Boutique
IW RATING
SYSTEM LEGEND
30-39:
A great timepiece that may suffer from one or
more weak points weighing down the overall score.
40-49:
A superlative example
of fine timekeeping.
ARMIN STROM
Masterpiece 1 Dual Time Resonance
Armin Strom has doubled down on its bet with
dual-movement resonance by adding a second
watch governed by its innovative Resonance
Clutch Spring. The new watch, the Masterpiece
1 Dual Time Resonance, employs Armin Strom’s
inventive Spring (which debuted in late 2016 to
much buzz in the Armin Strom Mirrored Force
Resonance) to synchronize two independent
movements placed horizontally, each with its
own time setting.
Set in an unusual 59mm x 43.4mm oval
titanium case, the Dual Time Resonance offers
a dual-time display that takes advantage of
the increased precision of two independent
movements in resonance. Its Resonance Clutch
Spring is perched between the two oscillators at
the top of the broad Dual Time Resonance dial.
Resonance essentially means the two
movements become synchronized as they
operate, effectively creating a highly stable
timekeeping rate that heightens the watch’s
overall precision. Resonance, a technically
difficult (and hard to regulate) technique used
by only a few other watchmakers, also means
the watch is more efficient and is less prone to
shock-inflicted error.
Indeed, Armin Strom say that its own
laboratory testing has revealed gains in
precision of 15-20% for two COSC chronometer-
level regulated movements placed in resonance.
By spreading apart the two independent
movements on the dial, and not stacking them
vertically as they were in the earlier Mirror Force
Resonance, Armin Strom allows the wearer to
utilize either dial to indicate GMT, a second time
zone or to use as a timer. The wearer will find
power reserve indicators on each of the hand-
guilloche dials and a 24-hour indication at 6
o’clock.
The wide horizontal dual-time layout also
gave Armin Strom space to add two barrels
for each movement, extending their power
reserves to a whopping 110 hours each. You’ll
see a power reserve indicator embedded within
each guilloche dial. On the reverse side all four
barrels can be seen winding or unwinding
simultaneously.
When starting out of resonance, the Armin
Strom Resonant Clutch Spring can take up to
ten minutes to synchronize the two systems,
according to the company. To further back
its claims regarding the technology, the
CSEM (Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de
Microtechnique) has officially certified Armin
Strom’s resonance system based on the clutch
spring as being a true system in resonance.
The Armin Strom Masterpiece 1 Dual Time
Resonance launches in a limited edition of eight
pieces in Grade 5 titanium. Price: CHF 180,000
(approximately $180,360)
26 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | WINTER 2019