Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force by Label Noir

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Come to the dark side of the force; such is the inducement provoked by this new and limited series of the Gravity Equal Force by Label Noir. This initiative is the result of a collaboration between the Geneva-based customisation specialist and the Biel-based luxury watch brand. Fatal attraction guaranteed!

The spectacular hand in hand with the mysterious. Delicately suggesting rather than letting it all show, revealing yet retaining an element of the unknown. The skeletonised watchmaker pulls off this tour de force. Armin Strom is renowned for its expertise in this field and its reinterpretation. Each of its creations arouses enthusiasm and allows us to rediscover the depth of the movement. The graphic compositions compete with ingenuity. The decorative touches reinforce the mechanical dimension. Passionate about improvement and innovation, Armin Strom‘s watches reveal the beauty and sophistication of the mechanical movement. The Gravity Equal Force watch, introduced in 2019, corroborates these words. For Label Noir, the unprecedented collaboration with the independent company based in Biel provides another opportunity to demonstrate its ability to transcend the admirable, to distill visual emotion.

To sublimate the extraordinary, such is the approach taken by Label Noir. The Gravity Equal Force meets all the necessary attributes to achieve this objective. Originating from the System 78 collection, access to the spectacular universe of Armin Strom, this embodies the sensibility of Claude Greisler and Serge Michel, the duo who took over the company of the same name from its original founder, Mr Armin Strom. What do the models share in common? Impeccable finishes and a series of innovative watchmaking “firsts”. The Gravity Equal Force embodies this premise. The collaboration offers the Geneva customisation workshop the opportunity to exalt the watch by affixing its expert signature.

The task requires the utmost dexterity. Thus, the off-centre grey disc, encircled by a black hour dial and a precise minute track, displays the hour and minute hands. This space also incorporates a small second hand. The distinctive scenography provides all the surface area necessary to display the key elements of the movement without laying them bare. The cogs, cylinders, and micro-rotor are displayed and supported by stylised ebony-coloured parallel decks. This unparalleled configuration endows the timepiece with a firmly horological personality that is resolutely atypical.

The customisation workshop is a master of sophisticated finishes. The Gravity Equal Force’s dial is the ideal surface to apply an exclusive process developed in-house, called Magma Moon Coating (MMC). This technique, which used a laser to create a texture in relief in a previous project, enabled replicating the visible hemisphere of the moon on the basis of official NASA images. Employing this sophisticated technique expands the range of possibilities in terms of surface coating. In this instance, the aesthetic option flies us to the dark side of the earth’s satellite and its ruggedness, accentuating the mysterious aspect of the timepiece.

The 41mm-diameter steel casing, accommodating an ingenious mechanical architecture, also benefits from a specific treatment, a Label Noir signature. The Amorphous Diamond Like Carbon (ADLC) lends it a discreet and elegant matt tint while reinforcing its protective hardness and ductility. The casing is home to the ASB19 calibre. Designed and assembled at Armin Strom, it excels in its complexity in the pursuit of simplicity. Put together from 202 components, it was created after careful observation of an antique pocket watch. Thanks to its stop-work mechanism, coupled with a self-winding movement, the Gravity Equal Force is the first timepiece in the history of watchmaking to have a constant force transmission using a Maltese cross with a micro-rotor. The Maltese cross was used on hand-winding watches. It is the first time having it with an automatic winding mechanism. Such injection of power into the balance guarantees flawless uniform precision. This calibre, with a frequency of 25,200 vibrations per hour, also delivers a generous power reserve of 72 hours.

The Geneva workshop’s expertise in the field of coating transcends the art of watchmaking. Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force by Label Noir serves as a reminder that while bright colours are trendy, blacks have a natural elegance that transcend passing fads.

Like all the creations bearing the workshop’s signature, the exclusive Label Noir x Armin Strom model, produced in an edition of only 15 timepieces, is priced at CHF 23,500 and available at www.labelnoirdesign.com.