The Caliber 1904 MC watch movement reflects the intense, ambitious research that Cartier has carried out over the years in the field of watchmaking mechanisms. With the exception of a handful of parts like the balance wheel and hairspring, movement components are made by Cartier, either at La Chaux-de-Fonds or Buttes in the Canton of Neuchâtel, with assembly and testing done at La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Measuring 11 ½ lignes and 4 mm high, the movement is designed to be reliable, easy to service and suitable for mass production. Notably it is the same diameter as the ETA 2892, if slightly thicker, enabling it to be an easy replacement for the 2892.

The 1904 MC is constructed with double barrels that unwind in series for more consistent torque over the 48 hour power reserve. Sitting on ceramic ball bearings, the rotor winds both barrels are wound bidirectionally thanks to a V-shaped pawl. This winding mechanism is very similar to Seiko’s “Magic Lever”. Compared to the traditional reversers (in ETA calibres for instance), the V-shaped pawl theoretically offers more efficient winding.

The escapement is conventional, featuring a smooth Glucydur balance with a lever that touches its rim to stop its oscillation when the crown is pulled. While not remarkable in any way, this escapement set up is tried and tested and works tremendously well.

This particular specimen being reviewed uses the short lived version 1 of the 1904 MC. Several subtle differences exist between v.1 and 2. Most obviously v.1 is fitted with an ordinary ETAChron regulator as seen here, while v.2 sports a C-shaped regulator. For increased robustness, the second generation is 4 mm high, compared to 3.86 mm for v.1. Also, in the first version, the wheel train bridge is integrated with the barrel bridge, but in v.2, the two bridges are separate to facilitate servicing.

Many peopel say that hand-wound mechanical movement is the final target of watch fans, only manual winding is the straightforward communication between you and a watch. 6497, mainly as a pocket watch movement before, is really large, especially its balance wheel. There are two ways that Panerai uses to polishing 6497 movement, one is to engrave “Panerai” on the plate, and the other is to polish common Geneva stripes, the latter is more special.

Unitas 6497 also has some relationship with Omega Railmaster, which is specially designed for the railway workers for keeping improved accuracy. Inside its large case of Railmaster, there is the 6498 movement, the brother of 6497, only has some modification on its small seconds, precious run 9@sec changed into traditional run 6@sec. Besides, a German watch, D.Dornbluth&Sohn, also uses 6497 movement, the watch mainly used the Gear Train system of 6497, in addition to German special polishing ways, finally reflected a fresh style totally different from Swiss brand: pink gold 3/4 plate, “fausses cotes” decoration, 18 jewels, 4 in screwed gold chatons, straight line lever escapement and “swanneck” micrometer regulator.

In ETA movement family, amony the most classic five movements, Valjoux 7750, Unitas 6497 and Peseux 7001 came from the successful acquisition of ETA.

ETA 7001 is the summary of traditional Swiss three small three seconds version, different with 6497, it is small and exquisite. Like the classic combination of ETA 2892 A2 and ETA 2824-2, ETA 7001 has well filled the small manual winding movement field. You have to admire this company’s strength, the emergence of ETA 7001 helps many watch makers can produce hand-wound small three seconds wristwatches. The movement was first designed and manufactured in 1971, its former and latter movements, like 2660, 2691, 2801, have caused great impact, but can not compared with 7001.

7001 is much smaller than 6497, so it has a higher frequency than 6497, 21600A/H. Many people always think it will be more perfect if the frequency is reduced to 18000A/H.

The first time I saw the Zenith El Primero Chronomaster, I could hardly believe my eyes: 1 / 10 jump seconds. El Primero 1 / 10 jump seconds chronograph embodies Zenith’s great return in technology and quality. The legendary El Primero movement is the first watch with 1 / 10 jump second display automatic chrono movement in the world. Even if in today, there is no chronograph movement can be equal to Zenith chrono watch.  El Primero has the most advanced mechanical movement and the most sophisticated construction. Most of the other mechanical movement beats up to 8 times per second. This movement on BaselWorld 2010 achieved the most important technological progress in watchmaking industry. It allows people to witness the 1 / 10 second.

El Primero 1 / 10 jump seconds chronograph can show every beat of movement. The central chrono pointer directly connected with speeder beats every 1 / 10 seconds, displaying the shortest choro interval of mechanical movement. The dial is divided into 100 markers. For wearer of this Zenith watch, the 1 / 10 second display is easy to read. While the traditional 1 / 8 sec or 1 / 5 sec display is difficult to read. With this point, Zenith established its leading position in precise chronograph once more.

This is a elegant, noble, exquisite and perfect chronograph. Three subdials are arranged on the white dial with V shape. Three subdials represent with deep color, in order to read time easily. The typical shining pentacle symbol of Zenith is at 12 o’clock. You have two choices: one watch is rose gold case, black subdials with black leather strap. The other one has silver case, two black subdials, one blue subdial with black leather strap.

Just one year after incorporating the new Hublot manufacturing factory, Jean-Claude Biver, the CEO of Hublot company is proud to introduce the first movement which is produced entirely in-house: a column wheel chronograph movement named UNICO.

This UNICO movement in the King Power case is smart as it is a living object. Features with Hublot’s first in-house chronograph movement, the King Power UNICO symbol of Hublot forwards to verticalized manufacturing and marketing. The King Power is the latest model of Hublot, pushing the design of the Big Bang to limits and infusing it with an expression of power and luxury-inspired emotion. The impact of this masterpiece lies in both its respect for tradition and appearance of the Big Bang series, and its avant-garde spirit expressed through its sharp angles and straight sides, its relief screws and its ceramic bezel with rubber moulding.

UNICO movement
The start of various producing stages into factory since 2009 spring has enabled Hublot to manufacture the UNICO chronograph which was developed by its own Research and Development Department. The machining workshop produces bridges, main plates and various steel components are all assembled by watchmakers specially assigned to this task. This flyback chronograph has its features: the position of mechanism and the famous column wheel is on the side of the dial. However, one of its main innovations is the retractable platform escapement, on which the watch owner’s initials can be engraved by special request.

This subtle and sophisticated features facilitates servicing and maintenance if the movement. The escapement (escape wheel and pallet fork) is made from silicon. As we all known, silicon is a light, durable and technologically advanced material which resists wear and guarantees more accurate operation.

When I finished the last blog, I found the date is March 15^th, 2010. Today is International Day for Protecting Consumers’ Rights. I always forget some important days. That’s me. It seems to have a lot to talk about on consumption. Maybe too much, so I don’t what to review. Forget it! Let’s talk about a new creation.

Sellita’s latest creation, the SW500 Caliber, meets the growing demand for Swiss automatic chronograph movements. This movement offers the same high performance and level of reliability as an ETA 7750 movement.

It measures 30mm x 8mm. It has 25 jewels, 28,800 vph and a power reserve of 42 hours. It shows the hours, minutes, small seconds, day and date and has a 60-second chronograph, a 30-minute and a 12-hour counter.

May be you will own a watch with Sellita Caliber SW500.

The entity that emerged from the merger employed 2,200 people. Its clients could continue to choose between products bearing either of the two brand names. A few months later, in time for the watch fair in Basel, ETA introduced the Delirium –– at just 1.98 millimeters tall, including its case, the world’s slimmest quartz wristwatch, with an analog time display. One year later, ETA succeeded in further reducing the overall height to less than one millimeter –– still a world record for watch thinness. To celebrate its 125th anniversary in 1981, ETA expanded its quartz assortment to include two new lines of movements.

In 1982, the global economic climate and severe financial difficulties at ASUAG led to drastic cuts designed to create leaner operating structures. The remaining Ébauches SA subsidiaries ETA and FHF were fused with EEM (the electronics division in Marin) to create one overall business. That this entity was named “ETA” comes as no surprise, especially when one considers the many decades of grand achievements that preceded this step. Its headquarters remained –– how could it be otherwise? –– precisely where Urs Schild had laid the cornerstone 125 years previously, thus earning Grenchen two enduring nicknames: Eterna City and ETA City.

“The so-called “Watch Statute” of 1934 suppressed healthy competition, and remained in force until the early 1970s.”

In 1971, after 39 years in the service of the ébauche factory, Rudolf Schild (alias “Mr. ETA”) retired from the business. Since his first day with the firm, Schild had held its tiller firmly in hand and skillfully piloted the ship through both stormy and tranquil seas.

One of his most trusted mates was a watch technician named Heinrich Stamm, who began his career in 1925 as a design engineer at A. Michel before joining ETA’s crew in 1939. Stamm served as ETA’s head design engineer from 1943 to 1969. His inventions of the ballborne rotor and extremely slim self-winding movements significantly contributed to the strong position that ETA enjoyed on the market. Another high point in Stamm’s life work is the distinctive ETA toothing, which was introduced simultaneously with the Eterna-Matic in 1948. This special toothing was used in all ETA calibers starting in 1951. According to Heinrich Stamm, about 40 million watch movements had been manufactured with this kind of toothing by the end of 1967.

Another Crisis
Soon ETA became caught up in yet another Swiss watch industry crisis brought on by the arrival in 1970 of quartz watches. After World War II, Switzerland enjoyed an unprecedented watch boom. But whenever success comes too easily, complacency sets in. Though the first dark clouds of the looming quartz crisis gathered in the Far Eastern skies in the early 1960s, the self-satisfied Swiss manufacturers didn’t take notice. Those clouds eventually massed into a gigantic storm which, exacerbated by the shockwaves of the oil crisis of the 1970s, came crashing down upon the Swiss watchmaking business. Extensive parts of the industry died out because they had scarcely anything of their own to offer that could keep abreast with the new trends. The traditional (and, for many years, quite profitable) focus on hand-wound and self-winding movements had blinded the Swiss and lulled them into overlooking the new technology. Thousands of watchmakers lost their jobs or switched to employment in the micromechanical and microelectronic industries. In towns that had once thrived with watchmaking activity, streets were now filled with vacant, unlit factories with dirtcovered windows.

“In 1982, the remaining Ébauches subsidiaries were fused to create one overall business called ETA SA — an appropriate name, considering that company’s history of achievement.”

ETA felt the dire consequences of the ongoing progress in quartz technology, further exacerbated by a global recession, in 1976. Thanks to an intramural educational program, ETA’s workers and employees were speedily retrained so that they could manufacture the promising new quartz watches. That year ETA debuted its first “Flatline,” a 3.6-mm-slim quartz caliber with a date display and a sweep seconds hand for men’s watches.

They opted for an alternative solution: to establish a corporate trust as a holding company for the three firms. The corporate trust would own the shares of the three founding companies, but would not interfere with each company’s individual entrepreneurial freedom to act as its directors saw fit. The special situation of A. Michel SA and the generally difficult conditions on the watch market as a whole brought additional banks into the game. An impartial trustee company took care of all assets belonging to the three companies, including real estate, movables, machinery, tools, facilities and stock. In all of the negotiations, the involved parties took pains to ensure that it would be possible for some (and, in the best case, all) other ébauche manufacturers to come aboard under the same framework conditions in the future.

Merger Mania

Ébauches SA started operations on January 1, 1927. It had at its disposal company capital valued at 12 million Swiss francs, with a bank loan for an equal amount. The group moved quickly to agree on uniform pricing, eliminating competition among its members, coordinating the purchase of materials, and unifying important components of watch movements so that all components would be made according to the same specifications. The three member companies agreed to refrain, for a period of five years, from manufacturing and/or trading ébauches in any form whatsoever, both domestically and internationally. The result was an immediate 10 percent increase in the price of ébauches.

It then sought to further strengthen the cartel by integrating as many other ébauche manufacturers as possible and by absorbing the ébauche departments of vertically integrated watch companies. Nine independent factories joined the cartel in 1927, giving Ébauches SA control of an impressive 90 percent of Switzerland’s overall production.

The stock market crash of 1929 and the ensuing depression battered Ébauches SA’s sales but bolstered its ranks. Sales for 1930 fell 50 percent compared to the previous year. However, 30 additional ébauche manufacturers joined the group early in 1931.

The remaining 10 percent of Switzerland’s ébauches were produced by independent watch companies that, for individual reasons of their own, were unwilling to join the cartel. One of these was Eterna, directed by Theodor Schild, a relative of ASSA’s Cesar Schild. Theodor Schild was reluctant to split his business into separate entities, one to manufacture ébauches and one to manufacture watches. Ebauches SA offered renegades like Theodor Schild so-called “friendship contracts,” replete with all sorts of limiting clauses and conditions, which gave the reluctant firms some forms of control. The move worked. In 1932, seven companies moved into the Ébauches fold, including Eterna. Schild finally agreed to split Eterna into two companies, which he and his heir apparent, Dr. Rudolf Schild, continued to manage. The watchmaking part of the business was called Eterna SA. The ébauches-manufacturing part of the business, which became part of Ébauches SA, was christened ETA SA, an abbreviation of Eterna.

Ironically, Ebauches’s structure made it difficult to respond to the economic crisis. Forward- looking entrepreneurial steps were urgently needed to deal with the worsening business climate. However, such steps were not taken because the principles of the holding company accorded higher priority to the entrepreneurs’ freedom.

Instead, the cartel imposed protectionist measures “to ensure clear orderliness in the Swiss watch industry.” These steps led to the founding, in 1931, of a financial and controlling agency known as ASUAG, the Allgemeine Schweizerische Uhrenindustrie AG (General Swiss Watch Industry AG). ASUAG’s primary guiding function was to create an overarching “super holding” conglomerate that included the manufacturers of regulating components (like balances, balance springs and escapements) along with the manufacturers of movement blanks. ASUAG was a joint response by the Swiss watch industry and the Swiss government to the Depression. It was created through an investment of 50 million Swiss francs, a portion contributed by watch industry organizations and the rest by a grant from the Swiss federal government.

The Swiss government’s participation in the ASUAG holding company altered the original balance of power within Ebauches SA. Management regimes led by executives who were responsible to themselves and their shareholders were replaced by new teams led by government bureaucrats. Ébauches SA and ASUAG, the highest level of the corporate structure, exercised no leadership power for many decades, despite a great deal of financial resources and entrepreneurial talent. The new structure was risk-averse and produced few new ideas; strategies were designed to maintain the subsidiaries’ existing market positions. Passage of the so-called “Watch Statute,” a law designed to protect and regulate the watch market that took effect on March 15, 1934, reinforced the new bureaucratic structure. The new law sought to uphold existing prices by making it mandatory to receive official permission before exporting watch components, tools, machinery or plans. The edict also stipulated that new businesses could only be opened with prior official approval. The same restrictions applied to expansions, relocations and restructurings.The Watch Statute was like a state-sanctioned straitjacket similar to the old guild order that suppressed free thinking and a healthy competitive climate. Though it later underwent some changes, the restrictive statute remained in force until the early 1970s.

“ETA SA has survived and often shaped the turbulent times that beset the Swiss watch industry in the 20th century.”

Watch aficionados know ETA as Switzerland’s most important manufacturer of mechanical and electronic watch movements. A subsidiary of Switzerland’s giant Swatch Group, ETA produces movements, movement blanks (widely referred to by their French name, ébauches, which are sold to outside assemblers), as well as the group’s Swatch watches. Few people, however, know ETA’s turbulent history. The company now known as ETA was born in the crisis of the Great Depression, carved out of the Eterna watch company to participate in a cartel of ébauches manufacturers known as Ebauches SA. ETA has survived, and to a great extent shaped, the often turbulent times that beset the Swiss watch industry in the 20th century.

The Ebauches/ETA story begins after World War I, when, after years of profitable munitions manufacturing, Swiss watchmakers resumed making watch components. The sudden surge in ébauche production soon outpaced demand. A regulating institution, Société Suisse des Fabriques d’Ebauches et de Finissages (Swiss Association of Ebauche Producers and Finishers), founded in 1917, could do little to prevent the descending spiral in prices and sales. By mid-1921, Swiss watch unemployment figures exceeded 30,000.

The problem was that some 40 ébauches manufacturers were competing to win contracts from slightly more than 500 companies that assembled complete watches. With supply outstripping demand, surplus components were exported to foreign countries. That created more competition for Swiss watches on world markets, and led to further job cutbacks in Switzerland. It was a vicious circle, in some cases aggravated by the banks in the Swiss watchmaking regions. Some bankers were overly generous in extending credit; by the mid-1920s watch industry debts totaled approximately 200 million Swiss francs.

Watch and banking industry leaders realized that only a fundamental reorganization could put the watch industry back on its feet. A first step occurred in 1924 with the creation of the Fédération Horlogère Suisse (Swiss Watch Federation), or FH. The new association united about 75 percent of Switzerland’s watch firms (both manufacturers and assemblers, known as établisseurs).

Another important step came on December 27, 1926. On that day Switzerland’s three movement-blank manufacturing giants — Schild SA (ASSA), Fabrique d’horlogerie de Fontainemelon (FHF) and A. Michel SA (AM) — established a corporate trust known as Ébauches SA. Ébauches was the result of a remarkable initiative by Cesar Schild. Schild was the director of the ébauche factory, ASSA, based in Grenchen, and grandson of Urs Schild, who had founded Eterna in Grenchen in 1831. ASSA had been the leading movement- blank manufacturer in Grenchen since around 1905. ASSA employed more than 300 people, its manufacturing facilities were highly mechanized, and it produced 5.8 million movement blanks in 1926. ASSA management could have been content to continue with business as usual. But not Cesar Schild. He understood the need for urgent action. He set out to create a cartel for ébauches producers that would stop the price slide that was killing the Swiss watch industry.

Schild met with executives at FHF. A family business since its founding in 1793, FHF had broken the one-million-unit barrier in 1913 and had continued to increase production ever since, despite the fact that FHF’s production facilities needed modernization. The two competitors laid their cards on the table and openly shared their sales figures and closely guarded business secrets. Both companies were financially healthy; neither was under any compulsion to merge with the other. From this position of mutual strength, the two entered into negotiations with the ailing A. Michel SA. At the time, AM was under the influence of a large bank that was exerting strong pressure on it in an effort to recoup the capital that it had invested in the firm.