A couple of weeks back, I got to visit the independent yet integrated Bienne-based manufacture of Armin Strom. Impressed with what I saw, I asked if I could take one of their watches back home to test-drive for a few weeks, and the folks at Armin Strom were happy to oblige. Here’s my in-depth look at the Armin Strom Racing Gravity.
The Racing collection is Armin Strom’s sportier line, inspired by the world of Formula 1 without being directly attached to a team or cobranded as such (although it is worth mentioning that Armin Strom were a sponsor of the now defunct Marussia F1 team). It’s got the raw engine look of a F1 car alongside the traits you’d find in a traditional haute horlogerie timepiece.
The multi-layer case is contrasted from satin-brushed titanium with a PVD-coated stainless steel center. Measuring 43.4 mm in diameter and 13mm in height, the watch remains relatively modest in size for a modern sports watch and far from garish on the wrist.
A little detail that needs some explanation is the “lip” at 6 o’clock. Before even handling an Armin Strom watch, I thought that it was just a design gimmick that added an unnecessary lug for the bottom strap. In fact, the lip extends solely from the bezel and is a trademark design of the brand that goes back to the time when Armin Strom produced unique, commissioned pieces for discerning collectors. The extra bit of metal in fact allows for the possibility of engraving one’s initials on the watch, adding a very personal touch to the ownership experience. I do admit, it grows on you after a while and makes the Armin Strom case stand out from the countless other round cases on the market.
Another odd detail that makes Armin Strom’s pieces that much more distinguishable is the off-centerer dial and hands. And while this in itself is nothing new, it’s the fact that the movement is positioned right in the middle of the case, meaning that the gears are intentionally positioned to offset the hands that makes it fairly unique. Like the case’s lip, it’s a signature trait that one could easily get used to.
What I really appreciate about the Racing Gravity and to a larger extent the majority of Armin Strom’s pieces is that the dial is open without necessarily being a skeleton. you have a balanced bridge layout that exposes certain parts of the gear train and winding mechanism, full of depth and details. On the Racing Gravity, you even get a clear view into the escape wheel and pallet-fork through the small seconds sub dial at 9 o’clock. Best part is that for a dial this, the watch is still easily legible- even in the dark.
The movement is Armin Strom’s in-house developed and manufactured AMR13-MR caliber, which features automatic winding by means of a micro-rotor placed at 5 o’clock on the dial-side of the movement, and actually resembles the mainspring barrel opposite the mainspring barrel opposite to keep with the symmetrical layout of the movement, and delivers a power reserve of 5 days when fully wound.
What makes the Racing Gravity’s movement so different is the juxtaposition of raw, rough surfaces and meticulous traditional hand-finishing of components. Some of the bridges are in fact made from the original motor block of an F1 car, and its matte-gray surface with an erratically brushed finish certainly evokes something of a performance machine. other bridges and components feature traditional beveled and polished edges, as well as circular-grained perlage finish, while the manipulate is done in recessed, angular pattern recalling an F1 engine.
The strap is perhaps the most obvious racing-inspired part of the watch, done in black alligator leather with a fabric middle insert done in a weaved carbon-fiber pattern. A deployment buckle option is also available, though my personal preference has always been for tang buckles. They just fit slender wrists more comfortably.
Overall, I really enjoyed wearing the Armin Strom Racing Gravity. Even though it’s positioned as a racing-oriented sports watch, there were enough original details that appealed to the homophile in me without ever thinking of anything remotely automotive. It’s different enough to fit in any eclectic collection, without the need to be outlandish to impress.
A limited series of only 50 pieces, the Armin Strom Racing Gravity comes with a price tag of of 16’500 CHF (Swiss Francs).
More information on www.arminstrom.com
