New Carbon Fiber Watch - Need Advice

[tinear10]

We are starting a new watch company. Our expertise is carbon fiber. We have worked on projects for NASA, deep-sea expeditions and high-end sports equipment. We would like to try a one piece watch case with a closed back. Any advice on how to mount the crystal and movement though the front?

We have looked at "open through crystal" designs but we are not sure if we can go this route using a sapphire crystal. We would also like to avoid visible screws. We would like the design to look as classic as possible.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you

[signofthetime]

We are starting a new watch company. Our expertise is carbon fiber. We have worked on projects for NASA, deep-sea expeditions and high-end sports equipment. We would like to try a one piece watch case with a closed back. Any advice on how to mount the crystal and movement though the front?

We have looked at "open through crystal" designs but we are not sure if we can go this route using a sapphire crystal. We would also like to avoid visible screws. We would like the design to look as classic as possible.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you

In my opinion, the idea of a one piece case is cool, but it adds a bunch of difficulty without adding much inherent value. I think consumers would be just as interested in a two-piece CF case as they would a one-piece. But, if doing something new is the goal, one-piece it is. You could press the crystal into a metal ring set in the case, but taking it apart for maintenance wouldn't really be an option. It would be neat to see a sealed, maintenance-free mechanical watch, but I'm not sure how plausible that would be.
Another option would be to hold the crystal on with screws, with or without a bezel -- I understand some watchmakers already do this. This could be accompanied by threaded metal bosses embedded in the CF case. My biggest concern would be, what will hold the movement in place? The first thing that comes to mind is a snap-ring fit into a groove cut in the case, and covered with a bezel of some sort. You may also be able to use tabs drilled through the dial and into the 'plate'. If they looked nice, and were placed correctly (i.e. 3, 6, 9 & 12) they could be used as part of the index and dial design.

EDIT: Just read your post again and saw that you've acknowledged 'open through crystal' as well as screws. Oops.

[Edonaga]

What a great concept. Honestly, i was deeply fall in love with monocoque design, and i was tried to maka several technical design for this. I was so glad read your plan to build an monocoque carbon fiber watch. With your long history in supplying carbon fiber equipment, i think not a big problem to make this watch real. Mybe this link will help you, firstly about unique stem system in monocoque case.

WS 20: Replacing the battery on a Patek Philippe Ladies' Quartz Nautilus

And the next question, how to fit the crystal? i think we can applied the see-trugh screw-down case back like mechanism, mybe we will call it Screw-down crystal holder. This made of SS or titanium. This holder will screwed on SS or Ti Bracket that was patented with the carbon fiber structure like the usually you have done before. I has try to make a roug drawing for the that system. Mybe it's can help you:



PS: I'm sorry if i have a bad english. And i hope you will make it's real

[workaholic_ro]

I know how to design a watch case, I have some experience in carbon fiber too (automotive) and I'm planning to make a carbon/epoxy/polyurethane/metal watch myself.
I may be able to help.

[workaholic_ro]

Sorry to disappoint you but this design has a couple of weak points.

[dnslater]

Research the Seiko MM300. SBDX001. 300m rated and movement access is through the front. Has a sort of screw down retainer ring as part of the crystal assembly that opens like a caseback.

Inside Seiko`s SBDX001 MarineMaster 300 Meter Diver. in 2manywatches Archives. Forum

[Edonaga]

Sorry to disappoint you but this design has a couple of weak points.

Wow... That's what i need. Thank's, i'll redesign it again to sweep these weak points

[DEPA]

hi there,
from my experience in watchbusiness (almost 20 years now) i do not recommend any kind of monocoque cases at all. i mean there is no necessity to do it nowadays. in former days the monocoque very often been used in order to get a watch water resist. as edonaga already showed in his link, the split stem is trouble. happens very often that you unlock the crown uncontrolled, when you just pulled out the crown for timesetting. talking about carbon cases, i would rather make some carbon fiber bridges on movements, than that monocoque case. i remember someone from italy was sending us some coloured carbonfibre plates. yellow, green or red. means, there are more ways to use that carbonfibre than most of the eople even know about.

[tinear10]

Thanks for all of the great advice. I will keep the forum updated on our progress. Thanks!

[BlakeShellman]

Hello,
i don't think I understand the reasoning behind a Carbon Fiber case. CF tubes, cloth, and structural shapes are designed to reduce weight and increase strength. CF cloth is used pretty much the same way fiberglass cloth is. A Corvette body made from CF cloth would be cool. Lighter in weight and stronger and perhaps a bit stiffer so it won't flex as much while being stressed under acceleration or in turns and hence possibly making the vehicle a little better handling. An CF impregnated epoxy case would pretty much be an epoxy case with CF fibers in it. It's really not going to add much to the strength. The fibers, except for on fairly large surfaces are not going to be visible in the patter that has now become associated to something made from CF. but since the surfaces on a case are fairly small how they are going to be a visual point that will make it stand out.


Of course my opinion could be way ff base. Are Luminox watch cases CF? Are any other watches made with CF cases? If so which ones?

Personally I think Titanium is a much better choice for a new design for a watch case. Just my opinion though. Thanks.....Blake.