The date is one of the most useful of all watch complications. How many times a day do we ask ourselves, or others, “what’s the date, again?” When it comes to wristwatches, the date is usually indicated in a window on the dial or via a hand with the days 1-31 in a ring running around the dial.
Armin Strom’s Co-Founder and Master Watchmaker Claude Greisler set himself the mission of thinking of a different, and perhaps even better, way of indicating the date. “We wanted to create a new type of date display and function that looked good and reimagined a popular complication,” he shares.
A New Way of Indicating the Date
Greisler, who is not only a master watchmaker but also a creative thinker, soon came up with an idea. The new date system indicates the date on a fixed black ceramic bezel, with a red arrow (featuring the letter “A” for Armin) that jumps to the new date every evening at midnight. The date function has two modes – stationary and active. When the date hand is in the stationary mode, the date is off and remains in the fixed position at 12 o’clock. To turn the date on, the user presses on the pusher on the left-hand side of the case and the hand immediately jumps to the correct date.
Details that Count
Other interesting details to note include a retrograde system that allows the date to fly back from 31 to 1 at the end of the month. To avoid confusion, the hand points to the words “DATE” at 12 o’clock when the date is off. And the date can also be set rapidly via a corrector button at eight o’clock, or via the crown by advancing the time. “No one had ever created a watch displaying the date with an on/off function of this kind on the bezel. I love it because it is a fun, exciting way to play with the date indication,” explains Greisler.
Column-Wheel Date
The date mechanism is powered by a column wheel which is visible from the dial side. This system, typically found in chronograph mechanisms, has an added bonus in that it increases both the stability and the performance of the date function, as well as giving a rather satisfying and reassuring tactile experience when turning the date on and off.
The Orbit Design
Named The Orbit, this new collection comes in a 43.4mm stainless steel case that is paired with an integrated stainless-steel bracelet. The off-centered dial comes in a black-gold colour, matching the finish of the three bridges, the barrel, and the winding bridges. It is powered by the brand’s Gravity Equal Force movement that was unveiled in 2019 and was the world’s first automatic watch with this movement.
All in all, the result is both aesthetically original and rather sporty. The Orbit will surely appeal to those who love innovation and practicality, all wrapped up in a beautiful sports watch. Serge Michel, who co-founded Armin Strom along with Greisler, agrees: “The Orbit is a pioneering watch that enriches our collection. We took inspiration from the functional bezels of sports watches, and the result was this unique date placement, which is at once innovative, useful, and aesthetically pleasing.”.
The Orbit is limited to 25 pieces and comes with a 10-year guarantee. We are hoping to get our hands on one very soon.
