Armin Strom Announces "Gravity Equal Force Only Watch 2023"

To mark the 10th anniversary of its biennial charity auction, "Only Watch," Armin Strom has announced the "Gravity Equal Force Only Watch 2023." This special edition of the model of the same name aims to stabilize the power transmission within the movement, and its notable feature is the off-center dial made of green sapphire crystal.

Armin Strom "Gravity Equal Force Only Watch 2023"

　Only Watch is a charity auction event held to raise funds for research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a designated incurable childhood disease, and this year marks its 10th anniversary. Armin Strom fully supports the activities of Only Watch founder Luc Bettavino, and this marks his fifth time auctioning an item. This piece was created with green as its theme, the color of hope, to bring hope for overcoming this incurable disease.

　Unlike previous models, the off-center dial is crafted from sapphire crystal, complementing the brilliance of the high-quality finish on Armin Strom's iconic triple bridge design. The main plate, which forms the backdrop for the dial and bridges, is hand-guilloched by Kari Voutilainen's atelier.

　The automatic movement, Cal. ASB19, is equipped with a unique mechanism called a constant-force barrel. Cal. ASB19 is based on the concept of equalizing power transmission to maintain constant balance wheel operation and improve isochronism. Normally, mainsprings have the characteristic of exhibiting large changes in torque when they are fully wound or underwound. For this reason, Cal. ASB19 only uses the range in which stable torque can be obtained. To achieve this equalization of power transmission, a clutch mechanism is incorporated into the barrel, which disengages the clutch and stops operation when the mainspring is underwound. The mainspring also slips to prevent overwinding.

　This mechanism was developed with inspiration from antique pocket watches, and is combined with the automatic winding mechanism in the Cal.ASB19.Unlike a hand-wound movement that is actively wound at a fixed frequency, an automatic movement winds the mainspring and releases its power at the same time, so the constant force mechanism in this watch is thought to be effective.

　The highlights of the Caliber ASB19 are not only its unique mechanism, but also its design and finish. The micro-rotor located at 2 o'clock on the off-center dial and the dark gray triple bridges supporting the rotor and constant-force barrel are very modern. The bridges are chamfered and polished by hand, and various parts of the movement feature circular graining and frosted finishes, all of which are finishes that can be called the highest level of modern watchmaking technology. This model features a transparent case back, allowing the movement to be viewed from the back as well.

　The strap for this model is made of black fabric with blue stitching, giving it a sporty look.