Our Take

The Biel-based independent watchmaker, Armin Strom, is well known for openworked timepieces and commitment to horological innovation. We’ve had the privilege of handling some of their exceptional, recently launched watches from the Orbit to the ultra-technical Mirrored Force Resonance. Now, Armin Strom returns with a new edition to one of the brand’s most popular watches – the Gravity Equal Force Ultimate Sapphire Edition in Purple.

While the original Gravity Equal Force showcases bridges for the mainspring barrel and micro-rotor on the dial, the addition of a sapphire offset subdial ensures that nothing is blocked from sight. Here, sapphire is a clear evolutionary step in line with the intention of Armin Strom’s identity – the watchmaking mechanics are for all to observe.

Aesthetically, there’s strong cohesion in the Gravity Equal Force Ultimate Sapphire Purple with its matte, dark gray ruthenium-plated bridges and the purple guilloché pattern on the timepiece’s mainplate. Crafted by Kari Voutilainen, the guillochage adds additional texture to an already exceptional three-dimensional and spacious dial.

For as beautiful as the timepiece is, there’s a strong argument that its largest contribution is technical. For ages, there was no easy solution to craft an “affordable” way to stabilize how quickly a mainspring’s energy is dispersed. Remontoire and chain and fusée options existed, of course, but at much higher price points. For manual wind timepieces, there has always been a solution – a Geneva stop-work mechanism – but it took until 2019 for Armin Strom to craft something similar for automatic timepieces. This is a huge aspect of this timepiece and its namesake: a stop-work that ensures the barrel distributes energy evenly through the timepiece’s 72 hour power reserve. All in a slim profile 41mm case, this is an ultra-luxury complication brought to a much, much more affordable price.

That’s why Armin Strom has gathered the attention of the watch community over the last five years, in particular, with high-quality, new releases. Another example of Armin Strom’s excellence in watchmaking, the Gravity Equal Force Ultimate Sapphire Purple punches well above its weight class.

The Details

Brand: Armin Strom 

Model: Gravity Equal Force Ultimate Sapphire

Distinctions:

Stop-Work declutch mechanism and Equal Force Barrel

Handmade guilloche pattern on the black movement plate by Kari Voutilainen

Bridges are coated with dark grey ruthenium; the barrel and the micro rotor are coated with rhodium

Case:

Stainless steel

Sapphire crystal and case back with anti-reflective treatment

Diameter: 41.00 mm

Height: 12.65 mm

Lug-to-Lug: 48.09 mm

Water-resistance: 30 m

Dial: Grey toned off-center sapphire dial with subdial

Hands: Steel with hand finishing and Super-LumiNova® filling