Today, I want to share the story of a German watchmaking brand that flies under the radar but truly deserves greater recognition for the diversity and craftsmanship of its timepieces: Moritz Grossmann. Before presenting one of their standout models, let’s delve into the history of the legendary Moritz Grossmann and the visionary Christine Hutter, who revived the brand in 2008.
Karl Moritz Grossmann, a luminary of German watchmaking, lived from 1826 to 1885 in the Saxon town of Glashütte. From a young age, he dedicated his life to horology. Grossmann established his own workshop in Glashütte, crafting precision tools, escapement models, pocket watches, precision pendulum clocks, lever chronometers, and marine chronometers of exceptional quality. His primary passion was expanding horological knowledge.
Grossmann left a significant mark on watchmaking, not only through his creations showcased at exhibitions and events but also as a technical writer and co-founder of the German School of Watchmaking, where he taught to pass on his expertise.
One of his most significant achievements was his 1866 treatise on the detached lever escapement, which laid the foundation for the Swiss lever escapement used in most contemporary watches. Grossmann became the first German competitor to win a competition organized by the British Horological Institute. However, after his untimely death in 1885, the Grossmann manufacture ceased operations.
The Moritz Grossmann name re-emerged in the horological world in 2008, thanks to Christine Hutter. Her fascination with mechanical watchmaking began shortly after completing her university studies in 1986. She embarked on an apprenticeship with master watchmaker Wilhelm Glöggler in Munich, where she restored pendulum clocks, pocket watches, and chronographs.
Graduating at the top of her class, Christine’s career took her to Glashütte, the revered hub of German fine watchmaking. She started at Wempe, Germany’s leading luxury watch retailer, then moved to Maurice Lacroix, followed by Glashütte Original in 1996, and finally A. Lange & Söhne. While in Glashütte, she uncovered Karl Moritz Grossmann’s significance to the region. Seeing that no one owned the brand name, she and her family acquired its rights in 2007.
With the name secured, Christine set out to revive the brand, reinterpreting its rich heritage with modern technology to cater to today’s market. Based in Glashütte, the Moritz Grossmann brand quickly established its own unique style, impeccable artisanal quality, and limited production, making it a favorite among collectors.
The Moritz Grossman Benu, introduced in September 2010, was the first watch released by Moritz Grossmann upon establishing their manufacture. The name references an ancient Egyptian myth about the divine heron Bennu, which was consumed by fire and left behind an egg, from which a new Bennu bird emerged the next morning. The spelling was adapted to the German language, thus birthing the Benu. To mark its 13th anniversary on November 11, 2021, Moritz Grossmann unveiled the Tremblage, a watch inspired by the historic Benu model. True to its name, this timepiece celebrates the traditional decorative technique of tremblage, evident on its dial. Now, let’s explore the watch in detail.
Table of Contents – Moritz Grossman Tremblage Rose Gold
What Are the Features of the Moritz Grossmann Tremblage Rose Gold?
Case
The Moritz Grossmann Tremblage Rose Gold features a beautifully polished rose gold case. Measuring 41 mm in diameter and 11.35 mm in thickness, the case is complemented by an intriguing button located below the crown, which houses a complex clutch system.
To understand this mechanism: when the crown is pulled to set the time, it automatically returns to its original position, activating the stop-seconds mechanism for precise time setting. Once the time is set to the hour, minute, and second, simply press the conical pusher on the case’s base. This pusher reactivates the movement and restores the crown to winding mode.
This ingenious and user-friendly safety mechanism prevents dust from entering the case through the crown, minimizes wear on the keyless works, and prevents the hands from moving inadvertently when the crown is returned.
Dial
The Moritz Grossmann Tremblage Rose Gold boasts a dial crafted by a Glashütte engraver and finished in-house. Unique in design, the dial is made from German silver, an alloy of nickel, copper, and zinc with a subtle golden hue from its copper content.
The standout feature of this dial is its hand-hammered texture, achieved through a rare technique known as tremblage. The engraving is carried out with a trembling motion using a series of burins of varying sizes and profiles. This meticulous process creates a beautifully textured, hand-finished surface that reflects light in a refined, sophisticated manner.
The indices, minutes, and small seconds are not applied post-engraving; instead, they are sculpted in deep relief. Once the engraving is completed, the tremblage texture is added. To crown the craftsmanship, the dial features hand-crafted, brown-violet hands. Achieving this distinctive color requires careful heating of the hands to around 270°C, with a tolerance of just 5°C.
Movement
The watch is powered by the caliber 100.1, a 90% in-house manually wound movement. Constructed from untreated German silver, it features a three-quarter plate design with an in-house balance cock. The movement includes a Grossmann balance with variable inertia, balance screws, and a Nivarox hairspring.
Operating at a slow frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour, the movement offers a 42-hour power reserve. It incorporates Glashütte’s signature modified stop-seconds mechanism, Grossmann’s micrometer adjustment, and hand-engraved floral motifs on the balance and escape-wheel cocks. The finishing includes frosted bridges, snailing on the ratchet wheel, and rose-gold chatons secured by screws.
Strap
The Moritz Grossmann Tremblage Rose Gold comes with a dark brown hand-stitched alligator leather strap and a rose gold butterfly clasp.
What Is the Price of the Moritz Grossmann Tremblage Rose Gold?
The Moritz Grossmann Tremblage Rose Gold is not a limited edition. It is priced at €42,300 or AED 161,750 (excluding VAT).
Moritz Grossmann Tremblage Rose Gold: A Subtle and Sophisticated Timepiece
The Moritz Grossmann Tremblage Rose Gold seamlessly blends vintage aesthetics with cutting-edge mechanics, offering a remarkable fusion of precision, artistry, and heritage. Wearing a Moritz Grossmann timepiece signifies a love for exquisite craftsmanship and a desire to stand out with a distinctive, connoisseur-level choice. The brand’s dedication to artisanal excellence is evident in every step of its watchmaking process, from blueprinting to hand-sculpting the hands, finishing the movement components, and assembling the timepieces.
Currently, the Moritz Grossmann manufacture employs about 40 skilled watchmakers, producing no more than 500 watches per year. Their long-term goal is to double this production while maintaining the brand’s exceptional standards. A unique highlight is the painstaking effort Moritz Grossmann invests in crafting its hands entirely in-house and by hand—a rarity even among high-end brands.
I’d like to extend my gratitude to Yohann Martinez, Store Manager at Art in Time, for providing me with the opportunity to discover this brand and try on this exceptional model. Art in Time is a unique retailer specializing in showcasing the craftsmanship of independent watchmakers, making it the perfect place to explore remarkable horological creations like those from Moritz Grossmann.
Moritz Grossmann Tremblage Rose Gold – Watch Specifications
- Brand: Moritz Grossmann
- Reference:MG-003290
- Model: Tremblage
- Case Material: Rose Gold
- Dial: German Silver, Tremblage
- Functions: Hours, Minutes, Small Seconds
- Movement: 100.1, Manual-Winding, 18’000vph frequency (2.5Hz), 20 jewels and 198 parts
- Power Reserve: 42 hours
- Water Resistance: 3 ATM
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Caseback: Sapphire
- Case Dimension: 41 mm (Diameter) × 11.35 mm (Thickness)
- Strap: Brown Alligator Leather with Rose Gold pin buckle
- Availability: Not Limited
- Retail Price: € 42’300 (Excluding VAT)
Did you know about this brand? What do you think of this timepiece? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
For more information about Moritz Grossmann, click here.
