The ‘Tribute 1’ by Armin Strom
The ‘Tribute 1’ by Armin Strom is a new creation from the Swiss Manufacture and looks very different from its siblings. Measuring just 38mm in diameter, the watch is the brand’s first foray into the classical dress watch market segment. It is infused with a plethora of refinements and wonderfully showcases the Manufacture’s in-house expertise.
In 2009, Armin Strom relocated to a new facility in Biel/Bienne where it began making its own movements. The company’s first movement was the ARM09, a manual calibre equipped with two barrels. It provided a foretaste of what was to come.
Over the years, the company has made increasingly ambitious and complicated movements, each encompassing a notable degree of originality. The revolutionary Resonance movement, the Gravity Equal Force watch and the Lady Beat timepiece perfectly illustrate the brand’s innovative spirit.
A classical watch
Indeed, despite Armin Strom enjoying much success, it has never ceased innovating. Having heard repeated calls from the watch press to produce a classical watch with a notably innovative design, Armin Strom decided to accept the challenge.
Now, the ‘Swiss Watch Manufacture’ has returned to the hand-wound movement, releasing the new ‘Tribute 1’ by Armin Strom, the latest addition to its System 78 Collection. This model is presented in a smaller case measuring 38mm in diameter and has a slender profile with a height of just 9mm. It is very different from its siblings, courtesy of its dimensions, classical appearance and highly efficient motor barrel.
A motor barrel
When developing his ideas for the new ‘Tribute 1’ by Armin Strom, Claude Greisler, the Co-Founder of the brand, looked at the “motor barrel” first used within pocket watches circa 1900. This system places the coiled mainspring within a separate steel barrel. If the mainspring breaks, the motor barrel protects the gear train from suffering any harm.
Unlike a regular barrel, with a motor barrel the arbor turns around the mainspring which proves far more efficient than a regular barrel.
A twist
The new ‘Tribute 1’ by Armin Strom subscribes to the classical dress watch remit but with an Armin Strom twist. The dial is comprised of four elements: the hour, minutes and seconds display, a plate adorned with a grenage finish, the barrel and the barrel cock.
The off-centre dial features distinctive hour and minute hands along with a slim seconds hand, all of which have been designed and made in house. The indexes comprise of polished appliques and printed batons, both crisp and highly legible. Surprisingly, the new ‘Tribute 1’ by Armin Strom shuns the brand’s predilection for skeletonisation, as the combination of the seconds hand with an open worked backdrop proved distracting and at odds with the intended classical look.
Another notable difference with the ‘Tribute 1’ by Armin Strom is that unlike most of the brand’s other models, it eschews the firm’s beloved ‘lip’. The Manufacture felt the small metal projection, positioned at 6 o’clock, was not consistent with the notion of a classical dress watch.
Exclusivity assured
Exclusivity is a characteristic of Armin Strom ownership, hence the first edition of the model is limited to just 25 pieces. Moreover, its dial is presented in black-or, a finish that will remain unique to the first edition. This dial execution bestows a distinctive look that transitions from one shade to another, especially in sunlight. A plate, positioned adjacent to the off-centre dial, is embellished with a grenage finish granting notable contrast with the hour, minutes and seconds display.
Upholding Armin Strom’s creative philosophy of ‘we show what we make’, the barrel is positioned adjacent the hour, minutes and seconds display. The barrel sits within a circular recess, positioned below the adjacent elements, masterfully playing with depths. It is hand polished, perpetuating the brand’s reputation for crafting ultra-refined watches. Beyond its aesthetic attributes, the barrel stores sufficient energy to deliver 100 hours of autonomous operation.
The barrel bridge, positioned to the front of the watch, is executed in white gold, a detail that is exclusive to the inaugural version of the ‘Tribute 1’ by Armin Strom. Subsequent steel versions of the model will feature a steel barrel bridge.
The crown is located at 2 o’clock, enhancing wearer comfort and delivering ease of manipulation. The lugs are slender, imbuing the model with an elegant appearance while remaining functional.
The Caliber AMW21 is adorned with Côtes de Genève motif, the jewel sinks are polished to a gleaming conclusion and the mainplate is circular grained. The balance cock and the stepped escape wheel cock deliver a three-dimensional allure, while their edges are hand bevelled augmenting the overall sense of luxury.
Closing remarks
An increasing number of watch aficionados are discovering the wisdom of owning an Armin Strom timepiece. The company’s models exhibit a notable degree of style and are infused with much technical virtuosity. Indeed, Armin Strom is a practitioner of Haute Horlogerie and a genuine Manufacture. The firm’s culture is refreshingly devoid of marketing hyperbole. It makes a multitude of movement parts in house and then finishes them to a supremely refined standard. Its strapline ‘we show what we make’ is made with an endearing quotient of honesty in an industry that has been known to stretch the truth on occasion.
With the advent of the new ‘Tribute 1′ by Armin Strom, the Manufacture has produced its first classical, dress watch. Many of the brand’s historical models measured 43.4mm in diameter, however, the diameter of the Tribute 1’ by Armin Strom is much smaller at 38mm. Likewise, the new model’s slender profile, just 9mm in height, differentiates it from its forebears. But, like all watches from the Manufacture, this latest creation is contemporary, technically innovative and beautifully finished. Indeed, it may look different, but it remains reassuringly Armin Strom.
Surprisingly, despite being equipped with a Manufacture movement endowed with a motor barrel, that delivers a prodigious power reserve of 100 hours, a variable inertia balance and sublime finishing, the watch is offered for a modest CHF 13,900 (RRP as at 15.6.2021). It seems the brand from Biel/Bienne can deliver not just excellence and style but also an extraordinary quality-price ratio as well.
Further reading
Technical specifications
- Model: The ‘Tribute 1’ by Armin Strom
- Reference: ST21-TRI.75.AL.M.35
- Case: Stainless steel, diameter 38 mm, height 9mm, water resistance 5ATM (50m), sapphire crystal to the front and exhibition case back.
- Functions: Hours, minutes, central seconds
- Movement: Armin Strom manufacture Caliber AMW21; hand-wound movement; frequency 25,200 vph (3.5Hz); 21 jewels; power reserve 100 hours; components=135
- Strap: Delivered with a grey Alcantara calf leather strap and double folding clasp in stainless steel
- Price: CHF 13,900 (RRP as at 15.6.2021)
- Limited Edition: 25 pieces