Making a $2.5 million dollar watch - video

[Jon]

If you post a 10+ minute video, it better be a good one. This one features the making of a $2.5 million Patek Philippe 5175R Grandmaster Chime.

Previously:

Masahiro Kikuno watchmaking - video
Watch crystal lift - video
Tropical bird watch - video
Watch timing mechanism GIF
How a watch is made - GIF
Harry Winston Opus 11 watch - GIF, videos, photos
Vintage ribbon loom for making watch straps - GIF
Urwerk UR-110 wristwatch - GIF and photo

[rlm98253]

Phenomenal design, engineering, manufacturing, and precision assembly. Too bad all that brainpower, time, and money wasn't spent on solving some of the world's more pressing problems.

[Frank S]

It is safe to say there will never be a knockoff of that watch.
It may have been 2.5 Mill for the first one but if they ever make as many as 10 Serial #1 will be worth millions more.

[KustomsbyKent]

Awesome video, thanks for sharing Jon!
I found it interesting in the early portion of the video where they showed the engineers working on the design, and using what looked to be 10x scale clear acrylic gears to prototype the motion/movement. That looked to be the fun part of the development.

Making and Assembling those small pieces does not look like my idea of fun! Interesting to watch though!

[PJs]

Thanks Jon! Stunning build and design. Wonder how long the assemblers could work at a time without going snow blind...2 years to assemble. Wow. I would assume the accuracy is good but no mention of that or if it is water resistant to 100m. Like Kent said I liked the 10x scale acrylic prototype also and represents a whole new concept in weight, inertia and holding tolerances in acrylic. Also the double sided bezel was stunning imho. I can see the cost for something like this and 6 new patents (Wow), but $2.5m on my arm scares the stuffing out of me. But as an investment...maybe...just out'a my league for sure!

Not much for bling on a watch but just received my new Seiko, first with Bling, (a chronograph BD gift) to replace my old Kinetic (5M62-oc80). Way out of my normal price point but thanks to Amazon and a gift from my better half. The old Kinetic lasted 12 years through hell and high water (several 20-40m dives in Australia), day in and out every where I was. It finally died quietly, plus nobody locally wanted to work on it (not cost effective). It also held to about 10-15 seconds a month all that time and worked out to about 6 cents/day. Been a Seiko fan since my first self wind in 65'...had a couple of casio's (G-shock & calc watch)...but short lived and hated the bands on them. Best thing is the new one is a 43mm case and I can read it night or day without trifocals... We'll see how the solar works out, accuracy and longevity, but for my 53 years and 6 of them...should be fine for me.

PJ

[skibo]

Thanks Jon! Stunning build and design. Wonder how long the assemblers could work at a time without going snow blind...2 years to assemble. Wow. I would assume the accuracy is good but no mention of that or if it is water resistant to 100m. Like Kent said I liked the 10x scale acrylic prototype also and represents a whole new concept in weight, inertia and holding tolerances in acrylic. Also the double sided bezel was stunning imho. I can see the cost for something like this and 6 new patents (Wow), but $2.5m on my arm scares the stuffing out of me. But as an investment...maybe...just out'a my league for sure!

Not much for bling on a watch but just received my new Seiko, first with Bling, (a chronograph BD gift) to replace my old Kinetic (5M62-oc80). Way out of my normal price point but thanks to Amazon and a gift from my better half. The old Kinetic lasted 12 years through hell and high water (several 20-40m dives in Australia), day in and out every where I was. It finally died quietly, plus nobody locally wanted to work on it (not cost effective). It also held to about 10-15 seconds a month all that time and worked out to about 6 cents/day. Been a Seiko fan since my first self wind in 65'...had a couple of casio's (G-shock & calc watch)...but short lived and hated the bands on them. Best thing is the new one is a 43mm case and I can read it night or day without trifocals... We'll see how the solar works out, accuracy and longevity, but for my 53 years and 6 of them...should be fine for me.

PJ

I have a few Seiko watches and I also still own a Seiko kinetic, a 30 year gift from the company I worked for! It has died and will cost a lot to fix,I'll keep it as a memento of the years worked. I do love Seiko watches though but I bought an excellent used worn twice Citizen Echo dress watch for $35.00 on Ebay, two years ago and have found it to be quite the buy!