Schwarz Etienne 1902 GMT Watch Review
The Schwarz Etienne 1902 GMT is the latest release from the independent Swiss Manufacture. The dial, enriched with the judicious use of colour and various textures, presents information at different heights, bestowing a sublime marriage of form and function. Equipped with the in-house ASE 320.00 automatic movement, the watch proves a practical ownership proposition wherever you are in the world.
Schwarz Etienne watches
‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’ is not just the name of a hilarious film, it’s a facet of modern-day life that we often take for granted. Indeed, in the last 100 years, transport has granted unprecedented freedom to humankind, shrinking distances and providing endless opportunities for business and leisure.
Nevertheless, while I’m no stranger to racking up air miles, I will forever remain a ‘Lancashire lad’. I was born and bred in the rain-soaked county. My accent is broad, my humour is regional and I have a fondness for local delicacies such as butter pies and Eccles cakes. Home provides a sense of place and it’s where many of my friends and family can be found, typically with an umbrella in hand.
GMT Watch
In watchmaking, the ‘GMT’ complication is often associated with travel. A suitably equipped watch shows the ‘local time’ with the dominant hour and minute hands, while an additional hand indicates the prevailing hour at ‘home’. Irrespective of where we roam, we will invariably pause and think of home. Sometimes, we phone home to enquire about the weather to be met with an angry response, “It’s 3 am and rainy – go away.” Quite simply, a GMT-equipped watch is essential for healthy matrimonial relations.
Recently, Schwarz Etienne, the independent Swiss Manufacture, released the 1902 GMT. The model’s name, comprising four numerals and three letters, pays tribute to the year the company was founded and makes reference to its dual-time complication. This has been a prolific year for the luxury marque. Earlier in 2025, the company launched the 1902 Petite Seconde and subsequently released the 1902 Réserve de Marche. While the family likeness is clear to see, each model exhibits its own unique character. Without further ado, let’s explore the Schwarz Etienne 1902 GMT and discover the many delights that await frequent flyers and ‘home birds’ alike.
Schwarz Etienne 1902 GMT – dial
The Schwarz Etienne 1902 GMT is offered in a choice of two dial executions – blue or silver. Personally, I prefer the blue option and it is this version I will focus on hereafter. Interestingly, when the Maison released the 1902 Petite Seconde, I immediately fell under the spell of the 4 gold colour dial; however, with the 1902 Réserve de Marche, the silver hued reference would get my vote. It’s the topography of each dial design, more than any model that I can think of, that strongly influences the desirability of a particular hue.
The local time is shown with facetted lancine-style hour and minute hands. Executed in a high-gleam silvery finish, they circumnavigate the blue dialscape. The central area of the dial is grained. Fringing the central area is a raised, circular brushed track marked with a combination of Arabic numerals (even hours) and silver-toned dots (odd values). The bevelled edge spanning the two levels is marked with hour markers for determining the ‘local hour’. The minute hand reaches a chemin de fer fringing the dial, facilitating ease of read-off. A white lacquered, truncated hand (GMT) collaborates with said Arabics and dots to indicate the ‘home hour’. Moreover, the 24-hour scale on the upper track serves as a day/night indicator, reminding the wearer when not to phone home to enquire about the weather.
Schwarz Etienne has expended vast amounts of time finessing the tiniest of details. For example, the chemin de fer, which sits below the hour track, features Arabic numerals nestling between each rail, which are presented in a cheery red hue. These numbers are eminently legible yet don’t detract from the elegant and tasteful aesthetic. Above each double-digit value there is a small white triangle that almost coaxes the eye towards the fulcrum of the dial, subtle but deliberate. A recessed, small seconds dial resides at 6 o’clock. Again, framed with a chemin de fer, it also sports a becoming azurage finish (snailing).
The composition of the dial wonderfully plays with different textures, depths and incorporates smatterings of pillar box red. With so many details in play, the dial could appear cluttered or unnecessarily fussy, but it doesn’t. Instead, each detail aids understanding, adds interest and contributes to the cohesion of the notably harmonious aesthetic.
Schwarz Etienne 1902 GMT – case
In common with its 1902 siblings, the new GMT model is housed in a Grade 5 titanium case. This alloy is lightweight, strong, corrosion-resistant and hypoallergenic and is becoming increasingly popular with watch connoisseurs. Grade 5 titanium, not to be confused with cheaper Grade 2 titanium, is incredibly challenging to machine and polish, but its attributes justify the effort. In recent years, even some of the traditional purveyors of Haute Horlogerie have released watches crafted in the premium, lightweight alloy and priced such models accordingly.
Measuring 39 mm in diameter, the Schwarz Etienne 1902 GMT should suit the majority of wrists. Furthermore, the short arcing lugs entice the alligator strap to envelop the wrist, delivering a peerless ergonomic wrist-fit.
To the rear of the watch, a widescreen pane of sapphire crystal invites the mechanically curious to explore a world where gears march with military precision and the balance pulses with life.
Schwarz Etienne 1902 GMT – ASE 320.00 automatic movement
Most watch companies continue to source movements from specialist suppliers. Even some of the most prestigious names in the watch industry were once ‘établisseurs’ procuring ‘ébauche’ or movements from third parties. Schwarz Etienne has always been a Manufacture, making its own in-house movements. In addition, the company does ‘private label’ work, crafting timepieces for others.
The ASE 320.00 showcases the brand’s extraordinary expertise. Whereas most automatic watches feature a full-size, semi-circular oscillating mass, the 1902 GMT is endowed with a micro-rotor. This dense, diminutive mass, in this case formed of tungsten, isn’t positioned above the bridges, but sits flush with them, residing in a small recess. A benefit of using a micro-rotor is that it reduces the height of the calibre (in this instance, just 5.35 mm). Moreover, with nothing obstructing the view, the wearer can admire the finely decorated movement components (see later).
In the watch industry, micro-rotors remain the preserve of a select few. The technical challenge is harnessing sufficient inertia from a small mass to energise the mainspring. Schwarz Etienne has been producing micro-rotor equipped models for a number of years and has the necessary expertise to overcome the obstacles that thwart the ambitions of most brands. Furthermore, clearly a believer in ‘continuous improvement’, Schwarz Etienne has equipped the ASE 320.00 movement with a ‘newly developed in-house ball bearing, ensuring optimal winding’.
Schwarz Etienne has endued the movement with an intricate architecture, comprising six bridges, each enriched with polished angles and concave bevels. The mainplate features fine sandblasting, while circular Côtes de Genève adorns the bridges and the jewel and screw sinks exhibit a brilliant gleam. The ratchet wheel is adorned with a sunray motif and ‘a hand-polished drop’. Even the micro-rotor bears a chevron pattern that’s inspired by ‘the pine trees gracing the hills of La Chaux-de-Fonds’. Safe to say, Schwarz Etienne has imbued this movement with a plethora of refined finishes.
Closing remarks
Travel can be exciting, commercially fruitful and sometimes enjoyable but it can also be stressful and tiring. A GMT watch should ameliorate the strains associated with foreign travel by remaining simple to read, comfortable to wear and user-friendly. The Schwarz Etienne fulfils all of these requirements wonderfully.
But this watch also reminds me of the importance of ‘home’. In this instance, the 1902 GMT is a product of La Chaux-de-Fonds, the city that Schwarz Etienne has called home for 123 years. It’s a location where horology is in the soil, where generations of artisans and watchmakers have prospered and exquisite timepieces continue to bloom in the thin mountain air. Villa Sonnenheim is the brand’s period home and it’s a place where the terroir influences the company’s watches. Sometimes, it’s worth remembering what we have at home even if it often rains.
Further reading
https://www.schwarz-etienne.ch
Technical specifications
- Model: Schwarz Etienne 1902 GMT
- Reference: WCL39GMTAS16TICUARD (silver coloured dial with blue alligator strap with black rubber lining)
- Reference: WCL39GMTAS114TICUARD (blue dial with blue leather strap with black rubber lining)
- Case: Grade 5 titanium, diameter 39 mm, height 10.90 mm, water resistance 5 ATM (50 metres), sapphire crystal to front; exhibition case back.
- Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds, GMT
- Movement: Calibre ASE 320.00; automatic movement; frequency 21,600 vph (3 Hz), 31 jewels, power reserve 86 hours, 201 components.
- Strap: colour-coordinating strap paired with a Grade 5 titanium folding buckle with Schwarz Etienne logo
- Price: CHF 19,850 excluding taxes (RRP as of 5.12.2025)