Buckle & Crown

Buckle


The buckle and pin of the Naissance d'une Montre 3 watch are made of the same material as the case, i.e. 18-carat gold.


STEPS:


  • Two manufacturing processes were evaluated to produce the 18-carat gold buckle for the Naissance d'une Montre 3 watch.
  • The first technique, inspired by the jewellery industry, makes full use of Chopard's expertise. It involves a brass scale model. A rubber mould is then made, into which liquid wax is injected. Several wax copies then form a "cluster" or “tree” around which the liquid plaster is poured and then dries. Molten gold is then poured into the plaster moulds. Once cooled, the raw gold components are removed from the mould before being cut, trimmed, filed, smoothed, rubbed with a felt pad and finally polished.
  • The second, more conventional technique involves making the buckle and its pin from a metal plate. They are then shaped by sawing, filing, milling, smoothing, rubbing with a felt pad and polishing. The inside of the buckle is then stamped with the various regulatory hallmarks and indications required by the Precious Metals Control authority.
  • Finally, the "FB" logo is engraved on the top of the buckle before it is delicately polished.

Crown


The 8.8 mm-diameter winding crown of the Naissance d'une Montre 3 watch is curved and fluted, like the case of Ferdinand Berthoud's Astronomical Pocket Watch No.3.


STEPS:



  • A lathe and a milling machine are used to make the two elements composing the crown. In the centre of the crown is an 18-carat gold threaded hollowed cylinder (crown tube) to accommodate the thread of the winding stem.
  • Once the outer flutings of the crown have been milled, the crown is cut to shape and finally assembled with the threaded cylinder.
  • Finely fluted using a milling cutter, the crown is then delicately smoothed and polished. Setting the final touch, the Ferdinand Berthoud logo is hand-engraved as a medallion on the top of the crown.