ValFleurier

ValFleurier is a movement manufacturer owned by Richemont.

Although not as publicized as Richemont's other movement manufacturers, ValFleurier supplies movements to Montblanc, Panerai, and Baume & Mercier, and to a lesser extent Piaget and IWC. Montblanc also uses Minerva movements, and Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and A. Lange & Söhne have their own movement operations.

After Richemont bought and integrated LMH, the group focused on developing mechanical watch "manufacture" status for their existing brands, most of which were dependent on Cartier and focused on quartz movements. Panerai had already been expanding movement manufacturing in Fleurier, and Richemont sought to share this capability. This led to the creation of ValFleurier as a way to consolidate skills and share technology among the brands that did not already have this capability. ValFleurier also provides movement manufacturing capability to these brands.

Today, ValFleurier is able to design new calibres and produce and finish tens of thousands of movements per year. The company is an integrated manufacture spread out in three locations:

1. Research and development is in Neuchâtel
2. A modern prototyping and production facility was created in Buttes in the Val de Travers
3. Finishing and decoration is located in La Côte-aux-Fées at the Piaget facility

Some of these movements are based on IWC designs, but sold with a ValFleurier calibre name. For example, ValFleurier produces their P591 tourbillon for Baume & Mercier but it is actually a cal. 98900 from IWC, as used in the Portugieser Tourbillon Hand-Wound.

According to Swiss public information, ValFleurier is involved in "study, design, research, development, manufacture, marketing, purchase, sale and after-sale mechanisms, movements and complications of watches and clocks and watches watch service and generally all matters relating to the industry." ValFleurier is located in Buttes, Switzerland.

External Links

• Val Fleurier responds to Richemont’s movement strategy
• PIAGET: PuristS On Tour 2008 Part 2