Hello everyone,
Following the first chapter, the SW288-1a caliber has been selected for the Ariane project. This new collection will feature a large central moon phase.
As you can read in the article on initial results and trends, the large moon phase received over 66% of the votes cast on the Ariane configurator. Your creations were therefore decisive in this choice.
However, as the figures are relatively close, this decision is the fruit of careful consideration within the team and with our partners, and goes beyond the sole question of design.
We'd like to take a look back at the various questions that fuelled our reflection, as well as the reasons that led us to choose the caliber from Sellita manufactures for the Ariane collection.
SW200 calibre breakdown
The working surface of the moon disk New areas of innovation
Following initial technical analyses, it became clear that the small size of the disc (Ø12 mm) offered an extremely limited working surface, and this limited room for maneuvre, in terms of both legibility and exploitable material, implied a simplified disc design that doest reflect the spirit of the projects.
Indeed, the promise of the ARIANE project is first and foremost to reinvent the lunar phase. In light of this objective and current technical resources, a disk with a working surface of Ø16 mm seems to be the minimum required to maintain this horizon.
Sellita SW288 standard - Disque de lune
A modification of the SW288 caliber is being studied, to enlarge the disc surface to Ø23 mm. You can read more in the interview with AJS Production engineer Howel. This modification of the SW288 movement would open up the field of possibilities by offering a Ø4.8 mm disc, compared with Ø2.4 mm on a Soprod or Dubois-Dépraz mechanism.
Sellita SW288 modified to 4.8 - Moon disc
Production cost of calibers Ariane collection price range
Given the respective costs of the calibers and the movements complications presented in the last article, as well as your desired price range, the Sellita caliber is the preferred choice. Indeed, in the last article, you were over 87% in favor of a final selling price below 1,800CHF for Ariane collection.
Adding a calendar (monthly or perpetual) and/or chronograph to the SOPROD caliber, or opting for the Dubois-Dépraz manuufacture, would considerably increase the cost structure by 600 to 1,600CHF. This would result in a model price of between CHF 1,600 and 2,800.
What's more, more than 80% of your creations on the Ariane configurator, featured such complications on the C105 caliber, and only 20% presented a reduced moon disk with no additional features. Therefore, proposing the factory-version, with a simple small seconds function, was ruled out by the teams. And so, the C105 caliber was withdrawn from the project.
Agenda and launch date Production capacity
The supply time for a Dubois-Dépraz caliber - with the desired complications - is (to date) one and a half years. This timeframe, subject to variation over the next few years, is currently unsustainable given the early stage of the Mu:n projects.
Conversely, the SW288 caliber can be ordered within 4-6 months. For this collection, we're aiming for a launch in summer 2024, with delivery before Christmas. This target will be revised as the chapters progress, and we will endeavor to communicate a provisional schedule that is as prudent as possible.
Logistic Stock consolidation
Finally, the choice of caliber SW288-1a is to be seen in the context of a second edition. Working on the SW288 caliber opens up economies of scale on orders, and enables us to absorb the cost structure linked to stocks and after-sales service.
This economy of scale will enable us to keep the price of the ARIANE edition low, and even more so to avoid passing on the various increases in raw material costs to the ARTEMIS collection. As the movement represents over 50% of the cost of our editions, it is the main price leverage we have.
Don't hesitate to send us your feedback, drawings and/or ideas, so that we can continue to develop the Odyssey.
We'd also like to thank the entire community for writing to us, by e-mail and on social networks, and sharing their vision of the Mu:n projects with us. Each of your feedbacks feeds our reflections, and we're happy to exchange with you.
We look forward to reading your comments.
Have a great weekend!
The Mu:n team