BACKSTAGE:
WELCOME BEHIND THE SCENES
THE CASE
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WE ARE THE FIRST MANUFACTURER WORLDWIDE TO CAST CASE AND DIAL IN SOLID SILVER OR GOLD.
MODEL & CAST
IT ALL STARTS WITH THE ORIGINAL MODEL: IT IS MADE OF WAX AND SERVES AS THE BASIS FOR ALL OTHER CRUDES. WE THEN CAST THE MOST DISTINCTIVE PART OF YOUR CRUDE IN STERLING SILVER – WITH THE CASE AND DIAL MADE IN ONE PIECE. WONDERING WHY WE CHOSE THE CAST PROCEDURE? OF COURSE, IT WOULD BE MUCH EASIER TO JUST MILL THE CASE OUT OF A SILVER BLOCK. BUT THEN AGAIN: WE LIKE CHALLENGES – AND WE LOVE INDIVIDUALITY. ISN’T IT ALL ABOUT THE LITTLE DIFFERENCES THAT SHAPE THE CHARACTER? WE KEEP THE CASTING AS RAW AS POSSIBLE. EVEN THE CAST SKIN REMAINS UNTOUCHED. AS A CONSEQUENCE, NO TWO OF OUR CASES WILL BE THE SAME. THERE ARE TINY DIFFERENCES AND IT’S FUN TO DISCOVER THE MICRO NOTCHES AND EDGES THAT MAKE EACH CRUDE UNIQUE – AND MAKE IT EXACTLY YOUR CRUDE. IN ADDITION, THE CASTING PROCESS CREATES SMOOTH TRANSITIONS AND A VERY SPECIAL, VERY SOFT TOUCH. FOR US, THE CASTING OF A CRUDE IS THE MOMENT OF ITS BIRTH: IT’S THE CREATION OF SOMETHING UNIQUE THAT MAY ONE DAY BE YOUR BABY. AS IT’S ABSOLUTELY UNUSUAL TO CREATE A MONOLITHIC CASE, WE HAD TO LOOK HARD FOR A SUITABLE PARTNER FOR THIS COMPLEX PROCESS. WE FOUND A HIGHLY SPECIALIZED FOUNDRY BASED IN IDAR-OBERSTEIN (GERMANY). EVEN FOR THEM, THE CRUDE HOUSING WAS A REAL CHALLENGE – BUT THEN AGAIN: EASY WOULD BE BORING AS HELL, RIGHT? .
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PRECISION
TRIMMING THE ROUGH CAST CASE TO ABSOLUTE PERFECTION IS EVEN MORE DEMANDING THAN THE CASTING ITSELF. AFTER ALL, WE ARE NOT DEALING WITH JUST ANY KIND OF JEWEL BUT WITH A HIGH-END WATCH. IT TOOK US TWO YEARS TO EXACTLY DEVELOP THE PROCESSES AND WORK STEPS THAT LEAD TO A PERFECT CASE – AND THE PATIENCE WAS DEFINITELY WORTH IT! SPECIAL TOOLS WERE CUSTOMIZED FOR CRUDE, AND COUNTLESS TESTS, A LOT OF TECHNICAL KNOW-HOW AND A LOT OF LATERAL THINKING WERE NECESSARY TO GET THERE. NOW OUR CASE BUILDER IS IN PERFECT CONTROL OF ALL TOLERANCES. HE IS ABLE TO EQUALIZE THE MOST MINIMUM UNEVENNESS IN THE CAST BLANK THAT MIGHT BE RELEVANT FOR PRECISION. THOUGH YOU WOULDN’T THINK SO WHEN LOOKING AT A CRUDE AND ITS ROUGH OUTER SHELL: EVERY HUNDRETH OF A MILLIMETER COUNTS.
THE CALIBER
GRAND HEART
A 44 MM DIAMETER CASE NEEDS A STATELY AUTOMATIC CALIBER. THE HEART OF EACH CRUDE IS THE CALIBER 3945A WITH A 30 MM DIAMETER MADE BY THE TRADITIONAL SWISS COMPANY ETERNA MOVEMENT. THE MOVEMENT CONTAINS 30 JEWELS AND IT VIBRATES STEADILY WITH A FREQUENCY OF 28,800 BEATS PER HOUR – WITH ONLY ONE GOAL: TO MOST PRECISELY SHOW YOU HOUR, MINUTE, SECOND AND DATE – AND HAS A POWER RESERVE OF 65 HOURS. THE GLASS FLOOR GIVES YOU A CLEAR VIEW OF THE BRIDGES’ FINISH WITH GENEVA STRIPES AND NAC COATING. THEN THERE’S ANOTHER DETAIL THAT YOU WON’T SEE: THE SAME CRUDE SERIAL NUMBER TO BE FOUND ON THE CASE IS ALSO ENGRAVED IN THE MOVEMENT.
THE SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL
SWISS STRENGTH
ONLY CRUDE OFFERS YOU A DIAL THAT IS ONE WITH THE SILVER CASE. SWISS EXCELLENCE ALLOWS YOU TO FULLY ENJOY THIS VERY SPECIAL FEATURE. OUR 2.2 MM THIN SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL IS MADE IN SWITZERLAND. AND THIS IS ALSO WHERE THE COATING PROCESS COMES FROM. ECONORM’S DOUBLE-SIDED ANTI-REFLECTIVE COATING IS PARTICULARLY HARD AND SO CLEAR THAT THE GLASS PRACTICALLY DISAPPEARS – YOU WILL VIRTUALLY BE ABLE TO DIVE INTO YOUR WATCH. THE BOTTOM GLASS COMES FROM THE SAME WORKSHOP: IT IS ALSO SAPPHIRE (1.8 MM) AND EQUIPPED WITH AN ANTI-REFLECTIVE COATING (INSIDE).
THE SCREWS
SEALED IN STYLE
CUSTOMIZED SCREWS, WHICH ARE EXCLUSIVELY MANUFACTURED AND COATED FOR CRUDE IN GERMANY, PROVIDE A STYLISH COHERENCE BETWEEN THE CASE AND THE BACK. USING SPECIAL TOOLS, THE SCREWS CAN BE LOOSENED TO OPEN THE BACK. HOWEVER, WE WOULDN'T BE CRUDE IF WE HAD ONLY PAID ATTENTION TO PERFECT FUNCTION AND NEGLECTED OUR TYPICAL STYLE. THAT'S WHY YOU'LL FIND OUR SIGNATURE »E« ON THE SCREW HEADS – WITHOUT THE MIDDLE LINE, OF COURSE.
STRAP & BUCKLE
THE STRAP
CALF X KANGAROO
CRUDE IS NOT A LIGHTWEIGHT – LITERALLY. THAT'S WHY ITS STRAP IS MADE OF STRONG COWHIDE AND THE BRAIDING OF DURABLE KANGAROO LEATHER. OUR LEATHER SPECIALIST ON IBIZA MAKES EACH ONE ELABORATELY AND BY HAND. IF DESIRED, HE CAN EVEN ADAPT IT INDIVIDUALLY TO YOUR WRIST. ITS UNIQUE DESIGN GOES PERFECTLY WITH CRUDE’S OVERALL LOOK. BUT OF COURSE, WE DIDN'T JUST PAY ATTENTION TO STYLE AND DURABILITY: THE STRAP IS ALSO EXTREMELY COMFORTABLE TO WEAR – EVEN ON SLIMMER LADIES’ WRISTS. THINK OF IT AS SOME KIND OF STURDY BRACELET. BY THE WAY, THE STRAP IS SECURED IN AN APPROPRIATELY AESTHETIC AND RELIABLE WAY: THE BAND ATTACHMENTS MADE OF SOLID STERLING SILVER WERE CUSTOMIZED FOR CRUDE.
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THE BUCKLE
CAST FOR CRUDE
THE STABLE BUCKLE GOES PERFECTLY WITH THE STRAP AND THE HOUSING: JUST AS THE CRUDE CASE, THE BUCKLE IS CAST IN SILVER.
THE HANDS
ELEGANT SKELETON
THE HANDS ARE SWISS-MADE, TOO. THEY’RE EXCLUSIVELY PRODUCED FOR CRUDE. ESTIMA IS OUR SUPPLIER FOR THE SKELETON HANDS.
THE OWNER’S MANUAL
THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE
AN ORDINARY SET OF ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTS DOES NOT AT ALL LIVE UP TO OUR IDEA OF CRUDE. THAT’S WHY WE TREAT EACH WATCH WITH ITS VERY OWN LITTLE BOOK. IT’S A BIRTH CERTIFICATE THAT DOCUMENTS THE ORIGIN OF YOUR CRUDE, INCLUDING SERIAL NUMBER AND WATCHMAKER IN CHARGE. IT’S A CERTIFICATE THAT WILL ACCOMPANY THE TWO OF YOU FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE BOOK WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO OPTIMALLY TREAT YOUR CRUDE AND GIVE IT AN INDIVIDUAL PATINA. MOREOVER YOU MAY USE IT TO DOCUMENT EVERY SERVICE OF YOUR WATCH – FOR A COMPLETE, LIFELONG HISTORY.
