WATCHMAKING KNOW-HOW – OUR EXPERTS IN

MANUFACTURING: DIALS

Hello everyone,

In addition to its own movements and cases, TAG Heuer also manufactures its dials. This is
done at our Dial Manufacture Artecad, acquired in 2011 and located… well, you could have
guessed it: in yet another small village of the Swiss Jura, Tramelan since 1885!

120 to 150 steps and around 30 different experts are necessary to produce a dial. This steps
can be summarized in 6 production phases.

[STEP 1: CUTTING & STAMPING]

Like for cases, the first step is cutting the dial from a slab of brass, then stamping it. At least
three hits are necessary to shape the dial. Between each hit, the metal has to be heated to
avoid the risk of cracking. The maximum pressure of the stamping machine is 200 tons per
hit!

[STEP 2: DECORATION]

Then comes the decoration phase. The dial can be brushed, sunbrushed, sand-blasted etc.

[STEP 3: DRILLING]

Drilling is the following step: tiny holes are pierced for the indexes, the central hands and
the date window. The subcounters can be milled in order to achieve a snailed effect. Only a
tool with diamond tip can mill the counters with sufficient precision.

[STEP 4: ELECTRO-PLATING]

During electro-plating the dial is immersed in baths of different substances to achieve

various colors of the dial (black, gold, silver, grey and others). This is a very delicate step: if
someone was to touch the dial, a chemical reaction would happen that would ruin it.

[STEP 5: TRANSFER]

The next operation is to apply different prints on the dial by transfer technique.
A steel plate is engraved with the desired pattern and filled with the required color, and a
silicon stamp applies on the dial. The dial is then heated to fix the ink.
[FINAL STEP: INDEXES – MANUFACTURING & SETTING]

Another step is manufacturing the indexes. There are different ways to manufacture them:
stamping, cutting, milling, laser etc. Under each index, there are two microscopic feet that
go in the corresponding holes on the dial. Producing these feet is also a complex process.

Then comes last operation: setting all index and decoration on the dial. Each one is grabbed
with the fine tweezers by the feet and placed in corresponding holes of the dial. Then a laser
fixes the feet by melting them into the dial. The glowing superluminova substance is applied
by hand on each index, and then the dial is heated to fix it.

Thank you, and see you soon!

Watchmaking Know-How – Our Experts in Manufacturing: Dials