Today, I want to share my thoughts on an independent watch brand I recently discovered for their boundless creativity: Armin Strom. Before diving into their stunning 2024 release that has captured attention worldwide, let me provide an overview of their fascinating history.
The story of Armin Strom begins with its founder. Born in 1938 in Lotzwil, in the canton of Bern, Armin Strom left his family’s bakery to pursue a career in watchmaking. During his youth, this craft allowed him to sell his timepieces in prestigious locations like St. Moritz, where his services were highly valued by a demanding clientele.
Initially focused on restoring antique clocks and pocket watches, Armin Strom eventually opened a specialized workshop in 1967 in the old town of Berthoud, northwest of Bern, Switzerland. Here, he began crafting his own timepieces. His first branded watches debuted at Baselworld in 1984. At that time, he devoted himself increasingly to skeletonizing movements, soon specializing in this intricate and captivating art form.
In 2006, with his retirement approaching, Armin Strom—a local celebrity—sold a 51% stake in his newly formed joint-stock company, Armin Strom AG, to entrepreneurs Willy Michel and his son Serge, while retaining 49% ownership. One of Serge Michel’s first moves as CEO was to appoint Claude Greisler as Technical Director. Both born in 1978, Serge and Claude had been childhood friends, attending the same primary school in Berthoud.
Claude brought an in-depth knowledge of movement construction, while Serge approached the brand from a collector’s perspective, focusing on commercial and marketing strategies. Together, they grew Armin Strom around shared values of regional and familial roots, creativity, and humility, aiming to transform the company into a full-fledged manufacture. Their modern take on horology, combined with the steadfast values of its founder, has led to innovative developments, offering a fresh approach to skeletonization.
In 2011, at the age of 74, Mr. Armin Strom retired. He successfully passed down his passion, determination, and integrity to the next generation—qualities reflected in the design of every watch. Serge and Claude, sharing the goal of evolving Armin Strom into a larger horological entity while preserving its founder’s values, recognized the importance of developing in-house movements starting in 2009. They also expanded the company’s capabilities for producing components.
The brand presented its first Resonance model in 2016, measuring 59 mm by 43.4 mm, and later a chronograph function to the collection. To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the brand’s manufacture, Armin Strom introduced the Dual Time GMT Resonance First Edition, a groundbreaking advancement of their resonance concept. Let’s explore this exceptional watch.
Table of Contents – Armin Strom Dual Time GMT Resonance First Edition
What are the Features of the Armin Strom Dual Time GMT Resonance First Edition?
Case
The Armin Strom Dual Time GMT Resonance First Edition features an 18k gold case with a blend of polished and brushed finishes. Remarkably compact given its functionality, the case measures 39 mm in diameter and 9.05 mm in thickness. Water-resistant to 50 meters, it is equipped with two crowns at 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock, which allow for independent time zone adjustments. The 4 o’clock crown also serves as the sole winding mechanism for the movement.
Dial
The watch showcases an open-worked, symmetrical dial design featuring two sub-dials that independently display dual time zones. Additionally, it includes hand-detailed rhodium-plated day/night discs. The sub-dials are centered but positioned slightly below the midpoint of the case. Crafted in sky blue with a grained texture, they are made from silver, then coated with lacquer or enamel. Each dial is surrounded by a fluted ring with applied baton-style hour markers and a minute track. Gladiator-style hands, polished and faceted with rhodium plating, complete the elegant look.
Movement
At the heart of the Armin Strom Dual Time GMT Resonance First Edition lies a hand-wound resonance movement. Manufactured 97% in-house at their Bienne facility, the ARF2 caliber is the 18th proprietary movement from the brand. Operating at a frequency of 25,200 vibrations per hour, it offers a power reserve of 42 hours—an understandable limitation given the dual independent regulating systems connected by the company’s patented resonance clutch spring, which demands significant energy.
This movement essentially houses two mechanisms within a single caliber, linked by the resonance clutch spring. Powered by twin barrels and independent gear trains, it displays two entirely independent time zones (hours and minutes), along with a subsidiary day/night indicator. Winding is controlled via the crown at 4 o’clock, while the three-dimensional ratchet wheel at 6 o’clock connects to the two balance wheels visible on the dial side. The movement’s finishing is exceptional, featuring polished screw heads, beveled bridges, hand-finished wheels, feathered Geneva stripes, and black-polished steel surfaces.
To understand resonance, imagine two pendulums placed side by side. Over time, their oscillations synchronize through micro-vibrations, improving precision and achieving isochronism. In practical terms, this synchronization minimizes the effects of gravity and allows the watch to recover more quickly from shocks that might otherwise disrupt its accuracy. Resonance serves a similar purpose as a tourbillon but is arguably better suited to wrist-worn timepieces due to the natural motion of the wearer’s arm, which negates the effects of gravity more effectively.
The phenomenon of “sympathetic resonance” was first observed in 1665 by Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens. He noted that two pendulum clocks mounted on a shared wooden beam influenced each other’s vibrations until their oscillations synchronized. This principle was later explored by horologists like Astide Janvier and Abraham-Louis Breguet, who applied it to create their “Sympathetic Clocks.”
Strap
The Armin Strom Dual Time GMT Resonance First Edition is delivered with two alligator leather straps and an 18k white gold pin buckle. One strap features matte gray leather with sky-blue stitching, while the other is light gray with matching stitching for added versatility.
What Is the Price of the Armin Strom Dual Time GMT Resonance First Edition?
The limited First Edition of the Armin Strom Dual Time GMT Resonance will be produced in a series of just 25 pieces, priced at 115,000 CHF (approximately 500,000 AED).
Armin Strom Dual Time GMT Resonance First Edition: A Masterpiece of Wearable Horology
The Armin Strom Dual Time GMT Resonance First Edition captivates with its original design and compact diameter. With exquisite aesthetics and impeccable finishing, it is bound to appeal to collectors of haute horlogerie. From the back of the case, the nearly perfect symmetry of the ARF2 caliber is evident, save for a minor deviation along the horizontal axis, where the crown wheel is balanced by a limitation plate indicating the model’s sequence number. Despite this slight divergence, the movement’s mirrored architecture is breathtaking. The art of skeletonization, introduced by Mr. Armin Strom in the 1980s, remains central to the brand’s innovative approach. If your life involves working and living across different time zones, this watch is undoubtedly practical and meaningful. A heartfelt thanks to Claude Greisler for providing an in-depth presentation during the Geneva Watch Days 2024.
Armin Strom Dual Time GMT Resonance First Edition – Watch Specifications
- Brand: Armin Strom
- Model: Dual Time GMT Resonance First Edition
- Reference: WG24-DT.90
- Case Material: 18-karat White Gold
- Dial: Open-worked with visible twin balances and Resonance clutch linkage, twin time zones visible on two opposed dial in sky-blue grenage with black chapter rings
- Functions: Hours ; Minutes ; Day and Night ; Dual Time
- Movement: ARF22, Manual-Winding, 25’200vph frequency (3.5 Hz), 40 jewels, 231 components
- Power Reserve: 42 hours
- Water Resistance: 5 ATM
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Case Back: Sapphire
- Case Dimension: 39 mm (Diameter) × 9.05 mm (Thickness)
- Lug-to-Lug: 44.50 mm
- Strap: Matte-Gray Alligator with Polished 18-karat Pin Buckle
- Availability : Limited Edition of 25 Pieces
- Retail Price: CHF 115’000 (excluding VAT)
Does this watch’s architecture and movement harmony resonate with you, or do you prefer asymmetrical dials? Share your thoughts in the comments!
For more information about Armin Strom, click here.
