Why I Think The Zeitwinkel 273° Sapphir Fumé Is The Brand’s Finest Watch?

The independent watchmaking scene is quite widespread, yet there are several key players who always seem to be in everyone’s spotlight and others who are not. One of the brands that, to me at least, operates a bit under the radar is Zeitwinkel. I’ve always had a soft spot for the brand’s contemporary designs paired with German Silver movement construction. One model in particular has stood out to me ever since it was introduced; the Zeitwinkel 273° Sapphir Fumé. Now, it’s not often I come across this watch, so when I recently had a long and engaging chat with co-founder Albert Edelmann and spotted him wearing that very watch, I hatched a cunning plan. As you can see, that watch is now temporarily in my possession (hence the worn state), and I will explain why I think this is the best watch coming out of Zeitwinkel’s atelier.

Although Zeitwinkel admittedly is quite a niche brand, it has been around since 2006. Founded by a group of passionate watch enthusiasts and friends, the focus is very much on high-quality watches with in-house-made movements. To me, it seems like Zeitwinkel is a bit of a connoisseur’s brand, but the fact of the matter is the watches are honestly very good and deserve a bit of praise. My very first encounter with the brand was at Baselworld, although I don’t recall the exact year. I was immediately struck by the beauty of the brand’s German Silver movements, and the brand and the watches have stuck with me ever since.

German Silver is known and loved for its champagne-like tone and its ability to make a movement come to life despite the inanimate nature of most of the components. It sparkles, it pops, and when it’s finished the way Zeitwinkel finishes it, it becomes mesmerizing to watch! Zeitwinkel uses it for its ZW0102 and ZW0103 automatic movements, which are made in-house. Both offer an impressive level of watchmaking, with a power reserve of at least 72 hours and ample amounts of finishing. The openworked rotor, the engravings, the broad Côtes de Genève and so on, I just love it! The ZW0103 automatic is exclusive to the 273° collection and combines the time with a big date indication and power reserve display.

So why do I feel this specific watch is the best Zeitwinkel has to offer? For starters, the size fits me quite well I think, despite the 42.5mm diameter of the 273° Sapphir Fumé being on the larger side of the watchmaking spectrum these days. I honestly feel there’s still a case to be made for sizes above 40mm in today’s market and this one fits right in. While the brand does offer a smaller 39mm case size, that’s not available in the 273° collection. No issue for me, but I fully realise this might put some people off. The case itself has a stout profile with recessed sections running along the caseband and into the lugs. The finishing alternates between polished surfaces such as the bezel and a sand-blasted texture for the recessed sections. The downward-sloping lugs and sturdy-looking crown match the style of the case perfectly. Naturally, the front and back are covered by sapphire crystals.

The main attraction by a country mile though, is the combination of that wonderfully finished automatic German Silver movement and the smoked sapphire crystal dial. There’s the slightest sense of imbalance in it, giving it tremendous amounts of character, which I absolutely love. It also reveals the finishing on the top side of the movement, including the fine perlage decoration. The upper left corner is reserved for the big date display, with a framed rectangular window. The two separate discs can be seen through the dial, adding to the flair of the overall watch. Then there’s the power reserve display.

At a glance, it might not be the most legible, but if you know what’s up and what’s down, you’ll instantly know if you’re out of juice or not. And finally, at the bottom, the small seconds subdial has a delightful level of simplicity to it. Just an outline, some markers and numerals and a slender hand is all you need! And the fact that all elements seem to be floating above the movement, sunlight will playfully throw shadows down on the mainplate, making everything come to life even more!

Sure, at CHF 21,500 it’s not for everyone’s budget, including mine, but putting the financial element aside for a moment, I can’t find flaws in this watch. I love the size, the design, the dial, the movement and so on. The only thing I did was take off the strap, which was a tad too short for me, and exchange it for a strap from one of my other watches. Originally the 273° comes on a calfskin leather or rubber strap, but I think this cognac Crazy Horse strap (available from the MONOCHROME Webshop) suits it well! So all in all, I am glad to once again spend time with this proverbial watchmaking lesson on the wrist, as it shows you how the movement works from both sides. It is genuinely one of those “If I ever have the chance…” watches and the moment I have to return it will be a sad one…

For more information, please visit Zeitwinkel.ch.