Tudor’s new Monarch watch is a tribute to the style of the 1920s | Canada Voices

With its papyrus-toned dial, a mix of Arabic and roman numerals, and a small seconds sub dial, the new Tudor Monarch is a tribute to the style of the 1920s, when Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf conceived the brand as a more accessible alternative to his main line. To keen-eyed observers, however, the words “Master Chronometer” stamped on the dial reveal the Monarch to be every bit a 21st-century creation. This certification, which appears on a growing number of Tudor models, signifies industry-leading standards of precision, anti-magnetism and waterproofness that set the Monarch apart, not only from its 1920s forebears, but most other modern watches as well.

Following the latest edition of the Watches and Wonders trade show in Geneva in April, where the Monarch was introduced, I made the 90 minute drive to Le Locle. The centre of Swiss watchmaking for more than 150 years, this is where every Tudor watch is made. In one modern glass and steel building, timepieces are assembled and tested, while another is the home of Kenissi, the Tudor-owned company that produces mechanical movements for a range of brands including Chanel and Breitling.

While not open to the public, visitors like me who are lucky enough to gain access to the assembly room must don antistatic lab coats and CSI-esque booties before entering via a negative pressure airlock. “Dust is the watchmaker’s worst enemy,” explains Luke, a Tudor technician who leads a tour through the production line. Beneath floor-to-ceiling windows, rows of watchmakers – a surprising number of whom sport visible tattoos – sit in front of monitors at brightly-lit worktables, each dedicated to a different stage of assembly.

One scrutinizes a box full of cases, checking each bezel to make sure it’s perfectly aligned. Another polishes sapphire crystals, examining them for microscopic dust particles. Everything is checked and rechecked using callipers and magnifiers. “If we detect a problem later, we need to open the watch again and remove many components. So, we take the time here to make sure everything is perfect,” Luke says.

Once each watch is cased and inspected, it moves on to the Master Chronometer certification lab, which is presided over by a government inspector from the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology, better known as METAS. Here, a pair of wheeled robots work 24/7 ferrying trays of watches between a series of machines that test them for magnetic resistance, waterproofness and power reserve. “It’s the only department where we always have someone on the floor,” explains Julie, a technician who oversees the certification lab. After successfully completing a 10-day battery of tests, the watches are fitted with bracelets and boxed for distribution to boutiques.

Everyone who buys one of the Tudor Monarch models that emerge from the Le Locle workshop will appreciate it for different reasons, from its retro aesthetic to its historical significance. But if you’re fortunate enough to tour the Swiss facility, the Monarch encapsulates the efforts of hundreds of skilled craftspeople – and two extremely hardworking robots.