A watch for enthusiasts of contemporary fine watchmaking, the Zeitwinkel 126° CronotempVs Collector's edition is meticulously crafted and superbly executed throughout. A collaborative design between this esteemed independent watchmaking company and CronotempVs, a renowned private watch collectors initiative, this exclusive model stands apart within the Zeitwinkel portfolio due to the arrangement and muted tonal characteristics of its beautifully styled dial. Not limited to its highly original façade, the desirability of the piece is elevated further by the inclusion of Zeitwinkel’s acclaimed in-house calibre, the ZW0102.

Founded in 2016, Zeitwinkel, whose name translates from German to English as “time angle” are renowned for their high quality finishing, purity of style and uncompromising attention to detail. Every Zeitwinkel timepiece is hand assembled, often by a single watchmaker, at their Saint-Imier manufactory, and the company have creativity and authenticity engrained within their DNA, so much so, that even their typeface is an in-house design.

The Zeitwinkel 126° CronotempVs Collector's edition comes presented in a rounded stainless steel case sized at 42.5mm across and it rests 11.7mm high upon the wrist. Demonstrating design finesse, it is finished with contrasting techniques of matte sandblasting on the recesses within its middle and lugs, and a high polish on the edges and thus the clean, classical elegance of its profile is enhanced. A grooved crown ensures ease of use, while the lugs which have an angular architecture turn downwards to embrace the strap.

The dial of the watch is visually stunning and it comprises of a trio of finishes and décor. At its centre, a finely brushed section of untreated German silver - or maillechort, offers the duality of a shimmering silvery appearance, which quickly changes to a warmer golden hue, depending on the light conditions. Surrounding it, the chapter ring, rendered in metallic grey, reveals the decorative effect of a repeating motif comprising of the Zeitwinkel logo in miniature. Black baton markers represent each hour, apart from a deep red arabic numeral at the 12 o’clock, complimented by a grey example at the 6. Executed in black, the minutes track defines the periphery and brings the entire design together superbly. Of particular note, the hands have been crafted with extraordinary attention to detail. The hour and minutes hands possess two straight surfaces, set at a precise angle to one another, so that one side will always reflect the light, and joining them, an elongated and perfectly proportioned dagger-shaped seconds hand is the final flourish.

Appreciable through the rear sapphire crystal caseback, the Zeitwinkel ZW0102 in-house calibre offers loupe-worthy finishing. 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.

The Zeitwinkel 126° CronotempVs Collector's edition will be limited to production, and the model comes presented on strap options of sharkskin, calfskin or textile, each handmade by JacobStraps of Jaen, Spain and secured to the wrist with a stainless steel folding clasp.