When a Shinola Argonite 1069 movement is complete, with 46 individual pieces working together to tell time, it’s truly a beautiful piece of equipment. The movement acts similarly to the engine of a car—without each component intact and performing its job, it doesn’t run.
Each movement is hand-assembled in a dust-free cleanroom-like environment, and tested throughout the process to ensure years of accurate performance. The completed movements, one roughly the size of a dime and the other a quarter, contain parts that are so small they are assembled using tweezers, vacuum styluses and micro screwdrivers. The person putting the movement together must sit within inches of the machine and, at times, use an eye loupe to ensure that even the smallest parts are properly installed. There is also an electronic module, which contains the chip and the quartz crystal that drives the mechanical parts.
These pieces are continuously tested throughout the process to ensure they work flawlessly and that no faulty pieces continue down the line. The coil, made of an ultrathin copper wire wound around a magnetically conductive core, creates the magnetic field that drives the watch motor. One essential part of that motor is the “rotor”, a tiny magnet that reacts to the changes in magnetic field by spinning on its axle and engaging the other wheels all the way down to the ones that carry the hour, the minute, and the second hands of the watch. Using a kit of parts made in Switzerland, the movements are assembled in our Detroit factory. At each station, our line technicians add a few extra parts to the movements. Starting with the main plate, the gear train is first added before the setting mechanism is assembled. The jewels on the gold-plated train wheel bridge have to be precisely oiled to ensure the least amount of friction between fixed and rotating parts. Once added to the assembly, the electronic module has to be tested on a special computer, not only to ensure that the integration between electrical and mechanical components is done correctly, but also for time accuracy. The calendar parts are then added and tested; a dummy hand is set to check for proper operation of the finished movements.
Finally, they go through a separate set of random checks in the QC room before they get their final approval by the watchmaker. The movement is only one part of what it takes to make a great watch. Setting the dial and the hands, assembling the resulting “fit-up” into the case, adding the crown, closing the case back or crystal, and then adding the straps also have exacting standards and are performed with a high degree of precision as well. From final assembly, every single watch goes through another series of tests to ensure its integrity – from time keeping, to visual checks, to waterproof testing. The end of this process is simple—final polishing, packing and a last look at what we hope will be a trusted companion on your wrist for years to come.
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