Aletta: We manufacture the basic movements for the tourbillon wristwatch on our own premises. Mimotec delivers the components for the cage and the springs. Sigatec supplies the pallet and the escapewheel. Between 2001 and 2011, we systematically acquired experience in manufacture work, i.e. the fabrication of components and the assembly of complete movements. Peter: We're also progressing towards full autonomy in pallets, escapewheels and balances. We're still in the R&D phase, but we've already come a long way. Together with specialists, we can now fabricate staffs for the pallet, escapewheel and balance, as well as the entire balance. Aletta: But we don't yet do that inhouse. Peter: As far as the details go, we rely as much as possible on standard assortiment 20.3. There are basically three options for the pallet. First, a classical pallet using palletstones affixed with lacquer, but that's extremely difficult for us, so it's only a last resort. Second, a silicium pallet based on a triedandtested technology. Aletta: We've used a silicium pallet in our tourbillon since 2009 and it functions very well. It's somewhat costly, but not astronomically expensive. Peter: Third and finally, we had the idea of manufacturing the pallet, including its fork and staff, from a single solid block of ceramic. We registered this concept for patent protection in Switzerland in 2011. The first prototypes are now available. If this system functions as well as we hope, we'll be able to use it instead of the corresponding components in assortiment 20.3. (1) No Fields Found.