What does "made by hand" mean with regard to watches?

The term has been bandied about and responses and clarifications have been posted by those guilty of misusing the term to sell watches. But, what does "made by hand" mean today in out computer controlled, mechanized production, highly machine oriented world?

Well, how about a small studio that only produces 5 watches per year? A studio that has only Master Craftsmen from a system that does not grant such titles easily. The answer is the Credor Spring Drive Sonnerie that was developed by SEIKO's Micro Artist Studio craftspeople.
Set up in 2000, the mission of this studio is the development of luxury watches which convey the heritage of SEIKO and the watch industry to the coming generations. Credor Spring Drive Sonnerie has been developed by eight elite experts in Seiko Epson's Micro Artist Studio since the autumn of 2003. They are, needless to say, the most highly qualified, skilled and experienced watch-makers within SEIKO Epson.

Only five pieces a year are being produced entirely by hand.



Caliber Details:

• Spring Drive Sonnerie caliber, 7R06
  
• Hour striking function
  
• Three modes selectable: chiming every hour on the hour/chiming every three hours/silent
  
• Hour repeating function
  
• Power reserve indicators: Two. One each for the watch mechanism and the bell mechanism
  
• Wind-up method: Manual-winding'watch / 6 o'clock direction for the bell
  
• Time accuracy: Monthly rate within ±15 sec (equivalent to a daily rate of ±1 sec)
  
• Power reserve (watch mechanism): Approx. 48 hours
  
• Power reserve (bell mechanism): More than 40 hours
  
• Number of jewels: 88
  
• Movement diameter: 37.0 mm
  
• Movement thickness: 7.05 mm
  
• 617 components
  

http://www.seikospringdrive.com/sonnerie/gallery/index.html

Time Zone did a review of a visit to the studio:
http://www.timezone.com/library/rdnotebook/200607314159
http://www.timezone.com/library/rdnotebook/200702288556

Now that's what you call a limited edition ! It really is a hand made
watch, made by the best of the best !..I really liked the connection of
bells to the Sonnerie as well. Fantastic stuff Doc..I mean 88 Jewels..
Yowza !

Nice to see Seiko follow Invictas lead and put their top people on the high end stuff.

merichar wrote:

Nice to see Seiko follow Invictas lead and put their top people on the high end stuff.

They used that line the other night and I almost spit my pop out laughing. Only the top 15% are allowed to touch our Reserve line. If that's the case, I now know why the entire line has issues.

WatchNoob wrote:

merichar wrote:

Nice to see Seiko follow Invictas lead and put their top people on the high end stuff.

They used that line the other night and I almost spit my pop out laughing. Only the top 15% are allowed to touch our Reserve line. If that's the case, I now know why the entire line has issues.

Obviously their top line smokes crack!

bodypeersur1 wrote:

WatchNoob wrote:

merichar wrote:

Nice to see Seiko follow Invictas lead and put their top people on the high end stuff.

They used that line the other night and I almost spit my pop out laughing. Only the top 15% are allowed to touch our Reserve line. If that's the case, I now know why the entire line has issues.

Obviously their top line smokes crack!

Something wrong with smoking crack??

Sorry if I got your post off track Doc. Its another example of Seiko doing things right. Thats truly a limited edition any company would be proud of.

I have seen a $28K Seiko in Beverly Hills. Very nice watch. There are other companies that make true handmade watches and clocks.

HABRING² stands for the both of us and designates further the first watch produced in series in our workshop. Since the beginning in late 2004, every HABRING² is made-to-measure produced by hand, using components of highest quality. As a consequence of the limited capacities in our family-owned company, the production of "HABRING²" is limited to a maximum of 12 individually numbered pieces per year.

http://www.habring.com/

A link from a group I belong to;

http://www.nawcc-index.net/Makers-Custom.php

Glad folks found this interesting. I was prepared for the comments relating to that "Swiss" brand. BTW, I thought I knew Florida pretty well, but still can't find "Swiss" on the map there - can anyone help me out?

Docrwm wrote:

BTW, I thought I knew Florida pretty well, but still can't find "Swiss" on the map there - can anyone help me out?

Look just south of Lake Chokeachubbie......

Docrwm wrote:

Glad folks found this interesting. I was prepared for the comments relating to that "Swiss" brand. BTW, I thought I knew Florida pretty well, but still can't find "Swiss" on the map there - can anyone help me out?

I think its up near Sopchoppy.