Reply To: Taig Made in USA

[david pierce]

Paul,
If you are a member of the NAWCC you can view a series of lectutres and videos of several watch factories manufacturing watch parts. Most of the videos can also be seen on Youtube but not the lectures. The videos are from WW 2 so many of the machines are operator controlled and cam controlled. Today these machines have been replaced with CNC equipment but the manufacturing principals are the same. When watches were first produced in watch factories there were rooms full of highly skilled craftsmen (mostly women) turning staffs and pivots with WW lathes and gravers. Even as far back as WW 2 most of this type of production was phased out. This was NOT done because the craftsmen were making bad parts. Part of the reason for the change was economic; more parts could be produced with fewer workers. The other part of the reason was part interchangeability and quality control. By making a part to a mathematical model a part made in one location could be guaranteed to fit into a part made in a completely different location. This allowed many parts to be manufactured by subcontractors thus greatly increasing production. My educational and work background was along these lines so I am more able to relate to this process.
david