Swiss watch development in Geneva, from drawing to after-sales
CLD Design SA, a watch subcontractor in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, runs watch development for brands from start to finish: design and engineering of the watch exterior, prototypes, industrialisation, machining, finishing, assembly, final inspection and after-sales service. Machining is carried out by our partner workshops in Plan-les-Ouates; the other steps take place in our offices and in our workshop. You order a finished piece; we deliver a finished piece, machining included.
The phases of a project and their deliverables
- Brief and quotationYou present the project at whatever stage it has reached, from an idea to technical drawings.You receive: the specification for the watch exterior, drawn up with you, then the quotation, which sets the scope and the quantities.
- Watch exterior designWe design the watch exterior: the case, bezel, dial, caseback and any other component it needs. The design you choose moves on to engineering.You receive: sketches, then 3D renderings of the shapes and finishes.
- CAD engineeringEngineering sets the dimensions, the tolerances and the water resistance.You receive: the dimensioned drawings and 3D files of the case, bezel, caseback and crown, ready for machining.
- Prototypes and fine-tuningThe first parts are assembled in our workshop. Assembly and finishing trials are used to settle the water resistance, the tolerances, the bonding and the fits between components; whatever they reveal is corrected before production.You receive: the first parts, assembled and fine-tuned.
- Industrialisation and pre-seriesWe draw up the manufacturing routings and the inspection plans, then put them to the test on a pre-series before series production begins. The routings are then improved from one batch to the next.You receive: the pre-series, made under production conditions.
- Series production: machining, finishing, assembly and final inspectionParts machined to our drawings are checked on arrival in our workshop. They then go through jewellery work and polishing, before case assembly, crystal bonding, movement assembly and casing. Final inspection covers a visual inspection of the case, a functional test of the movement and an instrumented water-resistance test.You receive: the approved parts, delivered in batches; each batch has its own file, and its inspection report is supplied on request.
- After-sales serviceOn arrival, each watch goes through a photographic inventory and a written diagnosis under the stereo microscope; work starts once you have approved it. For a watch we developed, the drawings are already with us, and a component that needs replacing is machined from those drawings.You receive: the written diagnosis, then the watch with its service report.
What the brand decides
The watch carries the brand’s name, and the brand makes the choices that commit it: the shapes and finishes of the watch exterior, the materials and components, the water-resistance level and the rate tolerance, which final inspection checks.
The brand keeps the relationship with its customers and the warranty, including when we provide the after-sales service: only its name appears on the documents given to the end customer. Our clients’ names are kept confidential, on this site and in our business dealings.
Movement, dial, hands, crystal: components and suppliers
The exterior is designed around the movement the brand chooses, from its casing dimensions. We find the suppliers of the movement, dial, hands and crystal, as we do for the materials of the watch exterior (steels, titanium, gold) and their treatments. During assembly, every component is checked before it is fitted.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bring my own design or drawings?
Yes: we take over your design and make it manufacturable (dimensions, tolerances, water resistance). The project then starts at the engineering or prototype stage, depending on how far your drawings go.
Can I order a single stage of the project?
Yes, each stage can also be ordered on its own: design and engineering, prototypes, finishing, assembly and final inspection, or after-sales service. For an assembly or inspection operation, the details are on our page on watch subcontracting in Geneva.
Can I supply my own movement and components?
Yes: you deliver your components to us, and we assemble and case them in our workshop.
What is the minimum order quantity?
Operations carried out in our workshop can be ordered from a single piece. For a project that includes machining, the quantity is set in the quotation.
How long does it take, from drawing to first batch?
The schedule is set in the quotation, phase by phase, with an indicative lead time. It depends on your starting point and on the quantities.
Will the watch qualify as Swiss made?
That depends on conditions covering the whole watch, some of which come down to your own choices, such as the origin of the movement. For a mechanical watch, the Ordinance on the Use of “Switzerland” or “Swiss” for Watches (SR 232.119, art. 1a) requires at least the mechanical construction and the prototyping of the whole watch to be done in Switzerland. The case engineering and the prototypes we produce are done in Plan-les-Ouates. Our page on Swiss made, Geneva provenance and the Geneva Seal (Poinçon de Genève) sets out the other conditions.
Let’s discuss
your project.
Tell us about your project: an idea, a sketch, drawings or parts to finish. We sign a non-disclosure agreement on request before any technical discussion.
Chemin du Pré-Fleuri 15
1228 Plan-les-Ouates
Switzerland