In every possible manner, the Zeitwinkel 082º Email Grand Feu wristwatch is a stunning proposition. Boasting a dial crafted from pristine white grand feu enamel, and equipped with a meticulously finished in-house mechanical movement, the piece underscores the design finesse and commitment to excellence of this exciting independent watchmaking company.

Zeitwinkel, whose name translates from German to English as “time angle”,  are a uniquely creative and authentic watchmaking company. Characterised by their complex construction processes, and impressive attention to the minutiae, particularly when it comes to finishing techniques, every Zeitwinkel watch is meticulously assembled, often by a single watchmaker, at the company’s Saint-Imier manufactory. Founded in 2006, uniqueness is deeply engrained into the DNA of the company, so much so, that even the typeface used on their watches is an in-house creation. The Zeitwinkel 082º Email Grand Feu watch is a significant timepiece in their portfolio and is one which blends the company’s inimitable contemporary styling nuances with a classical dial aesthetic.

Exhibiting elegant proportions on the wrist, the watch is housed in a rounded stainless steel case sized at 39mm across and resting 11.6mm high on the wrist. The profile of the case has been accentuated with matte finishing achieved onto the recesses of its sides and its lugs and high polishing on the edges of its architecture. A highly complex construction, each case is requiring of a multi-step process of more than 80 stages, 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 satisfying proportions. Finished with a matte and polished outer section, upon which the Zeitwinkel branding in miniature is represented, it serves as a reminder that no detail has been overlooked in the overall styling of this timepiece.

Beneath the gently convex sapphire crystal lies a dial of extraordinary grace and refinement. Created using the painstaking grand feu enamel technique, it instantly elevates the status of the piece into the artisanal genre. From the centre, the heat-blued hour and minutes hands are generous and shapely. Handmade in the Zeitwinkel atelier, each pair is demanding of a full days work. Joining them, a slender seconds hand, also hand-blued by flame, stretches out to the perimeter where the blue enamel numerals, rendered in Zeitwinkel’s speciality font, add a contemporary twist to what is otherwise a quietly beautiful, delicate façade. A sharply styled minute track also in blue, together with the company logo and location are the final touches on this dial, and one can be in no doubt that endless consideration and deliberation has been invested into every single design nuance upon it.

On turning the piece over, one can appreciate the excellent  in-house ZW0102 automatic mechanical movement, viewable through the exhibition caseback.   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 work, and it offers a superb contrast to the flame blued screws, a feature only found in watches with handmade hands within the Zeitwinkel collections. Beating at 28’800 vib/hr, the movement achieves a generous 72 hour reserve of power.

Featuring a harmonious combination of traditional watchmaking techniques and  distinctly modern styling, the Zeitwinkel 082º Email Grand Feu wristwatch comes presented on an ethically sourced calfskin leather strap with folding clasp, with a natural caoutchouc rubber example available on request.