by Kyle Stults on May 27, 2010
Fire and Water…
Below are a pair of exciting new watches from the Armin Strom “One Week” collection. Dubbed “Fire” and “Water” and featuring Armin Strom’s new in-house movement with 8-day power reserve (the ARM09 — we wrote about it in Feburary), these two watches make up half of the four elements that represent the collection. “Earth” and “Air” are the other two models that I will show you at a later date. Each model is limited to 100 pieces per element with a 43mm case (13mm height). Notice also the asymmetrical case-design. The partial-dial has a power reserve display and while offering views of the very eye-pleasing ARM09 movement. The watches are paired with a totally kick-ass “horn-back” alligator strap in the appropriate color.
Armin Strom One Week Water – Stainless Steel (Ref ST10-WW.05)
Price is about $24,000, limited to 100 pieces
dial close-up
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Armin Strom One Week Fire – Rose Gold (Ref RG10-WF.5N)
Price is about $34,000, limited to 100 pieces
dial close-up
So now that I have your full attention, you may be wondering – why I haven’t I seen this brand before?!? Well, I would say that Armin Strom’s relatively low awareness is a function of its relative youth as a brand (founded in 2006) and its high entry-level price point (about $8,000, moving quickly into the five-figure range). However, I would argue that — more than any other young/small luxury brand today — Armin Strom SA is in a position to turn itself into a watchmaking powerhouse over the next decade or two.
As a quick refresher, here’s the backdrop on the brand — Armin Strom SA was founded in 2006 and is based in the watch-making center of Biel, Switzerland. The brand takes its name from the man himself – Armin Strom. I like to think of Armin Strom as the Godfather of the skeleton watch — it is an art he has been honing if not nearly perfecting for decades now. The startup of the brand is backed by successful Swiss businessman, Willy Michel. Michel along with Strom recruited a group of young talented and promising watchmakers upon which to build the brand and take it into the future.
At present, the brand is somewhat divided into two product “tiers”. That is, the somewhat more modern-looking “Elements” watches that I have shown you here today, and the ultra-exclusive “skeleton” series which are enhanced with various levels of hand-engraving or partial skeletons, up to a fully hand-made skeleton watch. The skeleton watches are quite simply some of the most fantastic watches I have ever set my hands upon — check out my video review of the Armin Strom Blue Chip Skeleton Automatic for an in-depth look.
The investment of time and money into the brand should not go un-noticed — Armin Strom is now more-or-less a fully capable manufacture, as evidenced above by its first manufacture movement, the ARM09 (click through to our earlier post for more looks and info). The ARM09 is quite obviously visually stunning, but I am also told that it has strong technical characteristics as well.
To close the loop on all this, let me just stay that it is my view that with all of its resources, its relative youth, and the wisdom and tutelage of Armin Strom himself, Armin Strom SA has significant potential to make a big name for itself as a leading high-luxury Swiss watch brand in the years ahead. Stay tuned for future looks at the watches of Armin Strom!
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