Up Close With The Armin Strom Limited Edition Tribute 1 Rose Gold

We talk a lot about how dress codes, and society in general, have become less formal. To be elegant today is to have a more relaxed feeling. But that doesn’t mean the dress watch has disappeared. Case in point: the Armin Storm Tribute 1 Rose Gold. A watch should always rise to the sense of occasion.

Watchonista recently had the opportunity to get hands on with this new take on the dress watch in our photo studios in Switzerland and at the recent WatchTime Show in New York, and we’d like to share our reactions with you.

In the past, dress watches were meant to be discreet, to blend into a formal look. The thinking was that after hours, you weren’t supposed to be distracted by the time.

But the Tribute 1’s 18K rose gold case stands out not only for its use of precious metal (a first for Armin Strom, maker who typically focuses on innovative complications like its recent Orbit First Edition), but also for its angular lugs and narrow bezel.
 

At the same time, it’s not TOO flashy. Other golden assets such as a matching gold barrel bridge, hands and applied hour markers, are balanced by textured anthracite touches on the dial. And measuring in a 38mm means that the watch does not overwhelm the wrist.
 

However, the highest sartorial marks go to the dial of this version of the Tribute 1. This time-only collection was first introduced in 2021, and it is where Armin Strom is really upending traditional dress codes, most notably for placing the bridge up front and off center on the face.

While the display is asymmetrical, the dial finds balance by its use of texture. Hand finishes are a hallmark of Armin Strom, and this model raises the bar. The main surface has a dark grey finely grained texture. The dial that displays the time has the same anthracite look but is engraved with a pattern that, when viewed from an angle, suggests moiré silk. The effect is subtle but effective—we could spend a thousand words alone just reflecting on the play of light.
 

While not exclusive to the Tribute 1 Rose Gold, other features we admire are the open hands, the hand-polished skeletonized motor barrel is engraved with the words “100 HOURS OF POWER RESERVE” as is the in house, hand-wound calibre AMW 21, which is visible through the sapphire crystal case back.
 

Finally, let’s not forget the three-quarter bridge adorned with Côtes de Genève stripes; the balance bridge featuring examples of ide graining, anglage, sand blasting and straight graining; and the hand-beveled edges of the escapement and the escape bridge. For such a slender watch, these tactile elements offer a lot of depth.