Zeitwinkel 240° – a different mindset
Recently, a new sporty watch emerged from Saint-Imier, the Zeitwinkel 240°. In this feature, Angus Davies begins by exploring the independent watch brand’s journey to date and the ethos underpinning everything it does, before exploring its latest model in detail.
Zeitwinkel watch
There are several reasons why aspiring entrepreneurs choose to leave the security of a salaried job and seek to go it alone. For some, they simply recognise an opportunity, place all their chips on red and hope to scoop the jackpot. Alternatively, some Musk-emulating wannabes dream of building an empire, employing thousands of people.
Back in 2006, three men shared a vision very different from said examples. Like all entrepreneurs they wanted to build a profitable company, but they also shared a common desire to do things a little differently. Recently, while chatting with Albert Edelmann, co-founder of the Swiss marque Zeitwinkel, I discovered the seldom-mentioned ethos underpinning everything the company does.
Image – Albert Edelmann (Left), Ivica “Maks” Maksimovic (Centre) and Peter Nikolaus (Right)
Edelmann explained, “We…myself, Maks and Peter are watch fans at heart. Often, we would chat over a beer and bemoan the loss of watchmaking traditions and the undue focus on cutting corners to allow for mass production techniques. Eventually, we came to a momentous decision – we would make watches that we like, for people like us.”
Image – Ivica “Maks” Maksimovic
Now, the brand’s strapline, conceived by Ivica “Maks” Maksimovic, reflects this ethos:
We build watches for ourselves. And then we look for like-minded watch lovers.”
At this juncture, there may be a Harvard professor reading this article, tutting and shaking his head in disapproval, viewing it as a simplistic approach to business; however, it is an approach that has clearly resonated with like-minded souls. Indeed, Zeitwinkel has attracted both praise and patronage from a significant number of horophiles.
Zeitwinkel depuis 2006
Founded in 2006, the company operates from an atelier in Saint-Imier, a small village in the Jura bernois. The region has a rich history of making watches and is home to the horological behemoth Longines as well as numerous manufacturers of watch components.
Having visited the company’s facility, I can attest there is a welcome absence of mass production. Yes, there are machines, but fundamentally it is a place where watchmakers sit at benches and practise the same traditional techniques employed for generations. ‘Small is beautiful’ is an overused idiom, but when discussing Zeitwinkel it seems very apt.
Zeitwinkel – a return trip
A few months ago, I made a return trip to the Maison’s atelier and was immediately reminded why the brand is exceptional. Some watches exhibit a veneer of beauty with few inner virtues, a bit like the girls my mother warned me about when I was younger. However, Zeitwinkel is very different. Should you ever have the opportunity to examine one of the firm’s disassembled movements, you will discover something quite remarkable. Numerous parts have been painstakingly polished yet are hidden from view, destined never to be seen. It is a form of horological probity that endears me and many watch aficionados to this brand and its timepieces.
I’ve long since harboured a desire to acquire my very own 273°, a potential retirement present to myself maybe in the future. However, the Swiss firm has somewhat muddied the waters by releasing the new Zeitwinkel 240°, a model I will now discuss in detail. Could this be the watch to wear as I walk towards the sunset?
Image – Zeitwinkel 273° Saphir Bleu
Zeitwinkel 240° – dial
Fulsome lancine-style hour and minute hands converse with generously proportioned Arabic numerals, executed in Zeitwinkel’s proprietary typeface. Both the hands and indexes are lined with luminescent fill, evincing a green emission in restricted light. The swift march of time is articulated with a svelte central seconds hand. And that’s it, no counters, gauges, date windows or moon phase indications, just simplicity at its best.
However, this sparsity of functions doesn’t tell the full story. The dial of the Zeitwinkel 240° is rich in detail and is offered in a choice of colours: black, blue, orange and red. The central area of the dial is adorned with a fluted motif that emanates from the centre in a ray-like pattern. Direct your gaze to the hour markers and note how they rest on a granular track, adding depth to the display. And then look to the edge of the dial and note how the smooth chapter ring that fringes the display sits on a higher plane. Suddenly, the composition of the dial seems incredibly complex and yet when viewed collectively everything appears reassuringly harmonious. Zeitwinkel has not specified who was responsible for designing the dial, but whoever conceived this horological vista should be applauded for their work.
Zeitwinkel 240° – case
The model is housed in a 40.5 mm case formed of stainless steel 316L, a material the brand tends to favour. However, unusually for Zeitwinkel, it has chosen to dress the steel exterior in either grey PVD or black DLC, depending on the dial colour. My favourite reference comes with the black dial and case combination and is aptly named the Zeitwinkel 240° NOIR.
All variants are endowed with a fixed bezel marked with luminescent numerals ranging from ‘05’ – ‘60’. The Maison has billed this watch as ‘sportier and more robust’ and the specification certainly backs this up. It is fitted with a screw-down crown, featuring a ‘Bi-O-ring seal’ that nestles between the protective shoulders of a crown-guard. The Zeitwinkel 240° is also water resistant to 100 m (10 ATM), meeting the needs of most would-be wearers.
Unquestionably less formal than its siblings, the new 240° still retains some of the stylistic details found on Zeitwinkel’s dressier references. For example, the caseband and the sides of the lugs incorporate recessed glass bead blasted sections, while the caseback incorporates a pane of sapphire crystal granting sight of the movement.
Reinforcing the sporty theme, the watch is fitted with a colour-coordinating caoutchouc (natural rubber) strap that’s paired with a folding clasp.
Zeitwinkel caliber ZW0102
Brand devotees may recognise the caliber ZW0102 from other models. This self-winding movement powers the Zeitwinkel 082° Email Grand Feu, another possible contender for my retirement watch, as well as the 032°, 082° and 312°. I mention this as it serves to demonstrate that the company does not flit from one idea to another.
Image – Zeitwinkel 082° Email Grand Feu
Zeitwinkel has invested heavily in developing two movements that are beautifully engineered, incorporate a plethora of refinements and are finished to a flawless standard. Indeed, I have seen movements produced by some of Haute Horlogerie’s old guard that pale by comparison.
Images – Zeitwinkel 240°
The main plate, three-quarter plate and bridges are made from untreated German silver. It would have been easier to use rhodium-plated brass components, but Zeitwinkel’s co-founders would not countenance such an idea. Anglage, perlage, black polishing, Côtes de Genève are all in evidence, upholding watchmaking traditions.
Where the independent brand has chosen to embrace modernity is with the movement equipping the Zeitwinkel 240° NOIR which has undergone a ‘Black Or’ coating process. Ordinarily, I would reject such newfangleness; however, I can’t deny that on this occasion, it delivers a sublime contrast that proves most becoming.
Images – Zeitwinkel 240° NOIR
Zeitwinkel 240° – closing remarks
The Zeitwinkel 240° is a superb watch, especially the 240° NOIR version. It serves to reinforce my opinion that this independent brand makes exceptional watches for people like me.
Returning to my earlier question, could this be the watch I wear as I walk towards the sunset? With a couple of other Zeitwinkel references on my shortlist as well as a few options from rival brands, the truthful answer is I don’t know. However, what I do know is that when you cradle a Zeitwinkel in the palm of your hand, you can readily discern that it is a product of passion, conceived by three men who choose to make watches not just for themselves but also for other like-minded individuals.
Further reading
Technical specification
- Model: Zeitwinkel 240°
- Case: grey PVD stainless steel 316L, diameter 40.5 mm, height 12.1 mm, water resistance 10 ATM (100 metres), sapphire crystal to front, exhibition case back.
- Functions: hours, minutes, centre seconds
- Movement: ZW0102, self-winding movement, frequency 28,800 vph (4Hz), 30 jewels, power reserve greater than 72 hours.
- Strap: colour-coordinating rubber strap paired with a folding clasp (grey PVD)
- Price: CHF 15,900 excluding VAT – (RRP as of 10.12.2024)
- Model: Zeitwinkel 240° NOIR
- Case: black DLC stainless steel 316L, diameter 40.5 mm, height 12.1 mm, water resistance 10 ATM (100 metres), sapphire crystal to front, exhibition case back.
- Functions: hours, minutes, centre seconds
- Movement: ZW0102 with ‘Black Or’ surface, self-winding movement, frequency 28,800 vph (4Hz), 30 jewels, power reserve greater than 72 hours.
- Strap: black rubber strap paired with a folding clasp (black DLC)
- Price: CHF 17,200 excluding VAT – (RRP as of 10.12.2024)
