188º MAKS ROUGE LOBÉLIE

Heralding a new stunning new collection for this exciting independent watchmaking company, the Zeitwinkel Maks 188º Rouge Lobélie watch brings a pop of vibrant colour to the wrist with a gorgeous intricate lacquered dial. Visually pleasureful in the highest degree, this edition, which is powered by the superb in-house ZW0102 self-winding calibre, is a perfect syntheses of design, artisanship and high-end contemporary watchmaking.

Zeitwinkel is the passion and brainchild of a group of friends, who founded the business in 2016. Every watch which leaves the company’s Saint-Imier manufactory is meticulously assembled and tested, often by a single watchmaker. From the beginning, Zeitwinkel have displayed refreshing creativity and authenticity and they value their autonomy so highly that even their typeface is a unique in-house design. Named after one of the founders of the company, the Zeitwinkel Maks 188º Rouge Lobélie joins a sophisticated portfolio of timepieces characterised by clean styling, beautifully decorated in-house calibres and exceptional craftsmanship.

The dial of the model is outstanding. Consisting of an ultra-fine and wholly mesmerising concentric pattern of the Zeitwinkel logo, which emanates from the small seconds dial to draws one’s eye out towards the polished appliqués. Upon this repeating motif, twenty layers of lacquer have been hand-applied giving the surface an extraordinary glossy lustre which contrasts with the guilloché snailed finish on the small seconds. For this edition, a sumptuous rouge tone complements the texture of both patterns, and the dial is finished with beautiful hand-made razor-tipped hour and minutes hands, with a neat little straight example for the small seconds and the company’s logo detailed in white.

As with all Zeitwinkel timepieces, the attention to detail devoted to every nuance of the Zeitwinkel Maks 188º Rouge Lobélie is superb. A gentle convex sapphire crystal heightens the effect of the exquisite dial surface, and the hour and minutes hands each feature two precisely straight surfaces, stretching almost the entire length of their shapely form. Set at a perfect angle to one another, only one edge of each hand will reflect the light at any given moment, thus lending the wearer maximum readability of the time.

The Zeitwinkel Maks 188º Rouge Lobélie wristwatch comes presented in a rounded stainless steel case sized at 39mm across and resting 11.6mm high on the wrist. Contemporary in shape and form it has matte finishes on the recesses within its middle and lugs, and high polishing elsewhere, its profile is enhanced. Exhibiting clean lines and purity of design, the casing is in fact a highly complex construction. A multi-step process of more than 80 stages is required before the 26 individual components which make up its design are assembled, primarily by hand. The crown is grooved for ease of use and it carries unexpectedly satisfying proportions, elevating the overall styling of the case to that of classical elegance with a contemporary twist.

Visible through the rear sapphire crystal caseback, the Zeitwinkel ZW0102 in-house calibre demands closer inspection. Allowing for stability and robustness it is constructed using the three-quarter plate discipline, and its plates and bridges are made from untreated German silver upon which immaculate chamfering and hand-decoration techniques have been applied, despite the added difficulty of achieving such finishes on this type of material when compared to brass. Notably, the soft patina of the silver lends itself wonderfully to the skilful finishing, and with the addition of an open-worked rotor, almost every nuance can be appreciated. Beating at 28’800 vib/hr, the movement achieves a generous 72 hour reserve of power.

A stunning example, executed in the inimitable style and creative spirit synonymous with this forward-thinking independent watchmaking company, the Zeitwinkel Maks 188º Rouge Lobélie wristwatch comes presented on an ethically sourced calfskin leather strap secured to the wrist with a stainless steel folding clasp.