Independents

I like the way English name them : watchmakers. This sounds, I must admit, much better than the French wording (horloger). But on the other hand, the word watchmaker might be too restrictive. Indeed how many watchmaker will you see in Baselword this year ? How many people these days are making a watch as by their naming?

 
Well I met one last October. Later, I got lucky among the luckiest and spent four weeks in Manufacture Janvier.

 
As an horology enthusiast I jumped on the Antiqua’s catalog in 2001. In 2003, as a watchmaker student (night courses) I have always consider Vianney Halter as my ideal as a watchmaker. As I was reaching the end of my studies with a 4 weeks internship I only made one application.

 

 

Four weeks is far not enough to learn about making a watch, but fair enough to know what it means. In Manufacture Janvier, it means :

• design the movement / test it / develop it
• make each of its part (well let’s cut this short: on the Trio, not the stones, nor the balance stuffs)
• make the dial/hands
• make the case
• make the box
• make the buckle
• make the watchwinder included in the box
• make the finishing…

And all this, at a level of quality that is rarely seen.

 

When I first visited the manufacture, I was pretty sure, the cases were made outside as it usually is a tough part of the work. I didn’t find any polishing lathe so I thought the finishing of the case was made outside as well. I saw the wooden box but who would be crazy enough to build the included watch winder (Antiqua). The hardening of those little springs ? Well I thought they would come in a box by thousands. The dial, I had seen the magnificent work of the engravers but who would imagine that an Antiqua dial would need two weeks of hand engraving ? And why ?

 

So, I am going to flood you about Vianney Halter for a few days but I really think this worth to know what a watchmaker is doing.

 

No need to say, but I am doing it anyway : I love IWCs, Panerai, Breguet, Omega, Breitling, I own several of these and will surely continue to enjoy and buy. I would love to add a Vianney Halter, Voutilainen, or so, but my wife said “no” (not to give you the extended version). I mean, I am not here to sale Vianney Halter, nor to say that except for him, rest is crap. I think you got my point, it’s just that I had this unique opportunity to explore Janvier from the inside and am enthusiastic to share with you what makes me dream in doing this job.

Let's start by the end and check at Christian, casing an Antiqua. Christian, not me, but another Christian. You might get lost when I am talking about Christian as we were 3 at that time, out of a dozain. Christian H ; Christian L and Christian R ...

Here is Christian L:




I love Christian's "office", especially in winter




The whole operation of casing is taking about 3 hours. Quite stressfull as you must avoid the faintest scratch. You might easily waste several days of your colleague's work. Well, with the comments provided by Christian, we probably reached 4 hours, but  4 hours I hardly noticed passing.



The movement just assembled, here is already one month of work just in pre-assembly and assembly. The movement basis is a Lemania. Ho, I hear some saying in the back that this is not in-house. Well, you're right, but you need to understand that the watch was first built in 1998 and at that time, Vianney wasn't feeling confortable in making a whole movement. He did learn it later with the Goldpfeil experience. The Trio is in-house movement and he's planning to make his own Antiqua's mainplate soon, when the second CN machine will be operational. For the time being, the Lemania is still used but I can tell you that the changes made are making it something really different from its basis (new stones, new openings for the fucntion, moving some wheels, ... In the end, the in-house will be easier to produce, and that's why they'll be doing). Note also the architecture of the overall result that is far from the usual modular QP. The reason is that they worked a lot in trying to integrate as much as possible of the complication, in the basis. The idea was to keep the movement as flat as possible. You can notice as well the finishing of the parts, such as the bridges, wheels, springs...







Then comes the case. The case is made out of 6 different parts assembled by invisible soldering.





First checks for the settings appendices in the case (QP correctors)







First dial, the hours/minutes
The dial is not fixed, it's the top part of the case that will block all the 3 dials thanks to the little slots at 6 and 12.









Checking the instantaneous jump of the date, as well the 28th february.







Second dial

 





Last one :







Checking the Bezel. Vianney is calling this part the table, maybe because that's how is called the very top and flat surface of a diamond.








Cleaning the inside part of the table.





This part is amazing. This is a very nice piece of machining and assembly. Note that every traces of tools have been removed with "traits brouillés" (scrambled stripes ?)







Silicone gasket





Delicate part : assembling the table with the case. Remember that you have to match the 6 slots of the dials that will be "squeezed".









Assembling the table is made with screws






Oups, a screw is slightly too long and might interfere with the oscilating mass :
Christian is turning with the hand. It's rare as most of the watchmaker would prefer the motor. He prefers to adapt the speed this way, although it requires a good experience. Well, he surely is !







Cleaning the oscilating mass :
Christian is just mentionning that " You know these days, people have crazy cameras and I don't want to see any dust on some watches posted on the Purists".






Here is the secret :






We have few more minutes to enjoy the result :
Pay attention at the perfect polishing of the case. Sharp angles, alternance of soft and shiny... It might take about a week to polish a platinium case to reach this level of perfection. Vianney is very proud of the finising of its cases. Of course, the buyer will damage it at the first contact but his feeling when he'll open the box worth the time and efforts spent in a high level polishing. I Didn't see Laurence polishing a case, that's one of the rare operations I missed but there is no lathe polishing here that would damage the angles. Only sticks, various abrasives, and patience, a lot of patience...
























Here is something else waiting, the first Trio yellow gold produced ! That something really breathtaking but we'll come back to this another time.

I want to see it all !!!

Don

 

Vianney's watches has so much soul.
Simply wonderful.
*CL

It's a real pleasure to read ... you can feel the passion through the text and the pictures

I'll be waiting all the week for the next ones but don't forget to spent time with your family they are the one supporting us!

Thank you kind sir, for sharing your experience.....what a nice temporary placement!

The quality of the finishing and photos were excellent, whilst the watch was a 'virgin'.  Pity that the first touch by the owner will remove the 'prestine-ness'. 

I saw an Antiqua for sale by a "world-class" auction house that did not match the 'excellent' description, having suffered at the hands of the last owner...missing screw for the 'table' and misaligned subdials.

Now, I can see what excellent looks like.

 

Regards, MTF

That's a pity some just do not consider such a watch as it should be.

This is mainly the reason why I feel necessary to describe the process of watchmaking in Vianney's manufacture. As I was writing in the introduction post, I couldn't myself imagine that such a work was possible in the same place, and at this quality level. I visited dozain of other "manufactures" and this place is really something ! So are the timepieces...

Again, not saying that it is the unique and best way of making. I would have had to throw away all of my watches once back. But it is really needed to highlight all the efforts they put in their watches.

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Hello Alex, I heard about your watch during some lunch break, now I see it
Nice pick.
If I got knock out years ago by the Antiqua, the Trio recently took the lead in my preferences.

presented as a prototype. I love the Antiqua but my problem is that unfortunately cash doesn't grow on trees :-(

The new Trio is incredible.
Love to see a wristshot one day.
Geo

How I wish VH is a manual wind...that will be sweet
*CL

A wristshot gives such a good idea of how a watch really looks like.
Thanks! Geo

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I can't wait to see your posts about Vianney Halter work, my friend.

You are a true passionate, with a large view on Horology, and I not only respect that, but I love it!!!

See you soon!

Best.

Nicolas

I enjoyed your post a lot and will be awaiting for the rest in the coming days!

All the best!
Lionel

Vianney is amazing, and his Antiqua fascinates me a lot. Many thanks for sharing…Christian.

 

Teetann

I propose a little tour in the Vianney Halter's manufacture. This will give you an overview of the production tools. Most of the tools are from the golden age of the precision tooling industry so don't make any mistake although some might look old, they are still at the edge of the precision machines and very desirable. Well maybe too much from my point of view as the prices keep on growing as the availability decreases.




Ground floor, R&D, as well as galvanoplasty, decoration (Perlage / Cotes de Genève) :

Bruno is in charge of the CAD area as well as prototyping. They are using Inventor as well as Tellwatch for some simulations. Bruno did really boost the CAD approach in Janvier.






In his back, the Galvano unit but we'll come back in details on this process





Sensitive drilling machine for the Perlage





The Cote de Genèves machine :




Ho, well, it's not a chiming watch, but :






The new CN milling unit  being tested on plexyglass
This machine is an homemade transformation of a metrology tool. Its accuracy thanks to it's structure/geometry/quality of assembly is greatly appreciated. Three step by step motors, water cooled, are controling X-Y-Z and another one for the milling that will be soon controlled as well. Christian H, did this transformation as well as the first machine we'll find at the upper floor.





Christian H, Vianney's brother, discussing with Bruno about some fine tuning ont the new CN machine







First floor, machinery floor :


The first CN machine. This one doesn't have a controlled Z so it's just a binary up/down controled axis. This is already enough for basic 2D parts cutting.






Some parts made out of this machine :




Aciera F3 milling machine :




A Jig borer machine from Deckel. This is a machine I totally fell in love with.




Another Jig Borer machine. Very well equiped but not frequently used in the watchmaking business. But in this following set of three big machines, it could be pretty useful for making some tools as watchmakers always need some specific ones. Well, we also have to admit that they are also used for the other passions Vianney has such as old cars and planes ...


Big Saw



Big Lathe




A very desirable couple of Schaublin Lathe :



This one is used to make the screwing parts of the cases for instance.



Lip flatening machine



Schaublin milling machine



Hauser profile projector :



EDM machine for drilling




One of the sharpening machines to make your own cutting tools.




Overview of one part of this floor but are missing, the ovens and hardening area.



Second floor, watchmaker and office floor :

Administrative as well as Vianney's office, with a strange but very intersting collection of  various indicators.







The room where is made the engraving, beveling, and with some watchmaker's tools





Very nice Dixi cutting machine and very rare :



A set of Schaublin lathes



Aciera F1 machine in green and a Hauser jig borer machine with the big brown wheels



Another Schaublin lathe but with a specific configuration in order to use it with the Hauser beside, and as a Burin Fixe. We'll come back to this tool in another post. And again, I totally fell in love for this amazing tool.



A set of watchmaker's 6mm lathes



In a separate room, the polishing :


That should be quite easy to understand even if you ca'nt read french.





The watchmaker's room for the assembly :





There is another floor left, with an amazing collection of big clocks. You know, the ones you find in churchs as well as city hall buildings.

LOL      in the polishing section:

Touch my parts and I will kill you !        Sometimes, don't you just feel like that at work?

 

Regards,

MTF

e

Looks busy.

Vianney has aged.

How is the Citroen XM doing? Has he restored the damned thing?

The engine is still in front of the garage and what a piece... The restauration is not completed yet but they recently hired a new mechanical guy who is a big fond of car mechanics. Things might move pretty fast then.

I still have to complete this post...damn busy week(s) !

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Félicitations Christian pour ton article. J’espère que nous aurons le plaisir de nous revoir à Paris prochainement.