What Cadranor does

Cadranor SA is a Swiss manufacturer of high-quality watch dials (cadrans), headquartered and operating from a single integrated facility in Courtedoux, Switzerland. Founded in 1981 by Raymond Léchenne and acquired in 2004, the company was renamed Cadranor SA in 2009 in conjunction with a full factory renovation and new building construction. With a workforce in the 11–50 range, it supplies "internationally renowned watchmaking houses," ranging from unique pieces to large production runs, working with materials including brass, precious metals, carbon fibers, mother-of-pearl, leather, ceramic, and sapphire.

Its core offering is an end-to-end dial manufacturing platform organized into eight in-house departments: R&D (with 3D design software directly linked to CAD/CAM for rapid prototyping in client collaboration), mechanical machining, surface treatment and decoration (polishing, sandblasting, satin, sunlight, microblasting, brushing), galvanoplasty (an electrolytic color palette spanning stainless gold, 2N18/3N/4N/5N gold, black nickel, nickel, silver, rhodium, black gold, blue, brown, and slate), dust-free pressurized painting, decal/SLN/tampography application, applique and index fabrication, and aesthetic/technical quality control (including tropical climate, sulfur bloom, zapon thickness, and shock tests). A computerized production and inventory management system was deployed in 2013 to manage workflow and stock.

Commercially, Cadranor operates as a private B2B contract manufacturer with no publicly disclosed pricing, no retail or intermediary channels, and no active outbound marketing. Its go-to-market is direct relationship-based supply to luxury watch brands, with revenue, customer count, and contract terms undisclosed in the source material. The company has no app, no API, no public funding history, and no disclosed parent company; current ownership traces to the 2004 acquisition event and subsequent capital reinvestment (notably the 2009 facility expansion).

Name

Cadranor

Legal name

Cadranor SA

Website

https://cadranor.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cadranor SA is a Swiss watch dial manufacturer (Courtedoux, Switzerland) producing high-quality, custom dials in materials including brass, precious metals, carbon fiber, ceramic, and sapphire for internationally renowned luxury watch brands, with integrated in-house R&D, machining, finishing, galvanoplasty, and quality control.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Watch Dial Manufacturing

NAICS

Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing (339910)

SIC

Jewelry, Silverware & Plated Ware (3910)

akta.pro primary industry

Watch Manufacturing (Movements, Cases, Dials, Assembly) (CRAKADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Watch Parts & Components (Straps/Bracelets, Crystals, Hands, Buckles) (CRAKADAK), CAD/3D Design & Rapid Prototyping for Custom Jewelry (CRAKAHAH)

Keywords

• Watch dial manufacturing
• Custom watch dials
• Galvanoplasty coloring
• Surface treatment services
• Watchmaking components

Headquarters

HQ city

Courtedoux

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Distribution channels1 record

Core offering

Cadranor manufactures high-quality watch dials (cadran) for prestigious international watch brands, from unique bespoke pieces to large production series, working with materials such as brass, precious metals, carbon fibers, mother-of-pearl, leather, ceramic, and sapphire. The company runs an end-to-end in-house operation covering R&D and 3D CAD/CAM prototyping, mechanical machining, surface treatment and decoration, galvanoplasty, dust-free pressurized painting, decal and superluminova application, applique fabrication, and aesthetic and technical quality control.

Product overview

Cadranor SA is a traditional Swiss watch dial manufacturer serving prestigious international watch brands. The company operates a single unified manufacturing platform that encompasses all dial production capabilities, from research and development through to final quality control. The product portfolio centers on high-end watch dials (cadran) complemented by a comprehensive suite of manufacturing services including surface treatment and decoration, galvanoplasty, precision painting, decal and lacquer application, applique fabrication, and technical quality control testing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Watch Dials (Cadran) High-quality watch dials (cadran) manufactured for renowned international watch brands, ranging from unique bespoke pieces to large production runs, using brass, precious metals, carbon fibers, mother-of-pearl, leather, ceramic, and sapphire.
• Research and Development Services R&D team conceives and develops new dial projects in collaboration with watch brand clients, using 3D design software directly connected to CAD/CAM systems for rapid prototyping while respecting the original design intent.
• Mechanical and Machining Services Precision machining services using a modern machine park to produce dial components according to current horological requirements and techniques.
• Surface Treatment and Decoration Services Surface treatment services including polishing, sandblasting, satin finishing, sunlight finishing, microblasting, and brushing.
• Galvanoplasty Services Electrolytic coloring process offering gold (stainless gold, 2N18, 3N, 4N, 5N), black nickel, nickel, silver, rhodium, black gold, blue, brown, and slate finishes.
• Painting Services Dust-free painting department with pressurized booths performing spraying, lacquering, and varnishing to achieve client-specified colors while protecting products from oxidation.
• Decal, Lacquer, and Superluminova Application Services Automatic and manual decal application for printing various motifs and decorations, tampography printing for precise marking, and application of lacquer, enamel, and superluminova under controlled lighting conditions.
• Appliques and Indexes Meticulous application of appliques, stickers, precious stones, plots, screws, and micro-components by experienced collaborators, including in-house fabrication of appliques and indexes with impact testing.
• Aesthetic and Technical Control Services Incoming technical and aesthetic component inspection, in-process quality control at every stage, and in-house testing including tropical climate, sulfur bloom, and zapon thickness tests.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Mimotec SA: Swatch Group company specializing in micro-mechanical watch components using LIGA and UV-LIGA processes. Overlaps with Cadranor at the precision-machining and micro-component end of watch dial production, though focused on microstructures rather than full dials.

Direct peers

• Comadur SA: Swatch Group company producing high-tech watch components including sapphire glass, ceramic parts, and watch dials. Comparable to Cadranor in hard-material dial expertise (sapphire, ceramic) and B2B Swiss watchmaking supply.
• Universo SA: Swiss manufacturer of watch hands (aiguilles) and dial-related components serving the Swiss watch industry. Comparable to Cadranor in surface treatment expertise, finishing techniques, and B2B supply to luxury watch brands.
• Milco SA: Independent Swiss watch dial manufacturer based in the Jura region, serving prestigious watchmaking houses. Highly comparable to Cadranor as an independent (non-Swatch) premium dial specialist competing in the same niche.
• Donzé Cadrans SA: Swatch Group subsidiary and specialist watch dial manufacturer (cadran = dial) producing high-end dials for prestige brands. Closest direct overlap with Cadranor in terms of product specialization and luxury brand customer focus.
• MOM Le Prélet SA: Swatch Group-owned Swiss manufacturer specializing in high-quality watch dials, including enamel, lacquered, and mother-of-pearl dials. Directly comparable to Cadranor in product category, customer base (luxury watch brands), and B2B manufacturing model.

Broad incumbents

• ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse: Swatch Group company and the largest Swiss manufacturer of watch movements and a broad range of components. Comparable as a Swiss B2B watch-component supplier to brands, though operating at much greater scale and broader scope than Cadranor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cadranor