A method of fabricating a hermetic terminal having an annular ring, a lead
arranged to penetrate through the ring in which one end side thereof is
an inner lead portion electrically connected to a piezoelectric vibrating
piece and the other end side thereof is an outer lead portion
electrically connected to outside as the ring is between them, and a
filler fixing the lead to the ring, wherein the hermetic terminal seals
the piezoelectric vibrating piece inside a case, the method includes the
steps of: applying plating to a hermetic terminal intermediate having the
lead fixed in the ring with the filler to plate the ring and the lead;
setting the hermetic terminal intermediate after subjected to plating on
a holding member; and flattening an end part of an inner lead portion in
the lead to form a stair portion in the hermetic terminal intermediate
set on the holding member.