Precision Jewels

We are in French Switzerland, in the Jura mountains, which is a short distance from the French border. Little villages, farms, and natural views are in abundance here, however it seems that time has stood still. Appearances though, can prove to be deceptive. On closer inspection you can see that time goes by here too - it has a peculiar meaning though. Since the mid-nineteenth century, time has ticked away by the regular and precise mechanisms of the most famous watches in the world.

Many of them have been made just here. The craftsmen here have been able to create masterpieces of the goldsmith and watchmaking art in an age in which it was much more difficult than today to obtain the very high accuracy required to make these jewels of technology work. Their passion has produced objects of great value that have fascinated, amazed and excited collectors throughout the world.

Obviously, the entrepreneurs have done their part as well – they’ve known how to develop a great prestigious industry, though keeping an artisanal image that makes every mechanical watch of value look like a unique piece, made with painstaking care in every detail by the able hands of these craftsmen. Martial Voumard is the owner of Precitrame.

For 20 years, he has been supplying components and equipment for the most prestigious watches; from Audemars Piguet – who has kindly provided the pictures in this issue – to many other brands we are not allowed to men . . . .