You've Never Seen Breitling Like This: How They're Made

Here we are in Lashodafon, an industrial hub for Swiss watchmaking. This town located in the canton of Nhatel has been home to some of the most celebrated names in herology. Among them stands one with significant influence, Brightling. Today we are joined by the brand's chief operating officer who will give us a transparent look around their facilities showing how their watches are made. We'll see everything from R&D, design, assembly, and demonstrating the techniques perfected over its 140 plus years of history that have allowed Brightling to be one of Switzerland's most acclaimed watch makers. >> Daniel, thank you so much for having us here at Brightling. So, I know we have a lot in store at this site. So, maybe if we can explain first what are we going to see today and where exactly are we? We are the manufacturer chronometry and in this specific building we are focusing on the movement development and production until the homologation. >> Mhm. >> And today I think we will start definitely from the beginning where everything starts meaning at the technical office where we are doing the the conception the constructions of the movement and then we will pass through all the different step until the coming back to the homologations of the product. So today is going to be a whole view of basically how a Brightling watch is constructed from an ideated concept to a finished product. Absolutely. >> Let's go. >> Let's go. So here in this specific workshop in we are in the technical office mostly for development of movement and everything start from here to do the first construction conception simulation and then we we can start with already a very good base for the prototyping. So when you're developing something like this like what is the thought process? What where does it start? How long does this take? Cuz I would imagine this is a lot of consideration. you used your B 01 which that was 2009 consideration. I'm sure there was years of development before that. How did this process come about and what what are the ways that you're testing this? But we we have a certain number of constraints first as we we were of course using our B01 movement. It was absolutely key to start on that and today as you know there is few brands that have a perpetual calendar based on the chronograph movement. It was the first challenge. It's to to be able to use our base to develop this specific model and then to have a very readable uh information on the dials. And when you're manufacturing like a component like this this whole perpetual module, is this something that you're doing and producing in-house like like when you're designing this and then also developing it like are you doing the prototyping right in this workshop as well and all that? We some of the element are done internally especially for prototyping but anyway we are working closely with a certain number of partners specialized for every specific part but again what is for me the most important is the conceptions because we are not talking only about the functions we are really talking about at the same time the realability of the movement of course the price the cost it's also a very element so we have to think a little bit how we will produce who will assemble the movement and even more important it then also the repairability being able to do a service worldwide for our customer and this is all the the element we have to take into account in our own technical office. So Teddy here we are in the laboratory who support the movement development as well the production when we have I would say an issue something we can make all the test and analysis but most important is the support that it bring for the movement development and here we can just see an example okay >> of what we do in term of uh checking raw material to to be sure of the quality of the raw material or sometime on the surface treatment or on some element stand that we can observe on on some component. Here we have the oscillating weight in 22 karat gold on which we have seen some stand that we don't understand why it's here >> and here thank to the analysis we are able to provide the right action plan to correct the the mistake. >> So you have this table the periodic table here and it's going to give you an analysis based off of that scan. >> Yes. and and based of the result we know if maybe just cleaning again the oscillating weight will solve the problem or maybe we have to go back on during the process where we have identified something wrong >> I think the other thing I would stress here too is we're talking about deep magnification of this like this is almost beyond what like the naked eye is even going to notice but this is the level of detail that you're looking at you're still trying to >> chasing perfection as much as you can >> absolutely and here we see that because we are in the manufacturer and of course manufacturer means It is there is many things done by the human ants but sometime new technology help us to go behind these kind of things. Next step we want to see it's the aging test. Here what we can see it's a test of the pusher and we are doing aging who simulate 16 years. >> So how long are these tests going to simulate 16 years? >> So for this specific one it takes 3 days 24 hours not stopping. If we have a failure, something happen then we can do all the analysis to understand where come from the problem. Is it problem of dust or is it the material? Is it the assembly? And as we are in the process of ongoing improvement when we we bring a new material or a new supplier maybe or we have changed something, we redo all the qualifications >> and then in this is all linked up with like a data set. So you could probably figure out exactly when at what point are you running into this aspect of wear and where things could might break down both internally but also could be more like externally or when I say externally maybe like something like the hands or anything of that could be thrown off. >> At the same time we are doing the simulation of the functions. So we have also analyzing all react the movement in term of of precision stability and things like that. Okay. You know, we are going to to see a little bit the the chronograph reset and observe what we can observe here. It's a simulation of what is doing the ants seconds when it's reset. >> When you hit that reset pusher, this is basically slowed down. And what's what's the video of this? How many frames per second are we talking about here? >> So here to have the ability to see something, it's a 4,500 frame per second. So if you ever reset a chronograph, you're going to see something here that might blow your mind if you've never seen it slow down to this degree. >> Absolutely. The first time I had seen the image, I was also a little bit surprised because when you observe with your own chronograph, it just >> it looks like it settles right at 12:00. >> And here this is the reality of what is doing the end seconds. It's really goes long way back then coming again and again and again. And here you can see it's take a long period of it seems it take a long period of time before to stabilize and this is of course done instantly. What it's important to see when we we do that >> is to verify first that visually speaking we can never see anything on on the normal use of the watch. And and the the challenge here is to offer a very thin and delicate ends in term of aesthetic and design, but at the same time very resistant not only to one reset, but the reset done by a customer during at least 16 years. >> What was like one of the considerations when you were doing these tests? Like was there like a point where you were seeing a lot of like tension happening where something could actually break? Cuz when we look at chronograph hands or just hands in general, we just think about the aesthetics. But in a chronograph I mean you are dealing with this reset. There's a lot of just torque that's being wound up and you have to go back to this resting position. Was there a part of the component that actually was wearing down? >> In fact there is different parameter. The first one is of course the design itself and for that we need to play with the whiteness of the the ends and the thickness and al also the selection of the material itself. >> So you're trying to fortify that but you don't want to get in the way of the all the work that's been done on that design point of >> Absolutely. We try always to respect the designs that have been done in our studio design to keep the code and everything but at the same time it must work. Okay. So today we have seen already different test we have seen simulation we have talk about theory but now we have the real life and we have here exactly what a watch must resist and here we simulate if we let the watch go down on the floor. M so shock test basically >> shock test it's the worst one and when we have done many other test at the end this is the one which give us the reality about the the liability of the product >> should I do it >> please >> all right I love how we have all these complex machines but then in a good old swinging hammer what is this simulating like a drop test of a certain height >> yes normally it simulate the 1 m >> 1 meter >> yes more or less you have your watch and it fall on So if you had it like on your wrist or at a table fall off you understand if that's going to withstand that >> and we do that for every new watches that we develop and bring to the market. >> Okay Teddy we are now in the micromechanics workshop. We have uh support for movement development but also for watch and abiage development. At the same time we have also production of some movement components. >> So this is a feeder for a variety of different departments for Bright Line. >> Absolutely. Here we have our two CNC five axis on which we are we are doing cases case bag bezel crone pusher these kind of things. For example, here just right there we have example of other uh component we are doing but this is to support the production. For example, we have the tray where we put the rubies and then it will be used on the T0 workshop for the pick and play. But we need to have these kind of things and here we are able to produce here also internally. >> So these kit even the kits trays. >> Exactly. So and and this support the production that we will see in a minute. >> Interesting. >> Now we are going to the electro erosion machine where we can do very efficiently a lot of component. Here you can see the system it's work with a string that you can see here on which we have 60 kilome the wire wire cut >> the wires that cut the material. And here you can see some sample of uh different component that we are doing here. This is more for component for movement. If we have enough space, we put the same component but two, three, four times on the same plates. And with one step, we can then get many different components that we will usually use for the first first phase of prototyping. Why do you decide to still want to develop components in house and then do this >> here in particular? It's to uh make the the the process of development more quick. It's time to market because if we are able, we do the simulation on the technical office. We do the prototype. Then we test it directly just next door to the laboratory. We can see if there is some weaknesses or things to improve. Then we redo modification on the technical office. redo the prototyping here, retest and homologate. This is really a short and quick uh quick process development for for for any new component. >> So Daniel, is there a specific component or like components that you're really thoughtful of of wanting to maintain the knowhow? >> The balance wheel. So you you can actually still produce those here like you don't have to rely on suppliers if you don't need to. For us it's strategic to to have business now all to conserve it and we are still producing every day uh certain number of our balance wheel okay >> that we are doing on this turning machine and for example with the example here where we are starting from a bar on which >> the raw material here >> we are doing all the turning of course it's absolutely not the the antia productions because we need much more than that but it's important to to keep and to conserve the no internally. >> So what this will do is it'll go in this machine and it'll just gradually start cutting them cutting out the balance wheels. >> But of course we are using also this turning machine for other type of tiny component that we are able to do it. And again it's very useful when we are doing prototyping for new movement or or some improvement on some component that we first produce internally to do all the test. Okay, now we are entering at the beginning of the production of the movement. So we are working on the milling workshops where we are doing all the component all the abolish in French and here you have more or less the same type of equipment where we are doing the same time the the main plate but also all the other bridges. There is four big steps. The first one is the milling itself of all the operation until we separate the component from the plate. >> Mhm. >> Which is done also in this workshop and then we will move to do the sand blasting. This is an operation that we start to remove a little bit the >> the debris on the >> Yes. and also all the the the mark of milling >> and then we continue also with with treatment of deburing with water uh high pressure jet. >> So all of these machines here that we're looking at in this room are can be programmed for specific components. They have a specific step and they'll get these plates on the inside like what we're seeing here. Correct. Here we have the the right representation of all the eight components we are producing here. >> They all start from the same shape >> like a raw material plate. >> Yes. But even if the thickness is different depending of the need and the component. >> So like a main plate will be a thicker material than like a bridge for example. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. Okay. >> And and here of course we are always talking about the quality of the movement, quality of the component. But for us what is also very important is to be able to produce efficiently. Efficiently meaning to master the quality and also master the efficiency. And you can see example of where we we were producing at the beginning with only two or three component in the plate and now we have optimized having four. And just to give a scale to this I mean if you have a main plate of a B01 there's going to be 350 plus components just on that move. I mean this is a small city that we're talking about on this scale. >> Absolutely. Here we are talking about eight component out of more than 300. >> Yeah. But even like for all the pivots for the main plate, I mean you have to consider all these holes where there's a lot going on for the program of that. >> No, this is definitely the most complex component, >> all the pivot points, all the I mean it's >> and and the precision must be really uh extreme. I will say as soon as we have finished the the process of the the the milling it goes through sand blasting in order to remove all the marks of machining on the movement and we you will see an full automatized uh equipment where we can do both both side of the plate where we will then remove completely the marks at the same time. It's the first um first step to remove a little bit some bird that we still have after the machining. Next to this station we will see another equipment where we will do by water high pressure uh on the on the plate to at this stage really remove completely the the debing and then we will just have a final uh inmate control here as we are at the beginning of the production with the first element the the the base of the movement that we are producing all years long 24 hours per day the the quality of those component must be uh must be perfect. That's why we have add few years ago new equipment they can do automatized control both for dimension uh the the also for the the position of all the oils that we have and thanks to this automatic new control equipment we have been able to multiply by at least 10 the number of uh quality control we are doing during all the production process. So, what this can do is take the after you've gone through the production of the milling is we'll test before this goes to the watch maker to do this assembly and we're talking about T1 like they're able to have all this perfected to know that this is going to work once it gets in a human's hands. >> It must be perfect to go to the next stage. >> Yep. That's it. >> But for that it was really a difficult and long process of handmade control. And thanks with new technology we have really improved again the reliability of the movement. So Daniel as we proceed through this concept of assembly there's preassembly there's something known as T0. So for somebody who's not familiar with that process can you explain what happens in this room what is done and then also the scale of you have human touch then you have automation that can happen depending on what needed to be done. Correct. >> Yes. Here we are in the pre-assembly. So meaning we are taking the different part that have been produced again internally or purchase and we put all together depending of the need we can use as you explain manual press to assemble some tiny component but when it's become more complex and here we are talking about the garnish the word in French where we put the rubies the small pins on the main plate or on bridges. Here we are usually using more automatized equipment >> but there's still the level of human touch that will happen in this preassembly. So what what are these technicians working on right here? >> So here for example they are working on the different step needed to assemble the mobile second chrono which is certainly one of the most complex component in the in the movement very long and and precise axis. We have designed all the organization of the workshop around all the different step needed to do it. >> As we go to the next room, I think another thing to talk about here is a preassembly of maybe a broader movement, but then there's also individual uh parts that can be preassembled here as well. So we're talking about this central seconds which is actually done in this department. So more complex movements you might have for a chronograph uh you have this done at this stage so that when you move to T1 the watchmaking process of assembly can move that much quicker. >> Yes. Because for for example here we are doing knowing that in the chronograph we have more than 300 component. >> Mhm. with the preassembly where we take a certain number of component that we pull all together or all the small uh element like pin or stone that we put on the bridges or stone at the end we have more or less 30 kits that we will go in the assembly line. >> So you're basically here creating these kits and what goes in those kits dependent on what the actual movement is and what the watch will be ultimately. >> Absolutely. And of course we have like we see here manual operations depending of the of the needs and then we can have more elaborate equipments and more automatized depending what we want to reach. So you have manual operation, you have semi automated operation and you have like really full automation for depending on what the need is. >> And we select the equipment depending of the complexity of the operation we have to do >> depending also of the quantity we have to do some some uh also the level of precision >> because after this this is going to go to T1 further assembly. If you don't get this right at this stage you might create more work at the other next step. in between the preassembly and the assembly because we have to recheck everything and retouch many things and everything we have in the past worked a lot to retouch. Now with new equipment we we are both kind of equipment we can have even better level of quality and repability >> in terms of setting uh these machines too because just because it's automated doesn't mean that there's not steps required for manual intervention. Absolutely. How long does it take to actually set these machines? >> When we perfectly master the equipment anyway, it will take minimum 3 hours to set. But at the same time, if we go to the other automatized equipment, the the time of setting will be even doubled. Here we arrive um where we have the one of the most complex uh automatized equipment that we we use for example for the main plate where we have the most number of component to be set to be fixed on the on this main place. So all different components and I can see there's like 35 different >> exactly >> capacity for trays and then it's smart enough to know to grab that component put this particularly exactly what you have to go to to take on the tray to put perfectly with the right pressure right precisions and and this is really key uh to master the quality. >> Yeah it's unbelievable. So in this specific workshop the regular we have 18 different steps. >> What is important is to just have a look on some of them. So over here you will see the operation where we we assembled the collet inside the air spring with solding operation. And this is what you can see here on the on the screen. >> Applying a little bit of heat right to that point and that's where it will become affixed to that central mass for the hairspring. And this is so crucial too because you talk about this equilibrium as it goes to these other steps that central mass and making sure that attachment point is perfect is so crucial. >> It's a starting point where we we start and then we will go through all the other operation for the the right balance of uh of the balance wheel and the air spring. >> So this is just one of 18 steps that we're seeing here. >> Absolutely. >> So another step over here that we're going to look at is ensuring that the balance will rotate properly. So we'll have that oscillation once the wash maker will actually get it in his hand. So what we're seeing here is just this testing of once that hair spring is set uh the balance wheel is in place checking that rotation. >> Absolutely. And this is really key as if we miss this step we will never be able to properly set the the movement. >> And what is a technician looking at as they're eyeing this? What are and they have this you know magnifier where they can see up close. What are they looking for with the balances rotation and how do they uh troubleshoot whether or not this is uh working properly? >> One one key element is the fact to to have to to double check that it's completely flat. It must not flip a little bit. It must be completely regular in term of flatness and this is one of the the the key element to to verify that then it will work properly. So what we're seeing here is now with all the components whether you're producing them, you're getting them from suppliers, testing them for ensuring that they are going to actually operate within your standard when you get into the washmaker's hands feature. Correct. >> Exactly. And so here we are on the incoming inspections for all component and that's why as we are checking every 100% of the different component we need also different type of equipment. First good examples is this uh automatic barometer meaning that on this specific equipment we are checking all the barrel meaning that we are checking it's all the specification are respected and when everything fine we know that the power reserve of the movement will be respected. >> So this will be the barrel and then also the main spring is on the inside here. So you're able to access okay >> and and we can see also different because here we are passing through 100% of the production huge volume and here we have other kind of of check if for example we have the dimensional control of the oscillating weight of the B19 the the specific versions that we have developed for the 140 anniversary and here it's an example where one operator check individually all the different dimensional element of the oscillating weight. >> Mhm. So they have this overlay where they can cross check and make sure everything's in alignment. >> Exactly. And this is a 2D measurement. >> Mhm. And then when it's come for more complex component and here for example we have the main plate here we have sent to a to a supplier for all the decoration and the treatment surface treatment and when it come backs we redo all the dimensional control but in 3D to really verify there is no deformation or the defect >> and so 100% of these components and just to kind of scale to this you're talking hundreds and hundreds of components that have all their own protocol to be acceptable. So you have to develop the process for your own standard and you have to actually execute that internally. >> Yes, absolutely. And we define for every component because the complexity it's not the same. And we have a specific protocol for every component. And we have a ratio between number of productions the numbers that must be controlled. And if the the the level of uh quality is not reach, we reject all the lots. >> So you'll have a statistical control group if it passes that number. So you've already done all this analysis. So you can be efficient and you've used statistics to be able to figure that out. >> Exactly. So finally we are at the the assembly uh stage for the movement and here we have very specific assembly automatic line. Everything start here. >> So you basically have a conveyor belt >> that will move all of these movers. >> Yeah. You have the where we will put the vessel. >> Yes. So it'll go in here. It'll go on this conveyor belt and then you have all these stations. So these stations are developed based off of different steps of the assembly process and then based off of that ID it'll know what station for that movement it needs to stop at. Correct. >> Exactly. You can see here it come on the specific bench and here as an example you have 10 vessel that will turn here at this station it's nine time because we have nine specific operation and then the setup if you look at a top- down view of this whole room it's set up all around uh the process that is required to get these movements done and then there's probably some like bottlenecks or steps that maybe take a little bit longer so you have to think about methodically as someone who's overseeing the organization uh to this level and thinking about efficiency like what are you looking at when you're setting up these stations like what are some of the other considerations on that front? So at the end what it's important it's how much time it takes for a certain of operations that we have we have designed for the bench and here what you have seen at the first station it was just one bench yes >> where we do this nine operation it's quite quick and one station it's good enough but for example uh now we will arrive at the station where we are working on the chrono chronograph mechanism. >> Mhm. And here we have 14 different >> steps for one station >> and all this uh this operation takes quite long time and to equilibrate a little bit the the production flow. We have here three bench doing the same operation and so with the quicker one and the longer one we accelerate to to don't don't lose time and really optimize the timing for the complete process. Of course at the end when we are talking we will pass through you will you see here the chronometry where at the end of the process of assembly we do all the performance test um precision in all the in five positions and so on and then if we have to retouch or do some adjustment then the movement pass through the the end of watch maker experienced watch maker. So this room is more for assembly of specialized movement. So we're looking here at you know B19. So we saw some of the assembly happening for some of the base caliber. So something like B 01. But there are additional steps that come with something like this that's being brought forward. >> Yes, absolutely. And even as the B19 is is done based on the B01 on the B 01 base movement we have some specific component. For example, we have the oscillating weight, inertial uh balance wheel. We have also a specific barrel >> and this is prepared on the automatic line. And then it come here to add the perpetual calendar modules >> and even the freerung balance too. I mean that's a different consideration for this movement. So this is going to be smaller capacity. So you're not going to be doing all your movements through here. So this is like special editions maybe higher complications. That's what's usually going to take place. >> All the specialty that required high level of watchmaking. Now O when you consider that the timing to assemble a B19 versus a B 01 could be three or four time >> more. Wow. Okay. >> Because there is uh we have to consider that we have two eye complication for the chronograph movement itself. It's already a eye complication on which we add a second module of eye complication which is a perpetual calendar. >> Okay. So this is a room of technicians that might be a little bit more trained as like watch makers here. So >> absolutely less operators more watch maker and I will say even experienced watch maker. >> Okay. So this is where you get that higher touch type of aspect of Brightling >> and we have all the training for for people to to to build up to this step. Yes. >> Absolutely. Okay. Okay. So Teddy, now we're arriving finally at the end of the process. Here we are in the T2 workshop, meaning the the casing where the movement goes into the case and become waterproof. >> So this is basically finishing up that watch head. So you have the movement, add the hand, the dial, get the case. >> Absolutely. Here you can see we develop for any new development. perfect setting in particular for the very delicate operation which is uh the ends setting. >> So you'll stamp that down so you have all those >> we keep it ready to use for the new series and then we start we start at the first step. This is where we put on the movement the dials and the ends. This operation is done on the laminina flow in order to avoid any dust which is really painful for for the movement and the watch. Sure. >> We continue to do with the casing where we put the movement with the dials and the ends inside the case. We close it and then from that we we start all the check all the controls for water resistancy here. Then we have all the control for precision, power reserve. If something wrong happened aesthetically or technically, it goes back to those watch maker. they can do the what we call in French the decotage to correct the mistake redo again and it repass through all the all the check again >> so Daniel it's been a long day I put you through the paces but thank you so much for opening the doors to Brightling I coming here I've done a lot of manufacturer visits but I can recognize the transparency of showing every single process and I greatly appreciate it I know people at home that want to understand more about Brightling appreciate it so thanks again for doing this >> thanks for coming for for help us to present our work and uh we feel your passion about the watchmaking industry. So, thank you for that. >> Thank you, Daniel. >> Thank you very much.