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Inside Hermès Watchmaking: A Report from Its Swiss Manufactures

Hermès makes cases and dials at Le Noirmont, straps and assembled watches at Brügg, and works with Vaucher on Haute Horlogerie movements. A reported visit shows the craft behind that network, but does not establish public factory tours.
Estimate4–5 min Catalogued SpecialistWatchRanker Team
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This is a behind-the-scenes report, not a visitor guide: a 2023 journalist account describes an invited visit to Hermès’ watchmaking sites, but the available sources do not confirm that public factory tours are offered. The visit shows how Hermès combines case, dial, strap and assembly work in Switzerland with specialist mechanical-movement production at Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier.

Where Hermès watches are made

Hermès locates its watchmaking expertise in Switzerland. Its 2025 account identifies three distinct parts of the operation: cases and dials at Le Noirmont, leather straps and case assembly at Brügg, and Haute Horlogerie mechanical movements at Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier. These roles describe the company’s manufacturing network; they do not mean every watch follows an identical process or uses the same movement.

Site Role
Le Noirmont, Swiss Jura Watch cases and dials, according to Hermès’ 2025 account.
Brügg, canton of Bern Leather strap production and case assembly, according to Hermès’ 2025 account.
Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier Specialist in Haute Horlogerie mechanical movements, according to Hermès’ 2025 account.

Hermès says the Le Noirmont operation brings together two acquired capabilities: dial-maker Natéber, acquired in 2012, and case-maker Joseph Erard, acquired in 2013. Their activities were regrouped at Le Noirmont in 2017. Hermès announced the site expansion and its manufacturing roles in July 2025.

What a reported visit revealed

In a report published on 19 December 2023, Fratello’s Daan de Groot described an invited visit to Hermès headquarters in Brügg and Les Ateliers d’Hermès Horloger in Le Noirmont. The following process details are observations from that account, not a technical specification for every Hermès reference or production run.

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Cases: machining, finishing and checks

De Groot reported seeing stainless-steel cases made from scratch at Le Noirmont. His account distinguishes those from titanium and gold cases, which it says are stamped by third parties before Hermès carries out the remaining finishing. The described stainless-steel workflow includes cutting and pressing, followed by refinement and hand brushing or polishing; the report says an Arceau case can involve up to 46 steps.

The report also describes visual quality control, case-back stamping or engraving, and water-resistance testing before cases are sent to Brügg. That sequence illustrates the work observed on the visit; it should not be read as a universal routing chart for every material or model.

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Dials: color and precise layering

Many dials in the account begin as brass blanks, which are cut and then polished or brushed before color treatment. De Groot describes galvanic blue dials as treated in an acidic bath. For multi-layer designs, the challenge is aligning the layers, colors and printing accurately.

Straps and decorative leather

At Brügg, the report describes straps assembled by hand from cut leather pieces, then glued and stitched. Their edges are sanded, heated, waxed and sealed. The reporter also saw tiny pieces of leather assembled into decorative dial mosaics—a reminder that leatherworking can contribute to the face of a watch as well as its strap.

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Assembly and final checks

At final assembly, the report says the dial and hands are fitted to the movement before the assembly is cased. The watch is then checked for water resistance, while the movement is regulated and assessed for accuracy and power reserve.

Fratello’s 2023 account is the source for these visit observations. They are useful examples of the work involved, but one reported visit cannot establish that every Hermès watch receives the same treatment.

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Does Hermès make its own movements?

The answer depends on what “make” means. Hermès carries out substantial watch production itself across cases, dials, straps and case assembly, but its stated movement relationship is distinct: Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier specialises in Haute Horlogerie mechanical movements.

Fratello reports that Hermès began a close collaboration with Vaucher in 2003, acquired a 25% stake in 2006, and that the H1837 and H1912 proprietary Hermès movements came off Vaucher’s line in 2012. That history supports describing Hermès as having proprietary movements made through its Vaucher relationship; it does not establish that every current Hermès watch uses a movement made there. For a particular watch, check the specifications for its exact reference.

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How the manufacturing network developed

Fratello dates Hermès’ first watch to 1912, when a pocket watch was fitted into a leather wrist strap as a gift for Émile Hermès’ daughter Jacqueline; the report says public production began in 1928. It dates the establishment of La Montre Hermès in Brügg to 1978.

The later movement relationship with Vaucher began in 2003, according to Fratello. Hermès’ 2025 account documents the subsequent consolidation of case and dial expertise at Le Noirmont: Natéber was acquired in 2012, Joseph Erard in 2013, and the two activities were regrouped there in 2017.

What Hermès announced for Le Noirmont

In July 2025, Hermès said an expansion of the Le Noirmont manufacture was planned, with completion targeted by 2028. The company said the expanded site would cover 11,000 square metres and could eventually accommodate around 100 new employees. These are announced plans and projected capacity, not evidence that the expansion is complete or that those jobs have already been filled.

What a visit report can—and cannot—tell you

The visit offers a close look at specialist production, but it is not evidence of public access. The report describes a journalist’s invited visit, and the official Hermès pages reviewed do not provide public-tour booking details, eligibility, hours or prices. Public tours therefore remain unconfirmed.

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For readers assessing a Hermès watch rather than planning a visit, the company’s collections include H08, Cut and Arceau. Compare the exact reference: collection design, movement and complication, case material and dimensions, and whether it is supplied with a strap or bracelet can vary. Hermès lists watch maintenance and repair services, but the applicable options and terms should be confirmed with the brand. Hermès’ official watch pages list current collections and service information; availability and specifications can vary by market and reference.

Quick Recap

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Hermès, Pre-loved Black Stainless Steel Heure H Watch Small, Black
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Hermès, Pre-Loved Heure H Quartz Watch 21
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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