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Jean-Christophe: Thank You for This Message

Jean-Christophe:

It is late here in Atlanta, and I have spent much of the evening working on this new section of OnTheDash (and showing off my new 18 karat gold Carrera!!), but I wanted to thank you for posting this message. It is fantastic that you post here; it is fantastic that you share this information; it is absolutely fantastic that TAG-Heuer will have this new Caliber 1887 movement to power its next generation of chronographs.

Personally, I have always been interested in the Seikos that are powered by this movement; it is exciting to see that TAG-Heuer will be able to employ an enhanced version of this technology for its chronographs . . . yes, perhaps there was a little "stumble" or "stubbed toe" with the very first announcement of the new movement, but this is a marathon, and the stumble or stubbed toe at the start will soon be forgotten, and the victory in this new generation of watches will be what we remember and enjoy!!

You ask, "In which series will it be launched?" I would say that

  • it will not be the Carrera [that would be too predictable];
  • perhaps in another 40th Anniversary Monaco [maybe in black PVD or titanium];
  • perhaps in a second re-issue of the Silverstone [to help build out that new line of watches];
  • perhaps you will try the Autavia again [but I doubt it] . . .
  • here's an idea -- how about a new version of the Monza [maybe in black PVD or titanium]!!

OK, I will guess the Monaco [to play it safe] or the Monza [to take a high-speed risk]!!

Thanks again for posting this message.

Happy holidays to all our friends at TAG-Heuer, and here's to an absolutely amazing 2010 / 150th Anniversary!!

Jeff

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

: Hello everyone on onthedash.com ! I'm JC, the CEO of TAG Heuer and
: first and foremost wish you all a very happy new year thanking
: you for your passion for Heuer and TAG Heuer.

: As indeed there has been a controversy on our new Calibre 1887
: movement, I owe you some direct and personal explainations so
: that as Heuer specialists and passionate lovers you have a
: direct understanding of what's going on.

: Like in 1968 when Jack Heuer luanched the Cal11 project teaming
: with several partners, we decided more than 3 years ago, instead
: of re-inventing the wheel (which we did on the Monaco V4,
: currently being launched with already 85 units delivered out of
: the 150 from the 150 years limited edition, to acquire some IP
: rights from Seiko Instruments Inc. in Japan as they had
: developped a remarkable construction never industrialized nor
: really developped in large quantities, an named TC78. This IP
: was very interesting as allowing us to bridge the gap between
: our modular 28.800 alt Dubois-Depraz Cal 11 and 12 (Monaco,
: Silverstone) and our integrated 36.000 alt Calibre 36 done on a
: Zenith El Primero base. The TC78 IP was matching virtually all
: our requirements in terms of architecture (integrated, column
: wheel, oscillating pinion), versatility, evolutivity rather than
: performances, reliability and potential for important
: productions at reasonable costs. We obviously could have somehow
: gone around that IP as many Brands would have done, coming up
: with a slightly different construction but that would have been
: highly unethical. Therefore we contacted SII and had the chance
: to find highly competent people just eager to see their great IP
: becoming a real volumetric high end movement as until then SII
: had only produced few thousands only but never really
: industrialized it.

: And so the work started which basically was like developping a new
: movement from scratch as our swiss team in La Chaux-de-Fonds,
: redesigned entirely the blueprints filing them legally in
: Switzerland, re-developped several key components, decided to
: move to a swiss assortment and changed the dimensions slightly
: enlarging the diameter but reducing the thickness. All plans
: have been developped in Switzerland as well as all the
: prototyping. Initial prototypes were powered by a SII assortment
: until we decided to change for a Nivarox FAR specific
: development as Nivarox FAR had some capacity to do that unlike
: in 2007 when we first asked them (at this time remember the
: market was up 15% a year an no Company had any capacity). In
: parallel we invested more than 20 mio $ in state of the art dry
: automatized milling technology allowing to produce internally in
: La Chaux-de-Fonds the main plate and bridges at speeds, costs
: and micron-precision unheard before in the industry (and being
: oil-free it's also greener than any other watch factory in
: Switzerland), getting close to 100% of pieces accepted without
: corrections ! we also have developped with another swiss company
: the 1st ever fully automatized jewels setting automat, capable
: to sort and pick-up the right stones under a micron-camera
: video-computerized control and setting the jewels on the plate
: and bridges again at an incredible speed with utmost precision
: and again very limited fall-off. We work with 22 suppliers,
: including 21 from Switzerland and SII from Japan supplying some
: screws, pionions and cut parts.

: The controversy was born out of two factors probably - fuelled by
: "smart" competitors perhaps - which I would summarize
: as follows:

: - we wrongly did not mention the IP in our Press Release and surely
: were too bullish in our "100% home-made" statements as
: indeed many parts are made by other swiss partners and not
: entirely by us. Said that we already do internally more than
: many so-called Manufactures !

: - we acquired a japanese IP which apparently is a sacred cow in our
: Industry ! Indeed, in the recent past several other high end
: Brands have acquired IPs from competitors to develop their own
: movements but this created no big issue as these competitors
: were either swiss or german. I have underestimated the emotional
: dimension of Japan for most swiss companies. Probably an
: american IP too would have created a lot of controversy too as
: well as wrongly american watches are snobbed by many swiss
: companies like japanese - as if some countries were allowed to
: have good watchmaking ideas (Switzerland, Germany) and others
: not (Japan, US...)? In a global world one has to take the best
: where it exists. So was the TC78 IP. And this is what we did.
: This does not prevent our movement to by by all means SWISS MADE
: !!!!

: Said that TAG Heuer is perfectly capable to come up with its own IP
: and patents when it's not about doing something conventional but
: really revolutionary like a Caliber S or the Monaco V4 not to
: mention the Caliber 360. But even if the V4 IP is TAG Heuer's
: and 100% swiss, still its belts are french............is it a
: sin ? I should ask to our detractors.

: Since that controversy the Swatch Group has disclosed its intention
: to stop supplying the Industry of movements and parts such as
: the assortments. It has created a lot of buzz, at least in
: Switzerland. We read the newspapers like anyone and take good
: note, assessing scenarii and options should it materialize as
: Swatch Group claims they will do it. Today we are one of the
: major Clients of ETA in terms of mechanical movements but also
: hands and we are very happy with their quality, service and
: customer-focus. Now if they want to stop we'll find some other
: ideas but it would be a pity as we ever worked with them, at
: least since the early 1980's and are probably one of their
: oldest, largest and most loyal Customer over the last 25 years.
: We have gone thru 150 years of history and nothing will prevent
: us to write another 150 years anyhow. So let's wait and see.
: You'll be amazed by the Caliber 1887 and judge it by yourselves.
: Now, a bet ? In which series will TAG Heuer launch it in Basel
: 2010 ?

: Best regards and Happy new year - JC Babin

Messages In This Thread

Controversy About the New TAG-Heuer Mvmnt: Cal 1887
Re: Controversy About the New TAG-Heuer Mvmnt: Cal 1887
Mr. Babin, you're posting here is much-appreciated ...
Re: Controversy About the New TAG-Heuer Mvmnt: Cal 1887
Re: Controversy About the New TAG-Heuer Mvmnt: Cal 1887
Jean-Christophe: Thank You for This Message
My money is on a Carrera *NM*
Re: Faithful repro of Carrera or Pvd Monza.
Re: Controversy About the New TAG-Heuer Mvmnt: Cal 1887
Re: Controversy About the New TAG-Heuer Mvmnt: Cal 1887
Re: Controversy About the New TAG-Heuer Mvmnt: Cal 1887
Re: Controversy About the New TAG-Heuer Mvmnt: Cal 1887
Named after the year Heuer has introduced pignon oscillant? *NM*
More Media Coverage on Perpetuelle.Com
My Comments, Posted on Perpetualle
Re: My Comments, Posted on Perpetuelle
Hello OnTheDash, and...
Thanks for the Message, Kyle
. . . and In WorldTempus.Com
Re: . . . and In WorldTempus.Com
Who Can Translate (or Paraphrase) the French
Re: Who Can Translate (or Paraphrase) the French
Your translation is better than Microsoft's "Bing" version!!
Merci beaucoup! Machine will never replace humans.. LOL *NM*
Post Questions About Cal 1887; Then We Can Ask JCB to Visit
Possible configurations
Marketing asset too
cain and abel?
Re: Controversy About the New TAG-Heuer Mvmnt: Cal 1887
Jean-Christophe Says that Registers are at "3" and "9"
Re: Jean-Christophe Says that Registers are at "3" and "9"
Great Reporting, David!! Well Done, Jean-Christophe!!
Thanks Jeff
Seiko Flightmaster
Seiko based 1887
Re: Controversy About the New TAG-Heuer Mvmnt: Cal 1887
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