How Timex watches are made

• Timex is known to be a high-quality yet affordable watch brand
• Their American Documents collection is made in their Connecticut headquarters.
• We got a peek behind the scenes to learn how Timex makes them.
• Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.

The following is a transcript of the video:

Fabiana: Think of a watch, and you think of something that tells you the time. Or maybe you appreciate it as a fashion accessory. But crack that watch open, and beneath, you unearth another world, one of hundreds of tiny moving parts that work in sync. The art of watchmaking is often machine-based these days, but at Timex, all the watches in its new collection are handmade by watchmakers who ensure each little piece clicks into place.

Fabiana: Timex manufactures watches across the globe. But for its recent collection, American Documents, it brought the craft back to the US, to the Timex headquarters in Connecticut. And the process all starts with the watch head. The watch's motor gets placed into a nest, which is like a little bed for the motor. In any analog watch, the motor helps the watch run efficiently. From there, the face of the watch must line up with the two holes in the motor. Then, with small tweezers, the hands of the watch are carefully placed and pushed down. The hands must be leveled precisely, because if they clash, the watch will stop working.

Fabiana: Next is adding the glass that goes over the face of the watch. Before the glass is added, compressed air and a cloth help get rid of any dust particles. The watch head is then flipped over, and the watchmaker uses a special fixture to insert the crown. The crown is the little knob on the side of the watch that you use to change the time.

Dave Quinlan: Next, what we'll do is put the battery in. We normally remove the batteries while we're storing the movements and while we're working on them, because we don't want them to be running for no reason.

Fabiana: After the battery is inserted, the ring support is next to be put on. It prevents anything from wobbling around inside the case and keeps the many tiny pieces where they're supposed to be. The ring has a little USA tag, which is shown in this Timex watch series. Timex began manufacturing in Connecticut back in 1854, but it didn't start with watches. The company first made clocks. Over time, production moved to different factories across the world. But Timex wanted to get back to producing an American-made watch with its new American Documents series.

Fabiana: Setting the time exactly right is a crucial step of the process. Once the watchmaker sets the time on the watch, it's left to sit for 24 hours to make sure it's running properly. From there, a laser marks the inside of the case with the date that the watch assembly started, the Timex Group logo, and the words, "Made in USA." The back of the case is then closed with a device called a case press. Timex has a reputation for being reliable because of all the tests the brand runs throughout the process.

Commercial: Yes, I'm told you can hear it, so you know it's still ticking. The lovely Timex ladies' waterproof watches can certainly take a licking and keep on ticking.

Fabiana: Before the strap is put on, the watch goes through a water-resistance test. Each watch gets marked with a document and a style number on its back, so Timex can keep track of what collection the watch is from if it needs repairs. The watches must be inspected after being assembled. I helped Dave during this part, to make sure that there weren't any scratches or markings, that everything that needed to be on the watch was, and that it was running properly.

Dave: So, we leave these on so that we don't get fingerprints on the watches.

Fabiana: Oh. All righty, I'm failing inspection. OK. Let's see how our team did.

Dave: Mine says document No. 4. Yours should also.

Fabiana: I don't see where it says that. Oh, mine doesn't say it.

Dave: Oh. So we'll have to send that one back in for marking.

Fabiana: Ooh.

Dave: Look at you go.

Fabiana: I've got a good eye. The watchmaking process is almost done. From there, the strap is attached to the watch face in the finishing room.

Dave: So, now you'll line up that small pin into that small hole.

Fabiana: This reminds me of changing toilet paper.

Dave: Yes. It's the same kind of a design.

Fabiana: The Timex watch is now ready to be shipped. When it's all complete, the watch itself is no bigger than a few inches, but what goes into it are layers of intricately placed and connected parts that perform a function we've always needed: to tell us what time it is.

Join the conversation about this story »

from Design http://bit.ly/334buYI