The Strehler Säntis, A Fine and Intuitive Worldtimer from an Independent Mind

Andreas Strehler is one of the most accomplished independent watchmakers. He is known for sophisticated creations such as the Sauterelle à Lune Exacte and the Trans-Axial Tourbillon, and his work has long been associated with complex mechanics and meticulous execution. With the launch of the Strehler brand three years ago, he aimed to make watches that are simpler in function, yet still conceived and manufactured in-house, with the same level of attention. The Strehler brand’s first model, the Sirna, a time-only watch, was designed as a daily companion and established the new brand’s principles: clarity, restraint, and mechanical integrity. The new Säntis, named after the mountain in the Appenzell region where Strehler’s atelier is located, introduces a world time complication and comes intuitive, elegant, and mechanically coherent.

The Säntis is housed in a 40mm stainless steel case, measuring 9.7mm thick and 47mm lug-to-lug. A single crown, positioned at 3 o’clock, controls all functions, which is a smart choice if only to maintain a clean profile. The crown operates in three positions: winding in the neutral position, adjusting the city and 24-hour rings in the intermediate position, clockwise and counterclockwise, respectively, and fully extended for time setting. Water resistance is 30m, in line with its everyday, non-sports intention. The case is made in-house and looks deliberately restrained in design, with a clear focus on ergonomics.

The dial follows the same construction principles as the Sirna but adapts it to the requirements of a world time display. The central element is a machined, pattern-engraved, hand-polished titanium dial, with three functional layers surrounding it. The outer ring displays 24 time zones, with some locations marked with a sun symbol to indicate DST observance, and a Strehler name to mark the CET.

Closer to the centre, the rotating 24-hour ring is divided into day and night segments, for immediate reading of global time. At the dial’s periphery, a minute track features luminous markers at 5-minute intervals. Both the city ring and the 24-hour ring feature luminous printing, while the hour and minutes hands in hand-polished steel with arrow-shaped luminous tips, remain clearly distinguishable. The dial, minutes ring and crown offer personalisation options; the city disc locations cannot be altered, though.

Powering the Strehler Säntis is the calibre SA-30W, an in-house automatic movement derived from the SA-30 used in the Sirna. The base has been retained, with the addition of a 41-component world time module, bringing the total to 224 components. The movement operates at 21,600 vibrations/hour and is regulated by a free-sprung balance with four adjustment screws, with Strehler’s own Swiss lever escapement. Power reserve is 60 hours. The automatic winding system uses a skeletonised 18k gold rotor mounted on ceramic ball bearings. The movement, finished with polished bevels with inward angles, circular Geneva stripes, perlage, and finely grained wheels, is visible through the sapphire caseback.

The watch is worn on a brown calfskin leather strap, manufactured by Ledertique and Atelier Petrov. The strap has a lightly grained texture with contrasting off-white stitching. Alternative materials and colours are available on request. The stainless steel pin buckle is produced in-house. The Strehler Säntis is not a limited edition, but the scale of the atelier restricts production, and annual output is estimated at 30 to 50 watches, shared between the Sirna and Säntis models. The price is CHF 24,750 (excluding taxes).

For more information, please visit Strehler.watch.