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BOUTIQUE
RARE SPIRIT
To commemorate its recent alliance with Wealth Solutions as its
new Polish partner, Armin Strom created a highly unusual wristwatch powered by a mechanical movement that features a
small capsule containing a 1762 Gautier Cognac. The rare spirit
was owned by Wealth Solutions, which curates and sells exceptional products, such as art, fine wine and spirits, and watches
to Polish collectors and other clients. A sealed sapphire crystal
disc positioned at 5 o’clock captures the rare Cognac. The
manual-wind watch is equipped with a 5-day power reserve
and is available in stainless steel, rose gold and titanium cases.
On the backside, a hand-engraved design of a bunch of grapes
decorates the base plate.
WORLD FIRST
Bart and Tim Grönefeld recently unveiled the limited-edition One Hertz Techniek, the
world’s only series wristwatch with independent dead seconds, featuring a gorgeous,
open-work dial that showcases the inner workings of Grönefeld’s own proprietary
movement, the caliber G-02. While the dial is dominated by a large dead seconds
chapter ring in sapphire, the stainless steel indications, bridges and Grönefeld logo are
relief engraved, beveled and finished completely by hand. At the heart of the hour and
minutes subdial at 2 o’clock, the hour wheel offers a splash of color against the largely
monochrome movement. The independent dead seconds – where the second hand
advances in full steps of one second instead of the more usually smooth sweeping
action of mechanical seconds – features prominently in a large subdial at 7 o’clock.
The open dial reveals the large stainless steel gear train bridge for the dead seconds
mechanism, the dead seconds escape wheel and the center wheel. At the top of the
seconds dial, the level and spring of the power reserve indicator can also be seen.
Each of the indications and exposed mechanisms is set off against the dark texture
of the hand-frosted mainplate and bridges. The dial is framed by a high-tech titanium
case available in two versions: natural polished and brushed titanium or black DLC.
Both models feature the Grönefeld’s own ergonomic winding and setting mechanism,
selected by simply pushing the crown in, rather than pulling it out.
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WRISTWATCH | 2016