Specialist Swiss watchmaker Armin Strom AG originates from the picturesque town of Burgdorf located northwest of Bern in Switzerland. The history of the company dates back to 1967 when he established his own shop restoring and selling watches. This eventually led to the development of his own series of highly complex and detailed timepieces.
Presently the name Armin Strom is associated with the intricate art of skeletonisation. In 1984 he unveiled his own unique creations at world-renowned watch and jewellery fair in Basel. This significantly raised his profile and provided an invaluable launch pad for the company. Recently I have written numerous articles featuring many of the masterpieces donated to the charitable ‘Only Watch’ auction. One of the timepieces on show is the marvelous One Week Skeleton Water watch, which perfectly illustrates this atelier’s skills.
The Racing Tourbillon marks Armin Strom Ag’s third season as the official timing partner of the Marussia F1 Team. With measurements of 43mm x 13mm the watch is of modest proportions. These classical dimensions will probably suit the serious collector as they are fairly understated. I would also imagine this elegant timepiece would be very comfortable and lightweight to wear. Primarily this is down to the sophisticated styling of the watch and resilient titanium case. Even though this timepiece could be worn on a daily basis I imagine it would only make an appearance for very special occasions.
The sublime Racing Tourbillon is the sixth model in the Armin Strom Racing Collection. Visually the layout is exceptionally bold and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The black PVD case and chapter ring works in perfect conjunction with the hand-decorated skeletonized dial. Impressively the stunning red elox-coated aluminium alloy bridges are constructed from actual parts of an F1 car. My favourite element of the design is the majestic tourbillon visible through a large aperture located at 9 o’clock. Overall the three-dimension façade is very effective and highly original.
Armin Strom has devised a highly complicated skeletonised mechanical movement to power the watch. The Calibre ATC11 comprises 24 jewels and oscillates at a frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour. Every one of the 184 components has been meticulously hand finished and assembled at the company’s workshops in Switzerland. To make the wonderful Racing Tourbillon even more exclusive the company has manufactured the escape wheel and pallets from solid gold. Functionally the timepiece displays hours, minutes, seconds and a staggering power reserve of 10 days. The watch is also water resistant to a depth of 50 metres (5ATM).The divine Racing Tourbillon is presented with a hand stitched alligator strap and is limited to only two pieces.
The divine Racing Tourbillon is presented with a hand stitched alligator strap and is limited to only two pieces.
