Bert Buijsrogge Photography
Case (front): Designed with a diameter of 38mm and a thickness of 10mm. Printed in stainless steel 316L.
A Delft University of Technology alumnus and son of an artist and restorer of classic cars declares a new craft in watch-making.
He speaks a year on from his graduation, leaving Delft with a Masters in Architecture; four years after founding his own company, Holthinrichs' Watches; and nine years after his fascination with timepieces began.
Though his childhood dream had been to become an architect, his interest in watches and fashion would supersede the design of large structures.
"I became interested in style and art deco and clothing," Holthinrichs remembers, "and I thought I should own a pocket watch. That was nine years ago. I bought an Amica pocket watch and when I opened it, it was just magical to see. It's architecture in small. It's craft and technology and design in one small piece.
"I started collecting like a mad man. And then, after four years, I thought I'm actually educated as a designer and by that time I knew how a watch worked and how it was constructed. I thought I should be able to make one myself. That was the beginning."
Soon after completing his first watch design, the first 3D printed house was built in his homeland's capital: The Amsterdam 3D Print Canal House. It piqued Holthinrich's interest and he began exploring the possibility of incorporating 3D printing into his watch-making escapade. After working with Aldema, now a Materialise company, and using a Renishaw AM250 machine, Holthinrichs was invited to an Additive Manufacturing Solutions Centre where he has been able to develop his first wristwatch, the Ornament 1. He builds the watch by hand, the dials, for example, made in the traditional manner, but leans on 3D printing for a few of the more aesthetic features.
The buckle, case and crown are printed in stainless steel 316L in a 30-hour process. With a diameter of 38mm and thickness of 10mm, the case has a raised inscription of the Holthinrichs' brand, while on the reverse it has the words 'stainless steel', '3D printed case' and 'Swiss movement' in upper case lettering.
Holthinrichs exports his design into the QuantAM build preparation software where he checks and configures the parts on the build plate, adding supports where necessary. Then the files are sent to a Renishaw AM 400, selected for its flexibility and ability to produce fine detailed designs. Since the parts need precision of one hundredth of a millimetre, post processing is required. This is outsourced before Holthinrichs finishes them with hand filing and polishing techniques. Post processing, assembly, and adjustment by hand take a further 30 hours per watch.
Bert Buijsrogge Photography
Buckle: 3D textured with hand polished exterior surface. Printed in stainless steel 316L.
The Ornament 1 is the latest addition to a watch collection still boasting around 80 timepieces, more than 100 having been repaired and sold to fund his own watch-making efforts. Development completed in January 2016, it still hasn't left Holthinrichs' wrist - some feat for a fashion obsessive. Though more than satisfied with his first watch, he's eager to push on with his next creations: "Architecture is never finished," he offers thoughtfully. He wants to begin exploring printing the moving parts of the watch next, and now his own atelier in the Delft city centre has opened, he has the setting to do so. His ambition is to create a line of watches, of which Ornament 1 is the first instalment, and also to produce an 'ultimate personalisation version [where] finish and design is pushed to the maximum.' While designs will differ, the influence of 3D printing technology is sure to continue.
"I call 3D printing a new craft in watch-making," Holthinrichs articulates. "I think most brands or watch makers will see 3D printing only as a prototyping medium, but I think they are maybe too conventional in that sense, too conservative. I think it could add to the industry."
Have you got an innovative creative application or technology? Applications for the TCT Awards 2018 are now open to companies across the entire design and manufacturing technology ecosystem. A full list of categories, submission criteria and deadlines can be found here.
