Using Moritz Grossmann’s Index as a starting point, this collaboration between master watchmaker and online-based retailer About Timepieces has resulted in a luxurious and confident classic – Moritz Grossmann Index Cocoa Rose Gold.
Housed in a 41mm, solid 3 part 18k rose gold case, all surfaces are highly polished. The dial is made from a piece of solid silver and finished in a very dark brown sunburst – so dark, in fact it appears black in some lighting conditions; but when it catches the light, the colours come alive. Specifically, under sunlight, tones of lighter brown, orange, red and even yellow can be seen shimmering in the brown.
The hour markers have each been created by hand in solid rose gold and applied to the dial; 2 are positioned at 12 o’clock, whilst single markers can be seen at each of the other hours, decreasing slightly in size at 5 and 7 o’clock and just a single square dot at 6 o’clock, which makes way for the subsidiary seconds dial. Between each of the indeces, there is a track of white printed minute markers, which have been split even further into quarter minutes with smaller indications.
Finished in the same colour as the main dial, the subsidiary seconds dial features a very tight circular guilloche (one that is so fine, that you can barely see), which creates its own independent spectacle of light. Again, in the shadows, it appears almost black, but into the light and 2 “V” shapes can be seen emitting out from the centre at opposite sides to each other. The angle of the refraction can change depending on how the light hits it and the two “V” shapes will constantly move around the subdial as the angle of light changes.
The subdial also has a white printed track around its circumference, this time indicating individual seconds, with every 5 second interval being indicated with an elongated marker.
Nestled between 10 and 2 o’clock, the Moritz Grossmann logo is also printed in white, being the only other thing breaking up the simplicity of the design.
Each of the lance-shaped hands have also been painstakingly handcrafted in-house from a single piece of solid rose gold – even the tiny, small seconds hand, which is a fraction of the size of a sewing needle.
A sapphire crystal glass protects the dial. It has an anti-reflective coating on one side to prevent reflections and the extra thick, slightly cambered glass has a precision ground chamfered edge, that refracts the geometry of the minute scale.
The crown is small, but perfectly formed. It features deep grooves for grip and although it does not protrude out very far from the edge of the case, the circumferential groove makes it easy to pull out the crown for time setting. The pusher for restarting the movement after setting, is positioned just below the winding crown. Keeping with the simple design, neither the crown or the start button have any engravings or other markings on them, but are both polished rose gold.
The lugs appear long and slim, but shaped to follow the lines of the case; gently curved downwards to follow the curvature of the wrist.
Turning the piece over, there is a delight for the senses. The 2/3 plate is meticulously finished, with Glashütte stripes and chamfered edges, with the balance cock fixed above the 14.2mm balance wheel and the escape wheel cock, both being hand engraved with elaborate designs.
The winding wheels have polished bevel faces, the ratchet wheel is decorated with traditional three-band snailing and 3 raised gold chatons with pan-head screws can be seen in the centre. There are also hand engravings of the number of jewels (20), brand’s name and a little About Timepieces logo in there too.
Powered by the manually wound manufacture Calibre 100.1, the movement has been adjusted in five positions and features 198 parts and 20 jewels, 3 of which are in screwed gold chatons.
Special features include a lateral pusher for disabling the hand-setting mode and starting the movement; a space-saving and modified Glashütte stopwork with backlash and adjustment with Grossmann micrometer screw on a cantilevered balance cock. There is also a lever escapement, a separately removable clutch winder, stop-seconds which is activated when the crown is pulled out (for setting) and a shock-absorbed Grossmann balance with 4 inertia.
Beating at a frequency 18,000 semi-oscillations per hour, wearers should expect around 42 hours of power reserve once fully wound.
Holding it all together is the screw-down caseback, whose narrow frame has a number of further engravings on it, to include Moritz Grossmann, Glashütte stripes, the serial number and the limitation number (of 5) within the series.
This piece is delivered on a dark brown Mississippi Alligator leather strap with matching stitching and a taupe coloured lining. A solid rose gold folding deployment clasp secures the strap.
Only 5 pieces will be made, exclusively available through About Timepieces.
Moritz Grossmann x About Timepieces Index Cocoa Rose Gold – Technical Specifications
Reference MG-003201 – £34,950 (plus taxes), Exclusively available through About Timepieces
Movement
• Hand wound Calibre 100.1
• 36.4 x 5mm
• 18,000 semi-oscillations per hour
• 20 jewels, 3 of which in screwed gold chatons
• Hours, minutes and subsidiary seconds (with stop seconds for hand-setting)
• Lateral pusher for disabling the handsetting mode and starting the movement
• Broad horizontal Glashütte ribbing on 2/3 plate
• Balance cock and escape-wheel cock engraved by hand
• 3-band snailing on the ratchet wheel
• Power reserve 42 hours (+/-5%)
Case
• 3 part, 750/000 Rose gold (polished)
• Rose gold crown and pusher
• Diameter 41mm
• Height 11.35 mm
• Sapphire crystal glass, chamfered, with anti-reflective on one side
• Screwed sapphire crystal case back
Dial
• Solid Silver
• Dark brown sunburst finish • Oversized eccentric second, with tight circular guilloché
• Polished solid rose gold appliques
• Polished solid rose gold hands
Strap
• Dark brown alligator Leather with beige leather lining
• Rose gold deployment buckle
