The Reason

The Vaucher calibers present on the site are examples from a manufacturing structure that has the capabilities to produce virtually every component of a calibre, and provide these products tailored to its customers requirements from 10 examples until many thousands.

Vaucher has between 30-40 clients, including some of the most famous houses in the watch industry. During 2017 they produced over fifteen thousand calibers. Their capacity of production is thirty five thousand pieces per year.

Each caliber developed at Vaucher manufacture costs up to five million Swiss francs to develop and takes between three to five years depending on complexity.

Functions & Complications Self-winding - flying tourbillon. Main dimensions 12 ½” (28.00 mm diameter)
Thickness of 3.95 mm. Power reserve 50h. Number of components 196. Jewels 33. Frequency 4 Hz (28’800 A/h.) Type of balance Variable inertia with gold inertia blocks. Type of balance-spring Flat. Type of oscillating weight 22 carat gold. Oscillating weight winding direction Single direction, in anti-clockwise sense of the weight, viewing from the dial side. Chronometry Variable inertia balance.

The ceramic ball race upon which the flying tourbillon turns.

The movement with the rotor weight removed.

The rotor weight in made from 22 carat gold

The ball race with ceramic balls, crimped/riveted into the gold rotor weight

The tourbillon cage sits high above the mainplate so that it will be flush with the dial when added.

Profile view of the flying tourbillon

The cage is higher than the mainplate to allow the upper cage bridge to be flush with the dial when it is added

The flying tourbillon assembly removed from the back of the movement

The flying tourbillon assembly removed viewed from the front of the movement

The train bridge removed from the movement

The train bridge

The train dismantled with only the barrels left in place

Engagement between the lower barrel wheel and the pinion that drives the motion work carrying the hands

The tourbillon gear train, the small wheel at the centre of the image drives the cage.

Below are diverse views of the flying tourbillon assembly

The barrel bridge which also holds in place the automatic mechanism.

The mainplate with all wheels in place missing the bridges. To the left are the cluster of automatic wheels linking to the first barrel. To the right the gear train.

The wheels are all circular grained on both sides

All of the pivots are burnish which both hardens the functional surfaces and improves the quality of the finish.

The finishing of the mainplate surface which is hidden under the dial removes all machining marks.

The levers to the left are for setting the time. The levers to the right are to stop the cage when the stem is pulled into setting.

The central cover plate holds down part of the setting mechanism and motion work

The central screw holds the setting lever on the other side which inturn secures the stem in place. To remove the stem this screw is loosened.

The lever set below the surface is the setting lever (locating) spring

The screw with three slots is removed by unscrewing clockwise.

The gold coloured piece is the break (or hack) for the cage.

The Vaucher logo, calibre number and unique serial number

The films shown below are from Vaucher's website and provide extra details into each calibre as well as their system CLA for final quality control of assembled watches.

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You can learn more about Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier at www.vauchermanufacture.ch

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