The Armin Strom Dual Time GMT Resonance Manufacture Black Edition in Steel

Armin Strom is a revered name among horophiles, an independent brand acclaimed for rekindling the spirit of resonance in wristwatches. Last year, Armin Strom introduced its 18th in-house movement – calibre ARF22 – with the white gold Dual Time GMT Resonance with impressive mechanics and finishings on both sides of the case. Offering two independent time zones displayed on two separate dials powered by two independent but synchronised movements, this year’s edition comes with a black monochrome palette and a steel case, as the Dual Time GMT Resonance Manufacture Black Edition.

Co-founders Serge Michel and master watchmaker Claude Greisler did not invent resonance; the phenomenon was reported by Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens in 1655 when he noticed how two independent pendulums attached to a wooden eventually synchronised. What Michel and Greisler did create was a way to connect the two independent balance wheels and protect them from disruptions (gravity, temperature changes, motion) via a purpose-built resonance clutch spring. By uniting the balance wheels, errors are compensated, and chronometric consistency is achieved. For more details, don’t miss Frank’s video on how resonance works in a GMT model.

The 39mm Dual Time model is the smaller sibling of the spectacular 59mm Masterpiece One Dual Time Resonance introduced in 2018. Measuring 39mm across with a slim height of just 9.05mm, the watch now comes in a stainless steel case decorated with polished surfaces and bevels and vertically brushed flanks. There is the characteristic (mini) lip in the bezel at 6 o’clock and the two crowns at 4 and 8 o’clock. One of the main advantages is that each dial can be set independently to the exact minute, reflecting time zones with unconventional offsets of 30 or 45 minutes.

With a black mainplate, black dial and black day/night indicator, the new stainless steel model has an elegant monochrome look. The tight symmetry of the dial is achieved with the two 3.5Hz balance wheels connected by the patented resonance clutch spring at noon, followed by the two dials intersected by the three-dimensional ratchet wheel at 6 o’clock.

In line with Armin Strom’s incredible level of finishings, the stainless steel balance bridge is mirror-polished, and the twin dials have a black grenage (hand-grained) decoration in the centre surrounded by a black snailed chapter ring set with polished baton indices and faceted hands. The hand-engraved day/night indicators depicting the Sun and a crater-pocked Moon are mounted on the 24-hour wheels directly on the movement.

Revealing parts of the ARF22 in-house manual-winding movement, the reverse offers another lesson in symmetry and refined finishings. Decorated with the Côtes de Genève, the two round apertures on the bridge expose the independent barrels with their 42-hour power reserve capacity, while the open area at the top is dominated by two contemporary anthracite openworked bridges offering a glimpse of the inscriptions below.

The Dual Time GMT Resonance Manufacture Black Edition is paired with a glossy taupe alligator strap and a steel pin buckle. It is a limited edition of 50 pieces and retails for CHF 95,000. More information at arminstrom.com.