Cartier

Cartier has five facilities in Switzerland, but the Cartier manufacture is in La Chaux-de-Fonds; everything from the Cartier Fine Watchmaking tourbillon to the Santos 100 is made there in one way or other. This provides an overview of the Cartier manufact...  

The entire development department, comprising technical development, R&D and the others mentioned below, are collectively known as the Think Tank (yes, it’s a pun on the that Cartier watch), and is situated in one wing of the manufacture across four...  

After development and R&D is construction. Put simply, technical development creates the movement and construction puts it in a case; the folks here design the case, dial and hands around the movement. One of the most challenging creations was the Astroto...  

Cartier’s production is most impressive, both for its scale and range. For instance there are 18 turning machines (specifically bar-fed, turning machines) in La Chaux-de-Fonds making only bracelet and clasp parts. Some of these Bumotec S-1000 machin...  

Movement components are of course manufactured in La Chaux-de-Fonds, ranging from the basic 1904 MC automatic to the Astrotourbillon. These are made on a variety of milling and drilling machines. Raw components from the milling machines are beadblasted to...  

Cartier even manufactures hands in-house. The department producing hands is fully integrated, from stamping, polishing, bluing or plating and application of Luminova. In fact, it even has a machine that cuts and punches the small paper cards that hold the...  

Movement assembly is split into three areas: mechanical and quartz. Assembly for mechanical and quartz movements are done assembly line style, with one watchmaker assembling one portion of the movement. Movements are slid from one watchmaker to another vi...  

Cartier makes all the mechanical and non-moving components of the quartz movements in-house, save for the quartz, battery and integrated circuit. The quartz movements are designed by Cartier and the ICs made to specification by an external contractor. The...  

Great to get such an inside in the Cartier-facilities! I think it is also very good people see how high end a Cartier-quartz movement is. Martin

This is excellent information. I am the proud owner of a Cartier Tank Solo. Although I knew that the movement is made inhouse, this extra information has added to my confidence in the Cartier inhouse quartz movements. Since getting my first Cartier with a... 

High complications are completed in a separate area. Each complicated watch, the Tortue perpetual calendar or Astrotourbillon for example, is completed by one watchmaker. All the parts that comprise the watch, case, dial, hands and movement components, ar...  

Once the movements are assembled, they are sent to the adjacent casing area. Here, dials and hands are mounted on the movement, after which it is cased and the strap or bracelet is installed. The completed watches then undergo quality control checks for t...  

Decoration and fine finishing of movement components is done in an atelier adjacent to the workshops for high jewellery and enamel. The atelier is quiet and the work careful. The watchmakers in this atelier do bevelling, striping and other decorative poli...  

One of the highlights of the manufacture is its enamelling atelier. This is a rare and impressive skill that few manufactures possess. Enamel is created by melting powdered glass onto a substrate, usually metal in watchmaking, with colour coming from meta...  

Needless to say, Cartier has its own high jewellery department in the manufacture to work on high jewellery watches. Only the very highest end jewellery watches are created here, including the unique pieces with dozens or hundreds of carats of gems unveil...  

Restoration of vintage watches and assembly of ultra-complications are done in a small atelier. Practically any vintage timepiece can be restored here, including clocks, pocket watches and pendant watches. And by restoration I mean the entire object, not ...  

for bringing us one of the most extensive and impressive pictorial reports I can remember reading about any watch company. The incredible amount of time and effort you put in, culminating in a comprehensive report, wiill leave readers - including myself -... 

the comments are meaningful. Thanks Jack. - SJX

very comprehensive...giving us better appreciation of Cartier's horological skills and capabilities.

I love those brightly colored croco hides and those little rubber thingies for the fingers... does durex make them as well LOL.. Seriously though.. Cartier's setup looks impressive and that is mirrored by some of their creatiosn of late.

Excellent report! It certainly gives one understanding why the watches cost what they do. Quite an amazing amount of manpower and machine work. Thank you

I cannot imagine a better overview report of the La Chaud-de-Fonds ateliers, then this one. Thanks so much for this huge and excellent report, It's like, if I had been there myself. Superb & great work SJX! GEO

and I have to go thru it a few more times; really a lot of very interesting information SJX. It may sound silly, but I was also very impressed and surprised to seeing how the polishing is being done. Especially since some watch bracelets are pretty compli... 

and now you know why. Thanks for the kind comments Geo. - SJX

bar just keeps getting higher and higher. GREAT job JX!!

... and many thanks for taking us to see such impressive watch manufacture! stefan

This is just a fantastic report for the archives. Very comprehensive and eye-opening. Good to know which spa our watches end up at when they're sent to La Chaux-de-Fonds! People who see Cartier as just jewelers should be directed to this post. Thanks very... 

Currently tours have only been conducted for press, but if you are keen, drop me a line. - SJX

about Cartier ... chapeau for you kind effort to bring us atmosphere of big manufacture All the best Damian

Hi SJX, Thank you for your superb report. Your report shows incredible creation and manufacturing capacities for this great brand that is one of the pillars of the wristwatch history and industry. I hope it will help people better understand the value of ... 

Thank you so much for this extraordinary report!

I'm wowed by your pictures and coverage. I love seeing all the behind-the-scenes shots of artisans at their craft and humongous machines doing their thing. Cartier's integrated method of production is quite impressive! Cheers, Daos

in depth. Love the way Cartier are pushing forward, while also taking care of the past and heritage pieces. If ever there was a lesson on how to enhance your capabilities and push towards the future, Cartier provides the ideal case study. Very very impres... 

Loved the article and pictures! Truly a remarkable documentary! Just a small question about the backwind caliber shown in the pictures for this installment (Chapter XIII: Restoration). I believe that you may have mis-identified the small backwind movement...  

It appears you are right, it is indeed the 403. The 101 and 104 were also used for the Duoplan and are similar in some respects, but different calibres all together as you point out. - SJX

Hello SJX, Thanks for taking us along for the manufacturer tour at Cartier! Nice Ballon Bleu wrist shot! -MW

Thanks SJX. In particular I enjoyed the post on the finishing and decorating. It's such intricate work and you can see the concentration on the watchmakers. Regards, ED-209

We clearly understand that the Cartier strategy is based upon strong know-how. Fr.Xavier

Fantastic report...this should be compiled itno a book.

BTW, any info on the number of employees in that manufacturing plant? Regards Ling

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Very thorough report that many will enjoy to read over and over. Great work SJX! Cheers, Anthony

the more I am finding it impossible to resist the temptation. I had a chance to visit the NYC flagship boutique - wow! Now that is the classic definition of luxury Salon! I agree with you about the dial and casework, Cartier has always been tops in these ... 

What a fantastic and insightful article. Thank you for putting in so much effort to allow all of us access to such good information.