With a stealthy coating of black PVD, the Armin Strom Manual Earth watch has a resolutely avant-garde personality.  But, despite its contemporary aesthetics, the Haute Horlogerie credentials of this handsome timepiece are unmistakeable.

With every Armin Strom watch, the focus is always firmly aimed at the micro-components of their superlative in-house Manufacture movements.  Continuing the legacy of their founding Father, their portfolio is characterised by small-series editions with the emphasis on meticulous hand decoration and finishing.

Technically impressive in every respect, the Armin Strom Manual Earth watch carries a Round, 43.40 mm black PVD coated stainless steel case with a trim  bezel and robust lugs.    At the 6 o’clock location, the instantly recognisable protruding lip, which is a synonymous feature of the company, offers the potential to add a personalised, engraved motif.

For this model, the mainplate of the movement becomes the dial, and its fine concentric decoration provides the perfect backdrop for the time indications.

In an off-centred position, the hours and minutes are marked on a black dial ring with hour numerals at the 12, 3 and 6, and the minutes in double-digits. To aid readability, the razor-tipped hour and minutes hands have been lume-coated.  A smaller black dial ring, for the seconds, leans over towards the 9 o’clock position, while at the 3 o’clock location, the Armin Strom logo is engraved upon a plate with visible screws.

In contrast to the darkened, contemporary aesthetic of the dial rings and numerals, an open section between 12 and 3 o’clock reveals the traditional spirit of this mechanical watch, with a view of the mainspring barrel and the gear train.

This superb exposé offers a glimpse at partly skeletonised bridges with their deeply set intense rubies and the toothed wheels of the gears, which the wearer can see in motion when setting the time.

Turn the piece over, and the advantages of this manual-wound calibre can be immediately appreciated.  Bereft of a rotor, the wearer is offered an uninterrupted view of the impeccable craftsmanship of the Armin Strom Manufacture AMW11 movement.

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 decoration, unique to the Manual Earth model has been executed on one of the bridges.  Elsewhere, the meticulous concentric hand-finishing on the mainplate continues.  Beating at a leisurely 18,000vph, the movement has a power reserve of 120 hours.

The Armin Strom Manual Wind Earth 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.