Alexandra: I don't feel like an employee: I feel like an entrepreneur within this entreprise. And I really like to work. Peter and Aletta Stas give us all plenty of latitude to do our work as we see fit. What ultimately matters is that everyone does their job and contributes to the firm's success.
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Industrious activity invariably prevails in “T3,” where all completed watches are thoroughly tested. The movements and cases, to which the wristbands have not yet been attached, are inserted into a Cyclotest apparatus, where they undergo several hours of testing. Each timepiece is rotated around its own axis, while the box is simultaneously carried along a circular orbit like a carousel. These motions simulate the varying conditions and changing orientations which the watches will later undergo on their wearers' wrists and also assure that automatic calibers have ample opportunity to fully wind their mainsprings. The Cyclotest also ferrets out any loose parts. This is essential because on rare occasions, a screw may not have been fully tightened or a component may have been incorrectly affixed during the assembly process. Even if all previous monitoring hadn't discovered a shortcoming, the Cyclotest almost always reveals it. The machines tireless rotary motions loosen any poorly affixed parts, which then tumble noisily inside the case like the proverbial “loose screw.” Now is the proper moment for another thorough inspection of the assembled case and its movement. After the timepieces have undergone this simulation of realworld conditions, they're placed in an electronic timing machine which can simultaneously analyze up to ten watches. The machine automatically turns the cases and movements into the desired positions, i.e. dial up, dial down, and crown at “9,” “6,” “3” and “12 o'clock.” A microphone at each measuring location conveys the ticking of the watch to the computer. The analytical and measuring program draws conclusions, precisely calculates deviations from perfect timekeeping and displays the entire scene on a monitor. Colleagues in atelier “T3” can see instantly whether a tested watch is performing within a specified range. green numbers confirm good rate values, but a red background or red numbers show that postprocessing is needed. The more closely each link in the qualitycontrol chain follows its predecessor, the better the ultimate quality. The next job is to test each watch's water resistance. Depending on the type of timepiece, this water resistance test may be performed either with a lowpressure apparatus, in which the watch's case doesn't come into contact with water, or via a pressure test conducted underwater. The firstmentioned test is usually sufficient; the second variety of test is primarily reserved for diver's watches. The lowpressure apparatus creates a vacuum under a bell, inside of which the tested watch has been placed. If air escapes from the case, the examiner knows that it is not hermetically sealed. The direction in which the air escapes makes little difference. If the lowpressure apparatus has discovered that a case is not hermetically sealed, water will eventually find its way into the case, where it will cause serious damage. Diver's watches are first tested with the lowpressure apparatus and afterwards tested underwater. For this ordeal, the cases are immersed in a waterfilled basin inside the testing device, which is then sealed so that the desired pressure can be exerted inside the apparatus. This simulates the amount of pressure exerted by water at various depths. If the insulating washers fail completely, the results are instantly evident: the case is full of water. Slight penetration by water can be discovered by warming the case and then allowing droplets of cold water to fall onto the crystal: if any moisture has penetrated, the underside of the crystal will fog up, thus revealing that this watch has problems with its water resistance. (1)
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Peter: We were on a skiing holiday in Crans Montana, where Aletta's parents have an appartement. In Bern, passing Bucherer's display window, I saw a very beautiful wristwatch with the jeweler's insignia on its dial. Bucherer still made relatively simple watches in those days. They were essentially accessible versions of watches from renowned brands.
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Peter: Sometimes creating such a box can take just as long as manufacturing the watch itself. One mustn't underestimate the work involved. (1)
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Peter: Under our motto “Live your Passion,” Frederique Constant inspires people around the globe to do just that, i.e. to live their passion! Our partnership with the great Peking to Paris rally perfectly reflects this commitment. All the vehicles that will participate in the upcoming rally will be marked with Frederique Constant's logo. When they arrive in Paris, the pilot and copilot on the winning team will each receive an exclusive timepiece from our Vintage Rally collection as a special gift.
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Peter: We bought old books in which we discovered watches from the 1930s, 40s and 50s. Old catalogues, old advertisements. Those watches appealed to us and lent wings to our imagination. (1) Aletta: Then we spent our vacation traveling through Switzerland. We got lists of potential manufacturers from the Fdration Horlogre and we visited about ten of them. Peter had designed the first dial with the aid of Micrographics Designer, so we had something tangible in our hands when we visited potential suppliers. Peter: Those sketches proved that our enquiry was indeed to be taken seriously. The Quartz Crisis was coming to an end and suppliers were eager to talk business. We were young and had just returned from the Far East. The manufacturers knew that that's where the future lay. Aletta: The Swiss watchmaking industry was gradually getting back on its feet after the crisis, but business hadn't yet really begun to run smoothly. That was advantageous for us because the manufacturers needed new customers. Peter: The situation would be much more difficult if we were facing the same challenge today. But back then, the doors were wide open and we were welcomed with genuine eagerness to help us, also at the Swatch group, i.e. at ETA, where we went to inquire about movements. We were given all the documentation we requested without the slightest problem. That gave us all the information we needed about dials, hands and the proper dimensions for fitting into cases. We learned a great deal from that.
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Aletta: At a party for students in Brussels.
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It all started with our passion for watches. Then, the passion of our watchmakers was added and since then, we have been on a journey to build a thriving watch manufacture. With our slogan “Live your passion”, we encourage others to share in our passion for fine watchmaking. True passion has always been the result of fine sensitive processes that evolve over time not the exploits of some exciting moment. Passion represents our internal drive, not our daily habits or needs. While our habits change, our drive continues to be the result of our character and heritage. Time and moments pass. The accomplishments of our drive remain over time. This has been the true aspect of our passion at all times. The idea for this book was born during a seminar on the “Rockefeller Habits” in Amsterdam, which we attended with our company's management team. In the past, various people journalists, customers, suppliers and industry colleagues had suggested writing a book about both our passion and the history of Frederique Constant. It was the suggestions from our Management Team that made us think more seriously about the idea. Initially, the primary purpose was to create a book as a publicity and information vehicle for potential customers and new employees. We wanted to explain how and why the company came into this world. We certainly also have an ambition to leave some kind of a legacy, to leave behind a “rule book” on what we envision as the longterm culture of the company. We would like this book to inspire and motivate those working with us to continue the growth of The Frederique Constant, Alpina and Ateliers deMonaco brands. Last but not least, our intention in writing this book is also to give our children a more indepth understanding of what their parents have been spending so much time on over the past twenty years.
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