A visit to the Fleurier Ebauches Workshops

AndrewD

Fleurier Ebauches provides further evidence that Chopard intends to be a powerhouse in Swiss watchmaking. Not content with just producing hand-made exotica in the L.U.Chopard range, Chopard established Fleurier Ebauches in 2008 to produce a greater number of in-house movements and guarantee their independence and vertical integration.

There was still some construction going on around the manufacture when I visited in October last year, but inside is a hive of activity ...

I was fortunate enough to get a glimpse inside Fleurier Ebauches. The building itself is state of the art with environmental engineering to maintain optimum light and temperature conditions for the workers inside, regardless of outside conditions.

Materials are lapped to provide perfect thickness for further milling ...

Automated CNC machines produce components which are further cleaned and finished.

A range of components are produced ...

While more of the basic milling is done on CNC machines, there is still plenty of hands-on finishing, including the application of perlage.

Annual production in 2012 was around 5000 movements and Chopard plan to increase this over the next 3 years to reach approximately 15,000 movements in 2015.

Plenty of opportunity for expansion ...

In the future we can expect even higher quality movements in the entry level Chopard range which is very exciting.

The view of Fleurier Ebauches from the LUC Manufacture in Fleurier ...

Andrew

Comments:

amanico March 20th, 2013-04:53

Thanks for the visit, Andrew. Which raises a question and a hope; Well, the question is the hope, as I thought Chopard made more watches per year, and I hope that they will still maintain this level of quality, even if the production is 3 times more important. Best, Nicolas.

AndrewD March 20th, 2013-18:45

Your hope will be realised ... Hi Nico, Those production figures are solely for Fleurier Ebauches and do not include the LUC Manufacture in Fleurier or the Geneva Manufacture in Meyrin. And in fact what Fleurier Ebauches will allow is an increase in quality and a greater degree of inde...

aaronm March 20th, 2013-06:52

Nice to see them growing the line I'd love to see them reduce the dependence on commodity movements... thanks for the report A

AndrewD March 20th, 2013-18:49

That's definitely the strategy here Thanks Aaron, That is definitely Chopard's business strategy and I am very impressed with it. They pay careful attention to all areas of their product range. Andrew

aaronm March 21st, 2013-15:03

Well.... SFWIBW points out that they have essentially nothing in the ladies range with anything but bog-standard ETA, and it's 90% quartz.... a area ripe for improvement! A

AndrewD March 22nd, 2013-03:27

SFWIBW = She for whom I buy watches? The focus of Chopard mechanical watches do seem to be the men's line. I'm sure they know their female customers well, but a move into a small ladies watch mechanical movement made in house would seem possible now. Andrew

aaronm March 22nd, 2013-07:32

If they can do it.... with more jewels then diamonds, I know one customer will be happy A ps and yes, you got the acronym exactly

Kong March 28th, 2013-08:31

An update, favourable to ... :-) Hi A Not sure if you wish to keep it to yourself or tell HER :-) Chopard has Imperiale Watches (Gold and Full pave set ) with the Fleurier Ebauches movements. The 40mm gold time-only Imperiale are with the Chopard 01.01-C movements while the 40mm Full pav...

tick tock doctor March 20th, 2013-17:10

Another awesome post, AndrewD.

AndrewD March 20th, 2013-18:51

Thanks. Just wait until ... ... I show you inside the L.U.Chopard Manufactures. You will be more than impressed. This is a company that really takes their watchmaking seriously. Andrew

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