Featuring a stunning deep blue dial, the Zeitwinkel 188º Blue wristwatch has been crafted with excellent finishing standards and considerable attention to detail. The piece features classical wristwatch proportions with the added pleasure of distinctly modern design codes, executed in the inimitable style of this exciting young independent watchmaking company.

Zeitwinkel is the passion and brainchild of a group of friends, who founded the business in 2006. The company has developed a sophisticated portfolio of timepieces characterised by clean styling, beautifully decorated in-house calibres and exceptional craftsmanship. 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.

The Zeitwinkel  188º Blue wristwatch comes presented in a rounded stainless steel case sized at 39mm across and resting 11.6mm high on the wrist. With 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.

Beneath the gently convex sapphire crystal, the blue galvanised dial brings added finesse to the piece, and upon it, the indications carry perfect proportions.  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. On the lower dial, the generous off-centred small seconds dial has been decorated with fine guilloché snailing. At three o’clock, the large date window is recessed within its aperture and is easily adjusted via the second position on the crown. Finishing this discreet arrangement, the appliqués on the perimeter are faceted, and are complemented by diminutive examples at every quarter mark on the seconds subdial.

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 edition from this expressive and forward-thinking independent watchmaking company, the Zeitwinkel 188º Blue wristwatch comes presented on an ethically sourced calfskin leather strap secured to the wrist with a stainless steel folding clasp.