Time flies when everything resonates nicely, doesn’t it? It sure does for Armin Strom. No fewer than 10 years have passed since the independent Swiss house launched its breakthrough resonance mechanism. Although not actively marketed as an anniversary model, I reckon it is safe to say this rather exuberant version, the Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance Ruby, wears its birthday hat very well. Let’s have a closer look!
This new version of the Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance marries the synthetic rubies in the movement to a natural ruby dial. The house will produce only five examples of this watch, each costing CHF 85,000.
Harnessing the power of resonance
Okay, so what’s all the fuss around resonance about? If you have ever watched the hit series MythBusters, you may remember a scene in which Adam Savage synchronizes several metronomes by simply setting them on a movable surface. The metronomes fall into synchronization, and if one deviates, the others compensate for it.
Now, why is this relevant to watchmaking? None other than my compatriot Christiaan Huygens discovered that resonance could be used to compensate for timing errors. Two resonating oscillating bodies cancel out each other’s disturbances. Antide Janvier used this principle in a pendulum clock way back in the 18th century.
Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance from 2016
However, harnessing the principle for wristwatches proved elusive. F.P. Journe succeeded in 2000, and Armin Strom added a unique twist to it in 2016. Strom’s version uses a resonance clutch spring that physically pairs the two escapements. Don’t be fooled; the two oscillating wheels still synchronize through resonance, but the clutch provides added stability for wrist-mounted timekeeping.
The Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance
The Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance puts this nifty mechanism on full dial-side display. I just love how AS integrates watchmaking and aesthetics this way. It feels natural and truly brings the watchmaking prowess to life.
Today’s Mirrored Force Resonance has a 43mm stainless steel case with a 49.6mm lug-to-lug length, an 11.6mm profile, and a 3atm (30m) water resistance rating. A sapphire-sandwich construction offers an unobstructed view from either side, and the watch comes on a 22mm-wide gray Alcantara strap.
Inside ticks the in-house-developed and in-house-produced caliber ARF21. This hand-wound movement runs at 25,200 vibrations per hour and offers a 48-hour power reserve. It has two openworked sub-dials for the seconds, running in opposite directions. The pusher at 2 o’clock activates a zero-reset, allowing precise time setting. The entire caliber is finished in-house and assembled twice, in true Haute Horlogerie tradition.
The new Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance Ruby edition
This finally brings us to what is new about the Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance Ruby. As the name suggests, the Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance got a ruby treatment. Of course, synthetic (or engineered) ruby was always present in the caliber. As in most modern watchmaking, the synthetic gemstones are used to reduce friction and wear on moving parts. You will find it in bearings and, for instance, the pallet forks.
However, the material, now in its natural form, returns on the dial. Natural ruby is rich in texture and color variation, ranging from deep red to purple to bright pink. This makes it especially appealing as a dial material, as no two are ever the same.
I particularly appreciate the philosophical connection with traditional watchmaking. To see synthetic ruby used in crucial mechanical applications and its natural brother for aesthetics somehow works extremely well. Especially with the monochromatic, dark backdrop, the dials really pop. I am sure these five Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance Ruby watches will quickly find loving homes.
What do you think of the new Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance Ruby? Let us know in the comments section below!