs and perpetual calendars and it supplies flyback modules for some of the best-known models in Switzerland. Employing 150 people, its two locations in Le Lieu, Switzerland, in the heart of the Swiss Jura, make components for other companies and complete subcontracting for individual brands. Brands to Manufactures Rolex stands as the premier example of vertical integration of all components manufactured for its watches. This was a corporate goal years ago and the Geneva-based luxury watchmaker has long had the financial resources to do so. Of course, many Richemont brands, especially Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget, Roger Dubuis, Panerai and Vacheron Constantin, have made in-house movement manufacturing a top priority. IWC recently announced major manufacturing expansion, while Cartier recently added massive in-house caliber production.
Technotime offers a tourbillon movement with its Caliber TT 791. Its twin barrels provide a generous 120-hour power reserve.
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