An undeniably contemporary watch, the blackened case of the Armin Strom Gravity Date Earth watch, carries within it a beating heart of Haute Horlogerie provenance.

Continuing the legacy of the company’s eponymous Father, this timepiece is powered by a supremely crafted Manufacture calibre. By offering the wearer a superb exposé, the emphasis is placed on the micro-components which mark the passage of time, and the wearer is provided with a showcase of watchmaking virtuosity.

With an abundance of useful indications, beautifully arranged for legibility, the Armin Strom Gravity Date Earth wristwatch is an ultimately functional wristwatch with a powerful wrist presence.

The watch carries a contemporary, rounded 43.40 mm stainless steel case which has been endowed with a stealthy black DLC coating. Located at 6 o’clock, the unmistakeable protruding lip offers the potential for a bespoke, engraved motif.

For this model, the mainplate of the movement becomes the dial, and its fine circular Côtes de Genève decoration provides an excellent background for the time indications.

In an off-centred position, the hours and minutes are marked in white on a black dial ring, with applied hour numerals at 12, 3 and 6. White double digit numerals count the minutes. To aid readability, the razor-tipped hour and minutes hands have been liberally lume-coated.

Overlapping the dial ring at the 9 o’clock position, a small subdial offers a combined indication for the seconds and the pointer date display.  At its centre, the day/night indicator represents each 12 hour sector in either white or black.

Complementing the overall contemporary feel of this watch, a plate which carries the Armin Strom logo has been fixed with visible screws, adding a touch of industrial styling.

Revealing the true Haute Horlogerie credentials of this piece, a generous open section between 12 and 6 o’clock lends an uninterrupted view of the barrel and the going train.

Unusually, the Manufacture ADD14 calibre which gives power to the Gravity Date Earth model incorporates an innovative concept of transmission for the rotor.  This allows it to take up position dial side and its energetic motion, which breathes life into the calibre, can be viewed between 4 and 5 o’clock.

Turn the piece over, and the panorama of the fine craftsmanship of the decorated Armin Strom Manufacture automatic calibre ADD14 can be observed.

Here, a glimpse deep into the heart of the calibre reveals a compelling view of an old-school screwed balance, surrounded by exquisite perlage bridges.  Hand-engraving, of terrestrial rocks and diamonds, unique to the Gravity Earth models, has been executed on one of the bridges, while elsewhere the meticulous concentric hand-finishing continues.  Beating at a leisurely 18,000vph, the movement has a power reserve of 120 hours.

The Armin Strom Gravity Earth Date wristwatch wears on a black horn-back alligator leather strap and comes supplied with an additional black rubber strap.  The model is an exclusive limited edition of just 100 pieces.