MeisterSinger Singularis 2022
The MeisterSinger Singularis 2022 includes the brand’s MSA01 caliber, a self-winding movement encompassing refined finishing and promising up to 120 hours of autonomous operation. Consistent with other watches from the Münster-based brand, a single hand conveys both hours and minutes in an intelligible format. Employing his customary literary adroitness, Mark McArthur-Christie shares his thoughts.
Back in the distant past when I wrote adverts for a living, a client once tried to book a Friday afternoon meeting with us. If this was not bad enough, he also demanded that the meeting be held at 4.23pm. Not 4pm, 4.15pm or even 4.20pm but 4.23pm. The implication was, clearly, that he was so hugely important his diary was scheduled, like the Queen’s, down to the last minute. This should have been a sign to run away, laugh or just pretend to have left the country but, foolishly, we arrived at 4.15pm (on time is five minutes late, remember?) and signed in at Reception.
And waited.
And waited.
You guessed it. He finally showed for the meeting at half past five. Actually, that’s a lie; we never found out what time he arrived as, after forty minutes of being left sitting and waiting with not even a cup of coffee or a ‘sorry, stuck in a meeting – there in ten’ text, we left and went to the pub instead.
We never found out what sort of watch he wore to ensure his precise arrival at meetings either, but I suspect it was one of those slick, black, self-important smartwatch things that beeps at you. I’d also happily take a guess at the make of car he drove, but we’re in polite company. He won’t have heard of MeisterSinger and, even if he had, he’d think its single-minded, single-handed approach was for the sort of people he’d call ‘losers’ – the sort of people that you and I would enjoy dinner with immensely.
People often get MeisterSinger’s philosophy wrong. It’s far from being lackadaisical and relaxed about precision; you can tell the time on a Meistersinger’s single hand just as well as on an everyday two-hander. The difference is that you don’t have to unless you want to. And, for most of us mortals, ‘see you about half-past?’ is just fine. And the new MeisterSingularis 2022 is a bit of a beauty.
The Singularis isn’t small, mind. You’ll know you’re wearing it. Not in a G-Shock Riseman or Rolex Midas way, but just in the sense it won’t let you forget you have 43mm of stainless steel case that’s just over 50mm lug to lug and half a mill. under 14mm deep on your wrist. This isn’t a criticism. To read the time easily on a single-hander the watch needs to be a respectable size otherwise you’ll be forever squinting or reaching for your glasses. Or perhaps that’s just an age thing.
MeisterSinger tells us the case is based on that of the MeisterSinger classic N°03 – a watch that brought home a GOOD Design Award and a nomination for the German Design Award for its consistent design. There are some differences in the shape and in the caseback, but if you’re a N°03 fan you’ll almost certainly like the Singularis.
A 43mm completely polished, straight-sided case like this would need to come with its own tin of Cape Cod cloths. Very sensibly, MeisterSinger has brushed the case sides – the areas most likely to take and show scratches – and polished the bezel, upper lugs and caseback. The caseback itself is transparent (sapphire) and I’m delighted to see it’s held on with six securing screws. I’ve mentioned it before, often, but keeping a caseback tight this way places less shear on the seals so they last longer and retain their integrity no matter how tightly the back is snugged down. On this watch, the firm is happy to declare 5 bar of water resistance, so there won’t be too many times you need to take it off unless you’re going diving.
Dedicated MeisterSinger fans will notice that the dial on the Singularis is a little different from its fellows in the Münster firm’s stable. Rather than a flat dial meeting the bezel at a right angle, the new dial on the Singularis uses a bevelled bezel ring (an original horological tongue-twister) that adds some extra dimension as well as providing a home for a 24 hour scale. Although not intended as a ‘sports’ watch, the dial numerals are Arabic and, as is standard for MeisterSinger, rendered in full; so ‘01’ rather than simply ‘1’, to work with the visual unity of the single hand. With this watch, you get the classical speedo-needle main hand that does duty for both hours and minutes thanks to the five minute dial markers. Telling the time really isn’t the fuss you might think – after a couple of looks it becomes as easy as using a watch with two hands. It certainly has an appeal.
The dial itself comes into its own when sunlight hits it, so if you live in the UK this will be a rare pleasure. It’s a dark, rich blue with a fine radiating texture from the centre that catches the light and, along with that new bezel, lifts the whole appearance of the watch.
That exhibition back we mentioned earlier is splendid news because it means you can properly enjoy the new watch’s movement. It’s the Cal. MSA01. Fellow movement spotters will immediately see that the MSA01 is the automatic sister of the manual-winding MSH01 launched eight years ago. Developed by the Biel-based movement specialist, Synergies Horlogeres, it has a 120 hour power reserve thanks to two mainspring barrels running in series. With efficiency like that, perhaps Synergies Horlogeres would like to look at the domestic power generation market next?
Engineering-wise, it’s a 28,800vph movement with 29 bearing jewels that uses the well-proven Incabloc anti-shock system and a Glucydur balance. In finishing terms there’s plenty to enjoy with circular graining and anglage, as well as the movement’s designation and the MeisterSinger name picked out in gold. It’s all accurate enough to be (according to MeisterSinger) a chronometer but it isn’t actually rated. With a single hand, as accurate as the movement is, there’s not much cause to send it off to COSC bootcamp.
The Singularis costs £4,690, so MeisterSinger has pitched it into a tough price segment. But you won’t find too many other watches at any price with a specification that includes two barrels within an exclusive movement and with just one single hand succinctly conveying the hours and minutes.
Further reading
https://www.meistersinger.com/
Technical specification
- Model: MeisterSinger Singularis 2022
- Reference: SIN908
- Case: Diameter 43mm; height 13.5mm; water resistance 5ATM (50 metres); sapphire crystal to front; exhibition case back.
- Functions: Hours and minutes with a single-hand; date
- Movement: MSA01 caliber; self-winding movement; frequency 28,800 vph (4Hz); 29 jewels; power reserve 120 hours.
- Strap: Cognac saddle leather strap paired with a stainless steel double folding clasp
- Price: £4,690 – (RRP as of 8.7.2022)