Schwarz Etienne 1902 Petite Seconde Heure Dorée Watch Review
The Schwarz Etienne 1902 Petite Seconde Heure Dorée is the latest creation to leave the confines of Villa Sonnenheim, the Swiss Manufacture’s period home. Limited to just 8 pieces, this model demonstrates why independent watchmaking is resonating with an increasing number of horophiles seeking an alternative to mass-produced products.
Economies of scale versus choice
When discussing the Model T, Henry Ford famously said, “Any customer can have a car painted any colour he wants so long as it is black.” By focussing on a single colour, Ford standardised production, hence it was able to achieve greater manufacturing efficiencies and ultimately enjoy ‘economies of scale’. Incidentally, black was selected because the paint dried quicker.
These days, cars are offered in a variety of shades with firms eager to sate consumer desires. Quite simply, prospective purchasers appreciate choice. Likewise, the same can be said when it comes to watches.
Step back 100 years and the choice of dial colours was comparatively limited. Today, the consumer has much more choice. Nevertheless, two aspects inhibit originality. Firstly, there is the issue of market research, with large watch companies often ‘playing it safe’, favouring shades less likely to polarise opinion. For instance, most brands will offer a blue dial variant because they tend to be good sellers. Secondly, we return to the matter of ‘economies of scale’ – big brands usually restrict the number of colour variants they offer as that suits large-scale production.
Because ‘playing it safe’ and ‘economies of scale’ are the pillars upon which mass production is built, it does present opportunities for nimble, independent brands. These latter companies can target those consumers who crave individuality and favour an artisanal approach to watchmaking. Step forward Schwarz Etienne, a company that fulfils said desires, drawing on its impressive in-house technical know-how and manufacturing expertise.
Image – conception
Schwarz Etienne – the independent Manufacture
Founded in 1902, Schwarz Etienne is based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a city synonymous with watchmaking. Its home is a period building, Villa Sonnenheim, where craftspeople work at benches, often using traditional hand tools to assemble components and impart finishes. While small, the Maison possesses remarkable in-house expertise, where skilled professionals bring ideas first sketched to paper to fruition. Moreover, the brand’s know-how has led to it making movements and watches for several third parties. Schwarz Etienne’s artisanal approach to watchmaking is the very antithesis of mass production.
Image – Villa Sonnenheim
Schwarz Etienne 1902 Petite Seconde Heure Dorée – limited to 8 pieces
Recently, the Manufacture unveiled a new watch, the 1902 Petite Seconde Heure Dorée. Limited to just 8 pieces, the model is equipped with an ‘automatic micro-rotor calibre, entirely conceived, developed and assembled in La Chaux-de-Fonds’. The movement is housed in a Grade 5 titanium case, while the dial embraces different textures, depths and tones. It may seem strange to learn that the watch, the very antipode of mass production, is predominantly black! However, as I will endeavour to show, this model is an exemplar of small-scale production, a reason many horophiles are drawn to the delights of ‘independent watchmaking’. Allow me to explain.
Schwarz Etienne – where creativity flourishes
In 2020, Schwarz Etienne released the Roma SYNERGY by Kari Voutilainen, a watch with hand-guilloché decoration gracing the dial and movement. The model was warmly received, incentivising the brand to release further iterations in a myriad of shades. Thereafter, the Maison released the GEOMETRY, a timepiece with a dial featuring ‘deconstructed geometric shapes’. Offered in four hues, the design of this watch was highly original, yet eminently wearable. Personally, I still have a soft spot for the cherry dial – a colour seldom seen in the world of horology.
Image – GEOMETRY with cherry dial
Prior to launching the 1902 collection, I had the opportunity to see the prototypes and it was clear that some models appeared to work better with specific shades than others. Indeed, Schwarz Etienne places much emphasis on the cohesion of each dial execution, including its colour, hence when it eventually released the three models belonging to the 1902 collection, they were not all executed in the same hues. For example, the ‘slate’ option is only offered on the 1902 Petite Seconde, whereas the blue dial is exclusive to the 1902 GMT. The ‘bean counters’ in some large companies would countermand such an approach, reiterating the importance of ‘economies of scale’. Nevertheless, at Schwarz Etienne, only those shades that passed muster were subsequently released.
Image – 1902 Petite Seconde with slate dial
Now, the Manufacture has unveiled a new reference, the 1902 Petite Seconde Heure Dorée, featuring a black dial with golden accents. It exhibits a very different character from the ‘slate’ dial and will undoubtedly appeal to a new audience. However, as I will endeavour to show, the differences are not merely limited to the dial but also extend to the case and the movement.
Schwarz Etienne 1902 Petite Seconde Heure Dorée – dial
I’ve met Florian Brossard, CEO of Schwarz Etienne, several times. An industry veteran, his watchmaking expertise encompasses cases, dials and movements. His eye for detail is hugely impressive, from the finishing of hands to the shape of a jewel sink. Furthermore, when listening to Florian discuss dials, his fastidious nature and near-obsessive consideration for the smallest of details prove endearing. He is not unduly fixated on production yields but chooses to focus his efforts on some seemingly tiny things that most individuals will miss at first. However, it is these minuscule details that confer lasting joy and justify Monsieur Brossard’s meticulous approach to new product development.
As previously stated, the dial of the 1902 Petite Seconde Heure Dorée is presented in black, but has a complex arrangement of different finishes, shapes and depths. The word ‘Dorée’ means ‘golden’ and refers to the judicious application of 4N PVD to the hands, indexes and the company logo.
Close examination of the lancine-style hour and minute hands reveals they are facetted, with one side polished and the opposite side satin-finished. They sit above the centre of the dial, which features a ‘silky grained’ finish. This central area is framed by an hour track that sits on a higher plane and plays host to 4N PVD indexes. A recessed circlet sits between the central area and the hour track, creating a chamfer that toys with light and, once again, plays with depths. A chemin de fer fringes the whole of the display and is dressed in golden tones.
A small seconds indication resides at 6 o’clock, spanning part of the central area of the dial as well as the hour track. Recessed and snailed, it is edged with a golden-toned track. The Schwarz Etienne logo completes the horological canvas. Dressed in 4N PVD, it sits below 12 o’clock and is presented in relief.
While the dial fulfils its functional role, indicating the prevailing time clearly, its talents extend beyond this. Reminiscent of a person standing in the shadows, stepping into the sunlight, the dial’s nuanced complexion reveals details hitherto unseen. It engages with light using depths, presents elements in relief and employs textures to deliver a considered aesthetic.
Schwarz Etienne 1902 Petite Seconde Heure Dorée – case
Measuring 39 mm in diameter, the case is formed of Grade 5 titanium. This lightweight alloy is particularly strong, not liable to corrode and is hypoallergenic. The Swiss marque has chosen to coat the alloy with a ‘deep-black multi-layer’ DLC coating. The result is a case that exhibits a rich lustre, surpassing the perfunctory one-layer approach favoured by many ‘bean counters’.
In common with the dial, the case has been endued with a multitude of details intended to create delicate contrasts. The bezel is adorned with a circular satin finish, the lugs feature a straight satin finish, while the remaining surfaces are polished. This combination of finishes grants a dialogue with light that evolves with each subtle movement of the wrist.
To the rear of the case, a pane of sapphire crystal provides a portal to a fascinating world where 191 components work in unison, delivering Swiss precision. The neoteric character of the dial and case extends to the black Cordura strap and the Grade 5 titanium pin buckle, complete with black multi-layer DLC coating.
Schwarz Etienne – ASE 300.00 automatic micro-rotor movement
At the heart of the 1902 Petite Seconde Heure Dorée ticks the ASE 300.00 automatic micro-rotor movement. It’s the same calibre that features within the regular (non-limited) 1902 Petite Seconde – well, almost. Schwarz Etienne has used the same design and the same 191 components, but it has also chosen to impart some finishes that are unique to this edition. For instance, the movement is presented in anthracite tones, a first for a model in the 1902 collection, the micro-rotor is presented with a 4N PVD gold-toned finish and the ratchet wheel bears the inscription, ‘ÉDITION LIMITÉE DE 8 PIÉCES’. At this point spreadsheet-types are wringing their hands, fretting over margins, desperately seeking to stifle creativity.
The ASE 300.00 has six bridges, which means that it takes longer to finish and assemble (more hand wringing), but the resultant appearance proves glorious. Each bridge is decorated with circular Côtes de Genève and adorned with anglage (a 45° bevel). The screws and jewels reside in ‘gouttes’, concave sinks with a dished profile, while the silver-toned screws sit in contrast with the anthracite bridges and gleam resplendently.
Most automatic watches are equipped with a full-size oscillating mass, but the 1902 Petite Seconde Heure Dorée features a micro-rotor. When employing this approach, it is more difficult to harvest energy from the natural motion of the wrist; however, Schwarz Etienne is one of the few Maisons with the necessary expertise to surmount such technical obstacles. It has achieved this feat by optimising the winding system and using a dense material (tungsten) for the small oscillating weight.
Unlike a full-size rotor which sits above the bridges, the micro-rotor resides in a recess, mitigating movement thickness. Indeed, the ASE 300.00 has a modest depth of just 5.35 mm. Moreover, a further benefit of using a micro-rotor is that, unlike a full-size oscillating mass, there is nothing to obscure the view of the finely decorated bridges. Dressed in 4N PVD, the golden tones of the micro-rotor punctuate the anthracite movement, introducing a becoming burst of colour, while the chevron motif gracing its upper surface evokes a sense of motion.
Closing remarks
Humankind needs products, such as food, clothing and cars, that are affordable. By embracing mass production, companies can enjoy economies of scale and, should they choose, pass on some of the savings they enjoy to the consumer. Even some watch brands adopt this approach, assembling models on semi-automated production lines. However, there is an alternative approach where products are made in small numbers and the emphasis is on handcraftsmanship.
Independent watch brands have gained much traction, delivering unprecedented choice, sometimes offering a variety of colours and materials seldom seen elsewhere. They tend to favour manual, artisanal methods, focussing on craft and quality rather than costs and output levels. These firms can often spend an inordinate amount of time, finessing the tiniest of details that some financial managers would argue are unnecessary.
With its impressive heritage, Schwarz Etienne is an independent watch company that has the necessary bona fides to craft fine watches equipped with in-house movements, painstakingly made with scant regard to economies of scale. Indeed, the Manufacture delivers choice, offering products in a variety of hues, including black, and is motivated by creativity, artisanal craftsmanship, mechanical excellence and beauty. Sometimes, small is beautiful.
Further reading
https://www.schwarz-etienne.ch
Technical specifications
- Model: Schwarz Etienne 1902 Petite Seconde Heure Dorée
- Reference: WCL39PSAS01TID01CDBCLA
- Case: Grade 5 titanium with black multi-layer DLC coating, 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
- Movement: Calibre ASE 300.00, automatic movement, frequency 21,600 vph (3 Hz), 33 jewels, power reserve 86 hours, 191 components.
- Strap: black Cordura strap paired with a Grade 5 titanium pin buckle with black multi-layer DLC coating and Schwarz Etienne logo
- Price: CHF 20,500 excluding VAT (RRP as of 28.9.2026)
- Limited Edition: 8 pieces