Mauron Musy Armure MU03 Watch Review : “nO-Ring” technology, which is basically a way of saying that the case does not require any o-rings (rubber ga

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While not cheap, watches like the Armure MU03 have a lot of interesting features

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Mauron Musy Armure MU03 Watch Review
JAN 27, 2020 — BY ARIEL ADAMS

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/mauron-...-watch-review/


Timepiece creations like the Armure collection from Swiss Mauron Musy are what help keep the traditional watch industry feeling fresh. The brand is a collaboration between Eric Mauron and Christophe Musy who founded Mauron Musy and their products deserve some attention. While not cheap, watches like the Armure MU03 have a lot of interesting features, a great wrist presence, and a design that is highly distinctive. Let’s dive deeper into this water resistant watch that requires no gaskets…

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That’s right, the principal technical selling point of Mauron Musy Armure watches is that they have been designed with “nO-Ring” technology, which is basically a way of saying that the case does not require any o-rings (rubber gaskets). Gaskets are the traditional means to create water- and dust-resistance in watches. Seals between metal parts create strong barriers that keep water out even under pressure. That’s actually quite a challenge, and it took decades for the watch industry to get it right. The story of the evolution of the diver’s watch in the mid-20th century is really also the story of the environmentally resistant watch case. Today, a 300-meter water resistant timepiece is hardly something to take notice of, but years ago, it was a serious technological achievement. Today, we have timepieces like those from Mauron Musy that offer 300 meters of water resistance without and gaskets — how is that possible?

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The short answer is high-quality machining. I don’t know exactly how they did it, but the tolerances Mauron Musy is able to achieve are so fine that metal on metal components in their cases (the Armure MU03 is in all grade 5 titanium) are sufficient to keep water out. To do this, the Armure cases have been uniquely designed with interesting clamp systems that hold the 36-part cases together. This is no easy feat, as the clamps much be tight enough to keep out water but no so tight as to bend or warp the metal.

Gaskets have been removed from around the sapphire crystal and the case itself, as well as the crown system. Each of these areas no doubt required their own unique engineering challenges. The Armure watch itself is a direct manifestation of their effort in the interesting, modern design of the case. It looks like what it is, and what it is happens to be both functional and aesthetically appealing. Comfort and class are not a natural byproduct of engineering — so, when you see a pretty watch that also does something new from a technical perspective, paying top dollar starts to make sense.

I take pride in being able to understand a complex product, but I do have sympathy for brands like Mauron Musy that, despite having an awesome product, have a limp message for mainstream consumers who ask the simple question, “So, how is this watch going to help me get laid?”

Mauron Musy includes at least two 22mm-wide straps with each Armure MU03 watch, one being calfskin leather and one being rubber. For me, the sportier rubber strap is the more comfortable and cool option, but for dressier occasions, the leather strap is pretty nice. Overall, I really admire what Mauron Musy has done with Armure collection — especially the MU03. The watch very much represents what a lot of modern timepiece enthusiasts are looking for, including an original design, impressive technical story, and resolute attention to detail. Price for the Mauron Musy Armure MU03 watch is 9,700 Swiss Francs.

Necessary Data
>Brand: Mauron Musy
>Model: Armure MU03 (MU03 -102 as tested)
>Price: 9,700 Swiss Francs
>Size: 44mm-wide
>When reviewer would personally wear it: As a modern-design-focused Swiss watch that has some impressive engineering tales to tell (to those who care to hear them).
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Engineer or machinist who appreciates tight tolerances and the pursuit of perfection for those who like to carefully observe small details.
>Best characteristic of watch: Impressive technical achievement in being able to engineer out gaskets (which can wear out over time). Watch is very well-made with original design and is also comfortable to wear on the wrist.
>Worst characteristic of watch: Price to branding ratio means that Mauron Musy will need to hit some critical mass with enough consumers who understand the brand story in order for the company to really grow. These watches are far too complicated to be made cheaply and the brand doesn’t answer immediate market needs. So that means Mauron Musy will need to carve out a niche for itself (which takes time). No major complaints about the watch itself, which proved comfortable, neat looking, and legible.

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mechanical sealing technologyglass, caseback and ring


Mechanical – or direct –sealing technology consists of hermetically fitting various elements together without any gaskets. This technology calls for serious knowledge of materials physics and fluid dynamics. It requires hardening and then straightening or grinding of the materials in contact so as to achieve exceptional flatness and controlled roughness of the surface profile. Thus adapted to watchmaking, this approach entails standards governing the world of infinite smallness: if the surfaces involved were the size of an Olympic swimming pool, their relief would correspond to tiny waves measuring a third of a millimetre high.

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CLAMP BRACE AND SATELLITE SPRINGScaseband, bezel
and satellite
springs


Mechanical sealing technology must nonetheless be adapted: it is impossible to use clamping screws in watchmaking due to the risk that the latter might deform certain components. They are replaced by extremely specific clamp braces: the sapphire crystal and caseback on the one hand; and the caseband on the other. These clamp braces tense the various elements by means of specially developed satellite compression springs. If a water molecule were the size of a golf ball, it would have to travel 430km and face 3m-high hurdles in order to infiltrate the case.

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CROWN DEVICE crown device

The winding stem pivots inside a bearing screwed to the caseband. These two perfectly adjusted components with their nanometrically accurate fit ensure a gasket-free seal. In comparison with the diameter of the Channel Tunnel, the space between the two would amount to a third of a millimetre, the thickness of a business card. The same principle is applied to the pushbuttons.

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1.Research & development


R&D holds a substantial place at MAURON MUSY: rather than sourcing components via traditional watch industry circuits, the two engineers adopted the “100% Swiss Crafted” label right from the start.

From design to assembly via computer-assisted design (CAD) and machining, the majority of watch exterior components is developed and produced in-house. Even when this means developing new machines, notably when it comes to the nO-Ring[SUP]® t[/SUP]echnology, which involves exceptional surface treatments. Also even when it means inventing new processes: the satin brushing of domed elements has for example been entirely revisited and improved, giving rise to an approach unique in its kind.

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2.Experimentation and testing

MAURON MUSY watches stem from cutting-edge experimentation and testing, often conducted for the first time in watchmaking.

The two independent and determined founders sometimes looked for solutions in other fields, such as general mechanical engineering, inventing as they went a range of new procedures and/or components. Resolutely free from any dogmatism, Eric Mauron and Christophe Musy have no hesitation in venturing beyond the borders of watchmaking as such, thereby sending a fresh breeze blowing through the entire sector. By way of example, the satellite compression spring that is part of the nO-Ring® technology called for 30 or so prototypes before taking on its definitive structure. In the same way, the aesthetic and technical finishing of the various elements involved extensive trials. Finally, the water-resistance tests, far more thorough than for a traditional watch, required the invention and development of dedicated devices unheard of in classic watch manufacturing facilities.

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3.Production and controls

Rather than outsourcing, the two founders have equipped the Manufacture with all the equipment required for in-house production.

The watch cases and their 36 elements involved in the nO-Ring® technology, as well as the dials, were all entirely produced on-site. Moreover, quality is a value on which the Maison refuses to compromise. Throughout the production process, each stage is regularly monitored. Be it the surface state of the elements ensuring mechanical water resistance, the physical integrity of components subject to powerful pressure, or the efficiency of the nO-Ring® technology, all components undergo hours of testing in order to meet the highest standards of excellence. Above and beyond the demands of ‘Swiss made’, MAURON MUSY watches bear the ‘Swiss Crafted’ label meaning that 100% of the components have been produced and assembled in Switzerland.

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4.Assembly and adjustment

In addition to a research lab, a production unit and a test and control department, the Manufacture has its own assembly workshop.

Each highly specific component must be assembled with meticulous care – on the one hand to avoid damaging other components; and on the other so as to ensure perfect fitting with the nO-Ring® device.
Once Calibre 39 has been verified in each and every detail and cased-up, the watch ‘head’ (complete watch without its strap/bracelet) once again undergoes in-depth scrutiny, notably to ensure its power reserve and its water resistance. Before being dispatched to their new owners, all watches are subjected to several hours of testing designed to meet the highest standards of horological excellence.

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5.Finished product and sales network

With the nO-Ring® technology, function becomes a design element in its own right. The specific characteristics of the water-resistance device are as practical as they are aesthetic.

The section-built case, the pinned caseback hinges, the distinctive lugs: all these features driven by technical considerations make MAURON MUSY watches immediately recognisable. A perfect example of industrial design.

Sophisticated, sturdy and equipped with unique technology, MAURON MUSY watches can be left on the wrist in any circumstances. Neither water, nor sunlight, nor snow nor sand can impair the intrinsic qualities of these exceptional models. Each watch is delivered with two straps: one in leather and the other in rubber. The brand is represented in around 15 points of sale in Asia – Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, India; in Oceania – Australia; and in Europe, with Germany, England, Buglari, France and of course Switzerland. Online orders can also be placed via www.mauronmusy.com

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A very sharp, and intriguing offering, in some very cool executions!:happy:Thanks Mike.:hat:
 
care-free rich man travels the globe in style with no worries & 1 watch collection
 
That's a handsome and very cool watch with a lot of tech thrown in. Two questions... What kind of warranty do you get and do you need to send it back to them for any and all repairs?
 
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