Armin Strom represents a unique fusion of the swiss-german horological tradition with avant-garde ‘transparent mechanics’ and an unwavering commitment to horological innovation. Our watches are designed to both showcase how our movements actually work and to validate the attention to detail that goes into their production. Whether with a loupe or with the naked eye, with an Armin Strom timepiece there will always be something captivating to see.
Mirrored Force Resonance Manufacture Edition Blue
800 000 kr
Mirrored Force Resonance Manufacture Edition Blue
ARMIN STROM’S EVOLUTION OF THE MIRRORED FORCE RESONANCE ARRIVES IN A NEW CHROMATIC MANUFACTURE EDITION
Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, 28 February 2023: Following the launch of the First Edition of the new Mirrored Force Resonance in 2022, the independent manufacture is delighted to unveil the first Manufacture Edition of this unique chronometric masterpiece. Its ingenious movement, which harnesses the power of the physical phenomenon of resonance, is embellished with a striking blue grenage dial and matching Alcantara strap.
As far as groundbreaking concepts in watchmaking go, perhaps none is as rare or as coveted as resonance. While first attempted centuries ago by the greatest watchmakers of the 18th and 19th centuries in a bid to offer greater chronometric precision and consistency, Armin Strom succeeded where others could not, with its own unique solution that exploits the physical phenomenon of resonance in an ingenious and unprecedented way.
First introduced by Armin Strom in 2016, the Mirrored Force Resonance and its patented mechanism underwent a complete redesign last year, taking on a strikingly elegant form with a newly designed case, movement and dial. Following the success of the Mirrored Force Resonance First Edition, which was made in a series of 25 and boasts an achromatic aesthetic, the time has come to present the first Mirrored Force Resonance Manufacture Edition, a limited edition of 50 pieces contrasting colour accents.
Within the elegantly slender stainless steel case, which measures 43mm x 11.55mm, and under the raised sapphire glass box, the contrast between vibrant colours and open mechanics brings the Mirrored Force Resonance Manufacture Edition to life. The off-centre dial is dark blue in colour, with a grenage textured central element surrounded by a circular satin-brushed chapter ring, featuring applied polished baton indices adding even more depth to the already highly three-dimensional display. The twin resonance second counters are also finished in the same blue tone, painted with white numerals for maximum legibility. Completing the blue overtones, the Mirrored Force Resonance Manufacture Edition is delivered on a matching dark blue Alcantara strap.
Armin Strom has constructed the Mirrored Force Resonance’s wholly exceptional movement in a way that ensures as many of its key components as possible are visible. On the dial side, the two balance bridges have been openworked for more visual harmony between the two synchronized balanced wheels and the off-centre dial. The pusher at 2 o’clock allows the two running seconds indicators – which rotate in mirrored clockwise and counter-clockwise motions– to be reset to zero and visually track the state of resonance. The case back view reveals the engraved main plate, which details the specific characteristics of the Mirrored Force Resonance in bas-relief text. The remarkable symmetry of the movement is accentuated with its mirrored arrangement of open bridges and gears.
True to Armin Strom’s ethos of crafting exceptional calibres with the finest finishing and attention to even the smallest detail, each component is painstakingly hand-decorated by one of the manufacture’s dedicated watchmakers. The perlage, satin-brushing, chamfering and polishing techniques are carefully executed for each and every component, elevating the notion of haute horlogerie into miniature, wearable art.
Armin Strom’s patented Resonance Clutch Spring
With its groundbreaking and patented Resonance Clutch Spring, Armin Strom has attained the “holy grail” of watchmaking, by harnessing the physical phenomenon of resonance and thus enabling more regular timekeeping achieved through the synchronization of two balance wheels that oscillate in opposite directions simultaneously. Conceived, developed and produced entirely at the Armin Strom manufacture in Biel, the Resonance Clutch Spring is the result of years of intensive research by Claude Greisler and the manufacture. Crafted from a single piece of steel, the Resonance Clutch Spring is designed to transfer energy between both hairsprings and quickly bring the balance wheels into resonance. Armin Strom’s newest generation of resonance is the quickest and most reliable on the market, synchronizing faster than any other watch that uses resonance and remaining in a resonant state longer than any other.
Thanks to the Resonance Clutch Spring, a flexible suspension connecting the two hairsprings with its balance wheels, all of Armin Strom’s Resonance watches are more resistant to shocks or vibrations than standard mechanical movements. Precision and consistency are, of course, the ultimate goals of mechanical watchmaking and resonance plays a crucial role in helping these amazing watches keep time consistently over days, weeks and months. Armin Strom’s goal is a watch that the owner knows will tell the time consistently, day in and day out.
About Armin Strom
Armin Strom is an independent watch company based in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. Armin Strom timepieces offer a unique fusion of the Swiss-German horological tradition, avant-garde “transparent mechanics” and an unwavering commitment to horological innovation. The hallmark of the brand’s low-volume, artisanal approach to watchmaking is its commitment to exposed dial-side movement mechanics, with every part hand-finished to the highest haute-horology standards.
Armin Strom was established in 1967 by Mr Armin Strom, a legend in the art of hand-skeletonization. In 2006, the stewardship of Mr Strom’s legacy became the responsibility of Master Watchmaker Claude Greisler and businessman Serge Michel, who together revitalized the brand with the opening of Armin’s Strom’s first fully-integrated Manufacture in 2009. Today the brand designs, develops, mills, embosses, galvanizes, hand-finishes and assembles all of its own watches in-house, enabling Armin Strom to bring even the most complicated ideas to life without any of the compromises that typically stem from reliance on a supply chain.
Technical specifications:
Reference:
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ST22-RF.05
Indications:
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hours, minutes, twin-seconds
Movement:
- Armin Strom manufacture Calibre ARF21, Manual-winding, patented resonance clutch spring, 2 mainspring barrels
- Regulating system: two independent regulation systems connected by a resonance clutch spring
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Power reserve: 48 hours
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Dimensions: 37.20 mm x 6.70mm
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Frequency: 3.5 Hz (25,200 vph)
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Finishing: Base plate and bridges are decorated to the highest quality level
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Jewels: 39
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Number of components: 276
Case:
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Stainless steel
- Sapphire crystal and caseback with anti-reflective treatment
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Diameter: 43.00 mm
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Height: 11.55 mm
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Water resistance: 3 ATM
Dial:
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Dark blue with grenage centre and a circular satin-brushed chapter ring and applied polished baton indices
Hands:
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Manufactured by Armin Strom, steel with hand finishing and Super-LumiNova® filling
Strap:
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Dark Blue Alcantara strap with white stitching and double folding clasp in stainless steel
Edition:
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Limited to 50 pieces
About Armin Strom
Armin Strom is an independent watch company based in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. Armin Strom timepieces offer a unique fusion of the Swiss-German horological tradition, avant-garde “transparent mechanics” and an unwavering commitment to horological innovation. The hallmark of the brand’s low-volume, artisanal approach to watchmaking is its commitment to exposed dial-side movement mechanics, with every part hand-finished to the highest haute-horology standards.
Armin Strom was established in 1967 by Mr Armin Strom, a legend in the art of hand-skeletonization. In 2006, the stewardship of Mr Strom’s legacy became the responsibility of Master Watchmaker Claude Greisler and businessman Serge Michel, who together revitalized the brand with the opening of Armin’s Strom’s first fully-integrated Manufacture in 2009. Today the brand designs, develops, mills, embosses, galvanizes, hand-finishes and assembles all of its own watches in-house, enabling Armin Strom to bring even the most complicated ideas to life without any of the compromises that typically stem from reliance on a supply chain.
When ‘Mr. Armin Strom’ retired from watchmaking, he transferred ownership of his brand to two boys (by then adults) who had had frequented his workshop so often together in childhood: businessperson Serge Michel and Master Watchmaker Claude Greisler.
In 2009, the revitalized Armin Strom built upon Mr. Strom’s historical legacy with the opening of its first fully-integrated Manufacture; located in Biel, Switzerland.
Today the Manufacture produces all of our timepieces in-house and with great reverence for the Swiss-German watchmaking tradition. Our extraordinary team of dedicated engineers and artisans, led by Master Watchmaker Claude Greisler, uphold that tradition with uncompromising passion and commitment.
Serge Michel is the scion of one of the most prominent families in Switzerland. His unwavering passion and commitment to the business of the Armin Strom Manufacture have made him both the sponsor and the driving business force behind the brand.
Fascinated by watchmaking and watch collecting from a young age, he and his childhood friend Claude Greisler shared a dream of co-founding a watch company; one that would someday produce watches of the very highest quality in the Swiss-German tradition. Today that dream has become a longstanding reality.
Beyond his life in the Manufacture, Serge is a husband and proud father of two girls. His other passions include global travel and wine collecting. Nothing brings a bigger smile to Serge’s face than introducing the latest Armin Strom creation to good friends over a dinner paired with several bottles of fine wine.
Claude Greisler is “a watchmaker’s watchmaker.” His greatest passions are watches (past and present) and complicated watchmaking. In actual fact, watchmaking has been a Greisler family profession for generations. Claude’s training began in his grandfather’s workshop, which led to his formal training, beginning with his completion of a four year program at the “School for Watchmakers and Rhabilleurs” in Solothurn, Switzerland; followed by a two-year program in movement restoration at Centre Interrégionalde Formation des Montagnes [CIFOM] in Le Locle; and then a further two-year program at CIFOM focused on the development and construction of complicated timepieces. Upon the completion of his 8 years of watchmaking education, Claude honed his craft as a watchmaker at Christophe Claret (a brand known for its ultra-complicated timepieces) as the next step in his longstanding ambition: to dedicate himself to the design and production of horologically significant timepieces. Beyond his watchmaking obsession, Claude is also a passionate skier and outdoorsman. Together with his wife, Gaby, Claude explores the Swiss backcountry as often as his responsibilities at the manufacture will allow.
Manufacture
At Armin Strom, we’re obsessed with every detail of every watch that we make. We develop, mill, emboss, galvanize and hand-finish all of our watches in-house. We adhere to the very highest haute-horology standards because we know that Armin Strom collectors appreciate looking at more than just the time.
At Armin Strom, our highly qualified and dedicated team invests an incredible amount of enthusiasm, passion and effort to create watches that are mechanically exceptional and meticulously well-finished. “The only difference between the possible and the impossible is that the impossible takes a little longer.” [Mrs. William Tilton, “The Washington Herald”, 1921].
Our passion for ‘transparent mechanics’ is at the core of our watchmaking design philosophy, but perfection in our execution and in the long-term reliability of our watches is always paramount. These priorities are the hallmarks of the Swiss-German watchmaking tradition. We honor that tradition with every watch that we produce at the Armin Strom Manufacture.
Decoration
Hand engraving
Every piece is unique.
Steel burins in various sizes and wax-coated holders are the tools of the engraver.
In the engraver’s hands, each workpiece becomes a unique work of art. The engraver draws their own motif design on the workpiece with a needle according to their original drawings; working under the microscope.
Polishing
Embellishing every part of a movement makes every Armin Strom watch akin to a hand-crafted piece of jewelry.
Working bare brass or steel by hand is time-consuming work: edges of plates, bridges and levers must be perfectly chamfered or, as watchmakers call it, beveled. Every part is then polished to perfection, even when the embellishment won’t be visible in the finished watch.
Beveling and polishing requires a trained eye and fingertip sensitivity together with both patience and perseverance. For example, even a relatively small part like a pallets bridge will require at least half an hour to complete – and often more than that.
Traditional Grinding
Here a classic fine watch-making finishing technique known as “Geneva Stripes” (Côtes de Genève), is displayed. They’re created via the use an abrasive disc that’s applied in perfectly straight lines to create the Côtes de Genève on the workpiece.
Circular graining (Perlage) is a decorative motif reminiscent of clouds, typically used on main plates. To achieve this pattern, the watchmaker uses an abrasive pencil and gently makes contact with the workpiece, gradually working across the whole surface. This creates the characteristic overlapping circular grained motif.
All rotating parts of an Armin Strom movement are embellished with a circular grinding pattern.
Assembling
Up to this point, they were all just individual parts – turned, milled, polished and decorated. Now the watch will begin to take shape.
The watchmaker uses a pressing tool to insert the jewel bearings for the spindles of the toothed wheels into the plate and bridges. This is a crucial operation. The way the jewels are pressed in influences the correct vertical play of the gear-train. Do the gear-wheels and pinions mesh together correctly? Does the height need adjusting by a few hundredths of a millimeter? Once the gear-train is adjusted, the bridges and plates are screwed down, and the mainsprings are assembled in the going barrels, then the movement is ready to receive the escapement. With the installation of the escapement, consisting of the escape-wheel, the pallets and balance-wheel, the watch comes to life.
After the first assembly, the movement is completely disassembled and each individual part is then cleaned, dried, reassembled and lubricated. After the second assembly, the movement is meticulously regulated before the watchmaker sets the hands and re-inserts the movement back into the case. The back of the case is then fixed in place. The completed watch is subjected to a multi-day rate test on a watch winder. Water resistance is also tested. Once the watch has passed these quality tests, it is finally certified as complete.
