Armin Strom Tribute 1 FE Beauty is A Contrarian Bet On A Modern Dress Watch Revival

 

 

The ‘Tribute 1’ is the latest offering in the ‘System 78’ collection, the entry point to the Armin Strom brand. It embodies the sensibilities of the co-founders of the revitalized Armin Strom, who were both born in 1978.

Swiss watch brand Armin Strom unveiled a new timepiece that reinterprets the classic dress watch. “We believe that
exceptional hand-finishing, presented in the context of a modern aesthetic sensibility, is the key to a modern dress watch revival” said Claude Greisler, Master Watchmaker and co-founder.

“At a time when so many of us have spent so long without formal social interaction, the end of the pandemic represents a return to normal life and the luxury of social gatherings. Our introduction of a dress watch is an expression of that hope for the future” said Serge Michel, Armin Strom co-founder. “A dress watch may seem contrarian right now, but we’ve learned to trust our instincts. Years ago, we were told that there was no economic model to justify a low-volume independent watchmaker bringing all of its fabrication in-house; because the equipment is expensive and requires a lot of space. We did it anyway – and that decision paid off. Today we have the luxury of continuing to follow our passion. The ‘Tribute 1’ isn’t just a manifestation of that passion, it’s a ‘tribute’ to it. It’s also our tribute to the classic haute horology dress watch, updated from a modern perspective.”

Exceptional Haute Horology Finishing

“I’ve been obsessed with this timepiece, particularly its finishing” said Greisler. “Just hand-polishing the white gold barrel bridge takes us over 12 hours to complete. The polishing of the hands is similarly time-consuming. The gear chain bridge is beveled and polished in 60° – a complex process demands twice the effort. The barrel is also hand-polished. The movement is adorned with Côtes de Genève; with a circular-grained mainplate and jewel sinks that are polished to gleaming perfection. It’s also more classic than my recent designs,” said Greisler, “with a diameter of 38mm and a height of just 9mm. The crown is located at 2 o’clock; a nod to modern design that enhances wearer comfort.”

Turn around the Tribute 1 watch and the pleasure continues.

The gear train bridge on the backside is beveled and polished in 60° – a process that’s far more complex to execute and as a result takes twice as long. The Caliber AMW21 is adorned with Côtes de Genève, the jewel sinks are polished to a gleaming conclusion. The balance cock and the stepped escape wheel cock deliver a three-dimensional allure, while their edges are hand beveled to convey an overall sense of luxury.

The motor barrel is unusual as its arbor turns around the mainspring within the barrel itself; making it more efficient while conserving space. It provides 100 hours of operation.

Priced at an intentionally-accessible price of CHF 13,900 (~15 146 USD), this inaugural limited-edition of 25 watches is distinguished by its white gold barrel bridge and 10-year warranty.