This article details a visit to Swatch Group's production facilities in Boncourt and Grenchen, Switzerland, focusing on the manufacturing processes for Sistem51 movements and Bioceramic components. The author observed the automated assembly of the modular Sistem51 caliber and the creation of Bioceramic watch cases and dials, highlighting Swatch's significant annual output and meticulous quality control.
The Sistem51 movement is characterized by its modular construction, comprising five main elements: the mechanical stem module, escapement module, automatic winding module, rotor, and a plate housing the wheel train, date, and hand pinions.
The Sistem51 movement, first introduced in 2013, has been utilized in various Swatch models, including the Flymagic (with a modified, inverted movement) and the Scuba Fifty Fathoms and Royal Pop collections, the latter featuring a hand-wound version.
Metal strips made of a nickel-copper-zinc alloy are processed through stamping, cutting, and sandblasting, with washing steps between stages to ensure cleanliness.
The production system captures approximately 800,000 photos at different stages to compare against programmed tolerances for quality control.
Bioceramic production and printing, along with the manufacturing of Swatch's Bioceramic parts, now take place at the Grenchen facility, which also handles production for collaborations like the Blancpain and Audemars Piguet timepieces.