Once in the Basel Watch Fair in 2004, TAG Heuer watch launched the concept of a rather landmark Watch – Monaco V4, altar watch by storm. Monaco V4 mechanical watch subvert the basic concepts of watchmaking, with belts, and ball bearings, instead of the traditional gear. Watchmakers Philippe Dufour in the assistance, Monaco V4 refreshing bold action, not only the parties immediately attracted envy, but also aroused ─ ─ parties to discuss and question the considerable differences of opinion: This really is a watchmaking breakthrough, or just marketing gimmicks? This concept of the watch all the attention and aroused curiosity.
In 2007, after a total of 36 months before and after tens of thousands and thousands of hours of design, simulation, so that the final actual construction phase, TAG Heuer Monaco V4 is now back to this year’s Basel watch show. This time, it is not just for one year and the outstanding performance of the prototype only, it can not only confirmed the gear tooth belts to replace, but also shows the expected series of watches, so the world can a glimpse of movement in the final structure.
The first pre-production prototype TAG Heuer watch , the Basel Watch Fair in 2007, officially unveiled. The prototype of TAG Heuer watches are not only the well of creative works as well watch a production process and the process of innovation – make extensive use of mathematics, physics, computer simulation and so on. TAG Heuer watch has another initiative: the tabulation process in the introduction of new technologies and personnel, medical and space technology development will be out of engineering and component miniaturization, and then used to make watches.
TAG Heuer Monaco watch has always adhere to the one principle: To build the ideal watches, watches from the history of the extraordinary gain technical experience, while huge investments in research and development efforts. They made watches and movements, leaders of 147 years in a group of London. 2002 Microtimer (accurate up to thousandths of seconds); 2005’s Calibre 360 mechanical watches (which can display a few hundredths of a second); and come out this year, the landmark Calibre S, is the 21st century watchmaking The most pioneering spirit of the watches.
In 2004, Monaco V4 concept form, the first configuration dentate belt (toothed belts), instead of a traditional gear drive movement of the watch, which is full of revolutionary ideas tabulation. After the show, TAG Heuer watch factory in the technology sector and then thoroughly examine all the performance watch in order to test mechanical ideas are presented by Shang complex performance, and according to Yan Fa Yuan Jian department right part of the endurance and toughness tests made by the Zhong Zhong Jin Xing test. Test standards do not watch the operation in the long-term cost of any additional costs the consumer can still perform well.
This technology used in the watchs because of its own new and unique and the corresponding required conditions, must be a thorough review of the traditional (and often based on experience and repeated handling the weight) of the R & D program, prior to production in the Shi Ji, the new one sets in mathematics, physics, computer simulation-based research and development program. TAG Heuer CEO Jean-Christophe Babin concluded: “The analogy, if you watch the last four centuries to build airplanes the way I am afraid that the first test flight crashed on the runway on the possibility of very high, and even affect the its business opportunities. For this reason, we decided to examine from scratch the entire process of manufacturing V4, rather than rush into production and prototyping. we shall consider the production prototype form before, will first movement split into several parts, individual conduct simulation tests and evaluation. We only do a ping prototype has been operating for a year now. In fact, as with the superb modern computing and simulation technology, enough to almost perfect step will design theory, then, why should they persist in roughly the way it? ”
TAG Heuer Monaco watch to analyze the operation of the traditional movement in the high-performance computer made tens of millions of hours of simulation, and to the scientific results obtained to determine the movement of new components, such as V4 “transmission belt” within the limits of physical and dynamic frame of reference. Although today’s Monaco V4 structure has been readjusted, the spirit remains the spirit of the original concept of the watch, and even some people think it’s watches available in 2004 is completely different, but there is incredible. From the subjective point of view, this is the magic of creativity. Does not change the basic elements: transmission belt, ball bearings, straight put Tuo, like a sports car cylinder structure of the V-winding disk configuration and so on.
In the present stage of development, many because of the materials used in tooth belt drive due to have been resolved issues. The first generation of dentate bulky belt thickness of only 7 mm from a new generation of replacement. Tooth shape structure is based on ISO standards, is different from most of the traditional Swiss watch gears watch industry NIHS specifications as the standard. In order to create a prototype watches the transmission belt, TAG Heuer, including the use of sophisticated new technology including Femto laser. Manufacturing pre-production series of watches, the more the use of a tiny spray forming technology in the mold, the error down to the nanometer range.
The synchronous drive belt system, and automatic winding pendulum straight Tuo practical performance validation phase has been completed. The next step is to verify the expected overall performance of the prototype watches reliability. A prototype of this movement has been running for over a year now, the accuracy of the traditional mechanical movement no different. Each ping operation components are high-resolution film camera a few weeks under the careful observation to see all the improved performance of the structure. In order to meet the stringent requirements of quality control department, TAG Heuer engineers decided to reduce the number of dentate belt, and its further improvement to enhance its efficiency and flexibility.
At present the movement with a large number of involute gearing, transmission efficiency than the traditional mechanical movement. Pre-production series only produce 20. The pre-production series as TAG Heuer, like other watches, will undergo rigorous quality control department tests ─ ─ TAG Heuer has made the Swiss patent CH 695 197 05 Number of TAG Heuer plant and equipment for all laboratory testing equipment legitimate intellectual property rights granted. Of course, the TAG Heuer goals, including the V4 to obtain the Swiss COSC chronometer certificate. Perhaps this is a long road, but worth wait.
