Inside Armin Strom - An Independent Manufacture Of Haute Horlogerie

It is in the heart of Biel that Armin Strom, in 2009, took up residence to base its independent manufacture. Here, innovative projects are thought out, watchmaking calibres at the cutting edge of precision are drawn, and the traditional knowledge of this Haute Horlogerie house is perpetuated – all to the enjoyment of discerning collectors.

The small white modern building is unobtrusive on the Biel road, yet it houses every facet of production for the young Armin Strom manufacture. The design and creative offices are always hunting for new ways to create innovative movements and to continually improve chronometric accuracy. Watchmakers and engineers model on computers the possibilities of tomorrow. Steps away from the design lab, these pieces go into production.
 

Another strength of this young manufacture is that they even go so far as to conceive of the necessary tools for developing its ideas. In this room, the latest technology out all components of high watchmaking movements Armin Strom: plates, bridges, screws, nuts, peaks, springs, wheels, and anchors. Even a wheel’s teeth are cut internally —ultra-rare expertise for independent manufactures. Only the hairspring is still subcontracted. Yet, Armin Strom continues to develop additional skills, such as making its own hands.
 

Starting with the prototype, a check is made to ensure proper operational potential. Then each component is evaluated under stringent guidelines before continuing to the decorating and galvanizing processes. After, the pre-assembly of the movement is, of course, inspected to test that everything works perfectly. The movement is then disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled before undergoing chronometric testing compliance and sealing. The sixth (and final) quality control is done before the finished piece is shipped.
 

In all, more than six weeks of thorough checks are necessary to ensure the quality expected of an Armin Strom timepiece. Excellence cannot be rushed.
 

To the no doubt delight of future owners, everything is visible on the center dial. While the depth of the calibre is immediately striking, these layers are artfully accentuated with the application of various satin finishes (brushing, mirror polish, and “shaken”). Under the famous Resonance Clutch Spring, there isn’t any perlage as one might expect, but rather a careful polishing that brings out the natural beauty of the movement.
 

The hour and minute hands sit atop a sapphire crystal dial for a better view of the backside of the movement. However, to enhance the readability of the rose gold hands and Roman numeral indexes, the opacity of the crystal is slightly smoky, especially in comparison to the case’s nearly invisible sapphire crystal.
 

Once again, Armin Strom impresses and demonstrates its manufacturing prowess with the Minute Repeater Resonance, a complex and precise architecture comprised of more than 400 components.