Armin Strom, the independent Swiss watchmaker renowned for its openworked designs and mechanical innovation, proudly unveils two striking new additions to its System 78 collection: the Orbit Lime Green and Orbit Ice Blue.

These limited edition timepieces—each restricted to just 20 pieces worldwide—introduce vibrant new fumé dials that blend bold aesthetics with technical mastery. The Lime Green model radiates energy and modernity, while the Ice Blue version offers a serene and sophisticated presence. Both dials feature a gradient effect that transitions from vivid color at the center to deep black at the edges, enhancing the visual depth of the openworked design.

A World-First Date Display on Demand

At the heart of both models lies the Armin Strom Manufacture Caliber ASS20, the world’s first movement to feature a date display on a ceramic bezel that appears only when activated. A pusher at 10 o’clock engages the date hand, which points to the current date and advances automatically at midnight. A second press returns the hand to its neutral position, offering a playful yet practical complication powered by a column-wheel mechanism.

The movement also incorporates Armin Strom’s patented Equal Force Barrel, delivering consistent energy for a stable 72-hour power reserve.

Haute Horology Craftsmanship

Each Orbit model is meticulously hand-finished at Armin Strom’s Manufacture in Biel/Bienne, employing traditional techniques such as anglage, perlage, and circular graining. The off-center dial is paired with rhodium-coated hands enhanced with Super-LumiNova®, ensuring legibility and elegance. The watches are housed in a stainless steel case with a fixed ceramic bezel and come with a matching bracelet featuring a double-folding clasp.

The Science of Movement

Founded in 1967 and revitalized in 2009, Armin Strom continues to push the boundaries of horological innovation. Every timepiece is designed, developed, and assembled in-house, reflecting the brand’s commitment to transparency, craftsmanship, and mechanical excellence.

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The year 2026 marks a historic milestone for the Moritz Grossmann manufactory in Glashütte, celebrating the 200th birthday of its visionary founder and namesake, born on March 27, 1826. A genius watchmaker, scientist, author, and the initiator of the German Watchmaking School, Grossmann profoundly shaped the craft of horology and the fate of his hometown. Rather than merely duplicating historical concepts, the modern manufactory honors his legacy by blending his cutting-edge philosophy with modern engineering. This dedication to technological perfection and exceptional aesthetics cements its place among the world's elite elite watchmakers.

To commemorate this bicentennial occasion, the brand has unveiled its fourth anniversary special edition: the BACKPAGE Tremblage. Debuting on May 19, 2026, this launch presents an exclusive mechanical showcase for collectors—featuring a massive dial opening that reveals the magnificent inner workings of the movement from the front. Crafted with a luxurious three-part platinum case, the watch conceals a subtle celebratory nod on its reverse side: a balance cock delicately engraved with "1826", the birth year of Moritz Grossmann.

At the heart of this timepiece is the hand-wound manufactory calibre 107.0, a technical tour de force that essentially stands as a mirror image of the signature calibre 100.1. To allow components like the Grossmann balance, hand-engraved balance cock, and the triple-band snailing on the ratchet wheel to be admired on the dial side instead of being hidden on the back, the entire movement architecture had to be re-engineered. An additional wheel integrated between the crown wheel and the ratchet wheel reverses the rotation of the drive train, allowing the mirrored escapement and oscillation system to run perfectly in the correct direction.

The defining aesthetic highlight of this model is its German silver dial face, treated with the historic hand-worked tremblage engraving technique. By meticulously guiding a cutter back and forth in tiny trembling movements, master artisans create a vibrant, finely granulated, and uniform matt texture. The remaining dial elements define the watch's character, offered in either an expressive violet or a captivating "blue meteor" galvanized shade, framing the hour display from 11 to 5 o'clock. Strictly limited to 12 pieces per color variant worldwide, the models are completed with matching hand-annealed steel hands and hand-stitched alligator or kudu leather straps.

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In the refined sphere of independent watchmaking, DANIEL ROTH has introduced a sophisticated new expression of its Extra Plat collection, elevating the rarity of the line while retaining an understated and disciplined elegance. Rooted in the firm belief of its legendary founder that a thin dress watch represents the ultimate epitome of functional elegance, this model is meticulously designed from the ground up to balance modern sophistication with time-honored craft. Cloaked in 950 platinum—a noble metal long synonymous with rarity and traditional savoir-faire—the watch establishes a quiet yet unmistakable presence on the wrist that will immediately resonate with serious connoisseurs.

The defining silhouette of this timepiece remains the signature double-ellipse case, an iconic geometry originally created by master watchmaker Daniel Roth to beautifully frame complex horological mechanisms. To complement this distinctive shape, downward-sloping lugs have been elegantly integrated to ensure optimal wrist comfort while providing a handsome architectural contrast against the light-tan calfskin leather strap. The dial base is forged from solid white gold, displaying a mesmerizing pinstripe guilloché texture executed entirely by hand using a traditional rose engine. Each line is individually carved with masterful control over depth and spacing, beautifully bordered by a gold minute disc finished with a classic filet sauté edge and sharp black typography.

Beneath this stunning facade lies the core of the timepiece: the ultra-thin, hand-wound manufacture Calibre DR002, fully developed and assembled at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton under the expert guidance of master watchmakers Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini. Tasked with striking the perfect balance between chronometric precision and a generous power reserve within a slim 3.1 mm structure, the watchmakers increased the movement's frequency to 4 Hz. To sustain this high frequency without sacrificing energy efficiency or structural stability, the calibre incorporates a specially refined balance wheel featuring a variable-inertia geometry and adjustable counterweights.

An open sapphire caseback reveals the true artistic discipline of the manufacture, where technical engineering and aesthetic restraint seamlessly converge. The movement's bridges are decorated with demanding hand-finishing details, most notably the internal angles which are rendered in a rare, rounded bercé form. Requiring at least twice the execution time of a standard flat bevel, this traditional decoration involves polishing a precise curved radius along the edges to create a brilliant, uniform profile. Shaped and hand-polished in-house using a traditional cabron tool, these components reinforce the brand's unwavering commitment to its guiding philosophy: "La Montre Objet d'Art".
 

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