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 FŽdŽration Horlogre 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. No Fields Found.