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Old 20 March 2018, 08:56 AM   #1
Submariner SS
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Icon5 Which companies produce every part in-house?

Currently, which watch brands produce every part in-house, including hair springs? I would imagine this being a very short list
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Old 20 March 2018, 09:05 AM   #2
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Is seiko the only example?
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Old 20 March 2018, 10:12 AM   #3
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Rolex? But I am not 100% sure on the hairspring.
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Old 20 March 2018, 10:41 AM   #4
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Currently, which watch brands produce every part in-house, including hair springs? I would imagine this being a very short list
Seiko, AP, PP
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Old 20 March 2018, 10:50 AM   #5
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Seiko, AP, PP
Do AP and PP grow their own quartz crystals like Seiko does?
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Old 20 March 2018, 11:03 AM   #6
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Seiko, AP, PP
AP? Seriously?
They use FP base and DD chronograph modules.

And PP isn’t fully vertically integrated either, iirc.
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Old 20 March 2018, 11:07 AM   #7
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Do AP and PP grow their own quartz crystals like Seiko does?
Or formulate their own lubrications?
Seiko employ chemists to do just that, which is then produced for them under contract.
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Old 20 March 2018, 11:08 AM   #8
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Seiko and Rolex are as close as you’re going to get, but I believe neither are truly 100% vertically integrated, despite what many believe.

Seiko, for example, grows their own quartz crystals, but what about the precious stones that they use for their Credor watches? Are those grown, too? I bet they’re natural.
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Old 20 March 2018, 11:18 AM   #9
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I think JLC might make the cut
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Old 20 March 2018, 11:28 AM   #10
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It's a great question because it just evidences the amount of misinformation out there, even among us whom could be considered the more knowledgeable buyer.
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Old 20 March 2018, 11:30 AM   #11
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Seiko is the only one I know. It’s a ginormous company.
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Old 20 March 2018, 11:34 AM   #12
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Old 20 March 2018, 11:41 AM   #13
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Old 20 March 2018, 12:17 PM   #14
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Moser definitely does.
JLC as we'll believe.
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Old 20 March 2018, 12:22 PM   #15
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Do AP and PP grow their own quartz crystals like Seiko does?
nope!
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Old 20 March 2018, 12:24 PM   #16
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AP? Seriously?
They use FP base and DD chronograph modules.

And PP isn’t fully vertically integrated either, iirc.
You or I misunderstood the question. You are correct in some instances. The royal oak thin or royal oak diver for example are both 100% inhouse.
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Old 20 March 2018, 02:38 PM   #17
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Seiko and Rolex are as close as you’re going to get, but I believe neither are truly 100% vertically integrated, despite what many believe.

Seiko, for example, grows their own quartz crystals, but what about the precious stones that they use for their Credor watches? Are those grown, too? I bet they’re natural.
Lol well if you want to use this as the standard then nobody is 100% in house. I don’t think anybody produce the steels themselves either.

But yeah I think Seiko is probably the closest and then Rolex.
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Old 20 March 2018, 03:58 PM   #18
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Moser


They make their own hairsprings but not every other part.

Parmigiani comes close i think as they are vertically integrated.


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Old 20 March 2018, 03:59 PM   #19
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You or I misunderstood the question. You are correct in some instances. The royal oak thin or royal oak diver for example are both 100% inhouse.


We’re not talking about in-house movements were talking about producing every component in-house. Typically many brands use 3rd parties to make the cases or more commonly dials. Not many brands can make their own dials for example or hair springs. AP definiately does not make every part in-house.


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Old 20 March 2018, 04:05 PM   #20
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Lol well if you want to use this as the standard then nobody is 100% in house. I don’t think anybody produce the steels themselves either.

But yeah I think Seiko is probably the closest and then Rolex.
Rolex has their own foundries. They produce their own steel, gold and platinum. I've never heard Seiko or anybody else make that claim.

Some blogs have mentioned that Seiko is 100% in house, but I've never seen an official statement from Seiko.

And you're right. That's my point. Nobody is 100% vertically integrated. That would be, for all intents and purposes, impossible. Being vertically integrated is cool, but it doesn't really matter. It doesn't really speak to the quality or craftsmanship of the end product. Just look at PP and AP. Both are top tier brands and don't hide the fact that they're not vertically integrated.
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Old 20 March 2018, 10:26 PM   #21
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Moser is the one that came to my mind.

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Old 20 March 2018, 11:54 PM   #22
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I don’t think anybody produce the steels themselves either.
Rolex does.
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Old 21 March 2018, 01:02 AM   #23
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I don’t think anybody produce the steels themselves either
Damasko produces its own ice-hardened nickel free SS
Quote:
Originally Posted by Submariner SS View Post
Currently, which watch brands produce every part in-house, including hair springs?
I'll represent the German watchmaker brand, Damasko again with their in-house A35 (Automatic) and H35 (hand wound) movements and in-house Silicon EPS hair springs.They make all their watch components
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Old 21 March 2018, 01:05 AM   #24
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Rolex does.
Nope... Rolex’s (presumably on-site) foundry deals only with precious metal production, especially since Everose is a proprietary composition of RG.
The 904L is standard stuff, so is just bought in.
I’m assuming, with doing the three colours of gold, that they may as well do the standard Platinium also, but it may be supplied too.
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Old 21 March 2018, 01:17 AM   #25
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Nope... Rolex’s (presumably on-site) foundry deals only with precious metal production, especially since Everose is a proprietary composition of RG.
The 904L is standard stuff, so is just bought in.
I’m assuming, with doing the three colours of gold, that they may as well do the standard Platinium also, but it may be supplied too.
Just checked on the web site and indeed you're correct. Thanks for pointing this out
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