New Watch Design

[t20569cald]

I am planning to produce a diving watch. Just got an email back from a Swiss design studio, that blew me away. 30k euros to design my watch, off the photo's and ideas i already have. I dont want them to do anything except put the ideas together, in a professional drawing for the case maker, etc.
Now thats still alot of work i know, and i didn't expect it to be free, but i cant pay that!
Anyone know of a watch designer ( professional ) that does good work for a good price?

[BlancheFontaine]

Hi t20569cald,
You only need a design or you want to produce your watch in switzerland ?
Blanchefontaine is a well established Private Label company. [ http://blanchefontaine.com/ ]
You could send your project at info[AT]blanchefontaine.com for quotation and further informations.
Kind regards.

[t20569cald]

At this time due to lack of money, i need my design turned into a drawing, and the drawings for manufacture. I do plan to have all parts made in Switzerland, and some maybe from Germany. As this project comes direct from my pocket, it makes it a little hard to get it started. But i really can see it being completed in the next 12 months.
I am looking at your site now, and will send you an email, outlining what i need now, and maybe need later, depending on who i chose to manufacture the cases, dials and hands.

[BlancheFontaine]

OK, I will reply by mail [after a discussion with my team] but it's very difficult to find a swiss manufacturer witch could accept to supply "private" parts without prototyping, assembling, controlling...and finnaly gain money. Regarding your old proposition, I really think the prices were OK. We couldn't do that a this price in Switzerland for only 50 pieces... (generally we start projects for mini 300 pieces, other factory at 500)

[michellescott200]

I never knew watch designing could be that much! :oops:

Cheers!

Michelle

[t20569cald]

Thats just the start! I have outsourced these drawings now via an internet site.
Starting with just the sketches, and slowly go from there.

[atkins]

If you ever need a beginner priced 3D drawing give me a PM, i'm a industrial design graduate btw.

Atkins

[lisaray]

The new watch design has been looking good.If u hav new more designs ping me..
Thanks.

[Williams_den]

Well, I do have a guy who can do it much, much cheaper. I am attaching 2 watches that he designed by himself and he is looking for someone to build it. But he is helping me design some dials right now. It depends on how complicated you want it, but it shouldn't cost more than $50 - $ 75 per dial design.

[Williams_den]

Do want most Swiss companies do. Get the cases made in China. Don't be fooled by these guys. No one but the very big names like Rolex etc make their own cases. Swatch has several factories in China, so go figure. Make the cases and dials in China and then just procure a Swiss movement. Voila, you have a classy watch. Remember the RXW watches by Sato of Ken trading? That is what he has done. He figured if Panerai can do it them so could he. Of course Panerai came down on him, and I guess he shouldn't have copied the design so closely, however, he is still selling some of the radomir style watches. Anyway, that is another topic, but my point is that many Swiss companies are doing this. How do I know? I live in Hong Kong and have met some of the employees working for these companies.

[t20569cald]

Do want most Swiss companies do. Get the cases made in China. Don't be fooled by these guys. No one but the very big names like Rolex etc make their own cases. Swatch has several factories in China, so go figure. Make the cases and dials in China and then just procure a Swiss movement. Voila, you have a classy watch. Remember the RXW watches by Sato of Ken trading? That is what he has done. He figured if Panerai can do it them so could he. Of course Panerai came down on him, and I guess he shouldn't have copied the design so closely, however, he is still selling some of the radomir style watches. Anyway, that is another topic, but my point is that many Swiss companies are doing this. How do I know? I live in Hong Kong and have met some of the employees working for these companies.


But then i would not feel good about myself!

I have someone helping me now with 3d designs, and am talking with German case makers.

[BlancheFontaine]

Good luck Todd for your project.

[t20569cald]

Good luck Todd for your project.


Thanks!

[workaholic_ro]

Good luck Todd for your project.

I subscribe to the Good Luck list. ;-)

[t20569cald]

I subscribe to the Good Luck list. ;-)


Thanks , i might need it

[Felicitous]

Hi all,

Andreas Strehler is well known amongst watch afficionados. Bursting onto the scene in 1998 exhibiting his perpetual calendar clock, with pocket watch (think Breguet Sympathique) - Andreas has earned the reputation of a master problem solver whose skills have been in much demand from the industry (think ChronoSwiss, Maurice Lacroix, Moser and Harry Winston's Opus 7).

It has been 7 years since Andreas' last watch offered under his own name and he has not disappointed. The Papillon shares the same DNA as his Opus 7 construction is an artistic and technical tour de force.

The work of preparing the Papillon for Basel did not allow the time to have it properly photographed, thus the computer renderings, but the completed watch will be available for all to see at the AHCI booth.

So, without further ado, the following text comes from Strehler's press material:

+++++++++++++++++++++

Watching the passage of time

At this year's Basel World, Swiss watchmaker Andreas Strehler will be presenting his latest masterpiece, the Papillon, for the first time. This watch, with its unusual time display, is fascinating at first sight and it inspires not only timepiece connoisseurs.

The Creation

The unusual movement design was first employed in 2007. That was when renowned watch manufacturer, Harry Winston, asked Andreas Strehler if he would like to develop the legendary OPUS 7. Andreas Strehler, who had previously already collaborated with Chronoswiss, H.Moser&Cie and Maurice Lacroix, took up the challenge. He set himself the aim of designing a watch movement that would be captivating in its technical brilliance. But it still had to be easy to tell the time with it. At this stage he probably did not suppose that telling the time was actually to become a particular pleasure.
This concept is repeated in his latest work, the Papillon, but with Andreas Strehler's unmistakable signature and new technical refinements. The design and virtuoso technical sophistication of the watch movement puts everything that came before it into the shade, turning the watch into a coveted collector's item.

http://www.tempered-online.com/curtis/andreas/papillon/papillon04.jpg

Mysterious Time Display

Spring barrels normally turn too slowly for the display of minutes and too fast for the hours. But in the Papillon the timing works differently. Its spring barrels are not firmly tied into the sequence of the movement. As a result the time display can be adjusted by means of the hand setting. In addition, two giant gear wheels with 192 and 175 teeth remove the need for a third wheel. This reduction in the number of wheels and the double spring barrel arrangement result in energy savings which extend the life of the watch enormously.

Fascinating Design

Along with the technical advantages, the unusual design is also astounding. The first thing you notice when looking at the movement is the shape of a butterfly, which seems to arise naturally from the arrangement of the bridges, hence too the watch’s name, Papillon.

Thanks to the special arrangement of the gear wheels, it has been possible to design the watch in an open way, offering the user the special experience of being able to watch the passage of time. The movement assumes the function of design. The consistently applied flowing forms endow the watch with elegance, and are reminiscent of the famous technical masterpieces of the Art Nouveau era.

Expressive yet Quiet

Constructing a beautiful watch takes time. And it takes patience and endurance to achieve the longed-for perfection. Andreas Strehler combines these virtues most impressively. Anyone who can call a watch by Andreas Strehler his own also possesses the certainty of having discovered something special and unique. The exclusivity, the outstanding engineering and the deliberate understatement of the Papillon do not need to be shouted from the rooftops. The watch speaks for itself, emphasising the unconventional character of the wearer.

http://www.tempered-online.com/curtis/andreas/papillon/papillon03.jpg

Made in Switzerland

Andreas Strehler is the owner of Uhrteil AG in Sirnach, where with a team of twelve experts, watchmakers, technicians and precision mechanics, he pursues his passion. The team not only develops and produces all the movements for the innovative mechanisms itself, but also the machines and computer software needed to make them. Andreas Strehler is convinced that opportunities in the field of "haute horlogerie" are still far from being exhausted. We will just have to wait and see what the visionary comes up with next.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Super work Andreas! For more info about Andreas please have a look at his "tempered" pages (http://tempered-online.com/strehler/index.html).

Cheers,

[PyroLume]

wow wow wow.. so glad I wandered into this thread. Why hasn't this been posted into the public forum?

[Dusty Chalk]

Very cool. Agree with "deserves its own thread".