A Closer Look At The Decorative Finishes Of Armin Strom Watches

In the heart of Armin Strom’s workshop, where meticulous craftsmanship meets the relentless pursuit of perfection, the story unfolds like the delicate tick-tock of a handcrafted timepiece. At the helm are co-founders Serge Michel and Claude Greisler, the master watchmaker whose passion for hand-finishing has become the driving force behind Armin Strom’s reputation for unparalleled technical prowess.

Greisler’s journey into the world of hand-decoration began during his training as an antique timepiece restorer, a turning point that transformed his perspective on watch movements.

“Training in watch restoration totally changed my view about how a watch movement should be made and how it can look,” says Greisler. “Hand-decoration is my favorite part of watchmaking because you can add your own signature to a movement, and that human element is what elevates it to mechanical art.”

With that in mind, Armin Strom built a team of experts to finish every movement component, whether visible or not, to its finest. With unwavering dedication to details, patience, and perfectionism, Armin Strom’s philosophy revolves around adorning every  piece with exquisite hand-finishing.

One of the hallmarks of Armin Strom’s decorative techniques is the art of polished bevels or chamfers along the edges of components such as the mainplates and  bridges.  The skilled watchmakers, guided by a commitment to haute horlogerie, meticulously shape and pre-polish the bevel edges using hand-held files, gentian wood, and fine diamond pastes. Greisler emphasizes that the process demands time, precision, and the removal of any imperfections, resulting in flawlessly flat, smooth, and parallel bevels that bear the signature touch of human artistry.

The complexity deepens with black polishing, a technique that imparts a mirror-like finish to steel components. Greisler acknowledges the challenges of this process, where even a single blemish necessitates starting over. The commitment to perfection is evident in every press of the diamond paper and paste against the component, ensuring a surface that reflects the dedication poured into its creation.

Geneva stripes, a time-honored decoration, find their place on select models. Using a lathe and guiding an abrasive disc over the movement plate with precision, the watchmaker achieves uniformly defined lines while maintaining a smooth and flat surface – a testament to the mastery of craftsmanship.

Linear decorations, such as straight graining on the sides of distinctive finger bridges, complement the polished bevels. Armin Strom’s artisans also employ techniques like hand-applied sandblasting, hand-frosting, and tremblage to create contrasting textures that enhance the gleam of polished components and demonstrate a mastery of matte finishing techniques.

Perlage, with its fish scale pattern, graces mainplates and features overlapping circles made using a hand-operated press. Circular graining adorns rotating gears, each gear meticulously profile-turned for uniformity, and refined by hand-operated tools against diamond paper. Each overlapping circle must be exact in its location for a uniform look, and this is no easy feat to accomplish. It takes the most skilled craftsmen to create perfect perlage.

The sunbrushed pattern, also often used on Armin Strom bears and wheels, is a vivid decoration crafted of lines emanating out from the center (much like sunrays).  As the sweeping lines catch light, the meticulous work of Armin Strom’s watchmakers comes to life.

Granted, the brand finishes every component whether it is seen or not  but that reveals Armin Strom’s harmonious blend of technical prowess and artistic finesse and underscores its  commitment to excellence.