Totally Worth IT
Amongst watch aficionados, Armin Strom's name is synonymous with the highest level of hand-made skeletons and watch engraving. An exclusive series of skeleton watches based on decades of tradition is now being created in Biel under the watchful eye of the Master. At the same time, a new collection is being launched as "Armin by Armin Strom", geared towards modern tastes and with a technical orientation.
Armin Strom SA was founded in 2006 and is based in the watch-making center of Biel. The main investor is the well-known Burgdorf industrialist, Willy Michel. At work is a motivated crew whose average age is much lower than the norm for the industry. Targeted investment in state-of-the-art production facilities has allowed the young firm to be increasingly independent from suppliers. The aim is to exist as an actual manufacturer and to make watch movements entirely developed independently. The company's plans are for the long term with an awareness and strategy to build up in several years a reputable brand, highly regarded for quality production and design.
The firm offers a watch collection under the "Armin Strom" brand whose movements are enhanced with various levels of hand-engraving or partial skeletons, up to a fully hand-made skeleton watch. Understatement is in demand nowadays which is why the skeleton movement is often only visible on the back. The watches are meticulously executed as Armin Strom has always been uncompromising when is comes to quality.
The newly launched label is called "Armin by Armin Strom", with the emphasis on proprietary manufacture. However, it also represents the modern style of movement embellishment, without neglecting important traditional values. A young, superbly trained and highly motivated team creates new collections emphasizing a modern, technical image. Serge Michel, Managing Director of Armin Strom SA, explains: "We intentionally try to blend tradition with new innovative methods; provisions are being made to transfer the know-how as Armin Strom himself trains the junior watch-makers in-house."
The first step on this path was taken in 2008, with introduction of the regulator in the Four Elements models, under the new "Armin by Armin Strom" label. Based on a standard movement, the complete construction of a regulator with an off-center arrangement of seconds, minutes and hours, as well as a retrograde date display, was developed and produced "in-house" for the line, all with a modern appearance, including a striking polished or brushed titanium case. The manual winding movements are beautifully engraved and can be admired through the glass back. This engraving is within the DNA standards of Armin Strom.
Following the launch of the first of its caliber to be produced entirely in-house, the "ARM09", the company Armin Strom AG has now become a manufacturer of its own movements and achieved the status of an exclusive watch manufacturer. This has been another important stepping stone on the way to a bright and promising future paving the way to larger degree of independence.
Last summer, the company moved into new premises at Bözingenstrasse 46 in the watch-making center of Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. The ground floor production hall covering an area of 150m² contains all the machines necessary to manufacture a complete movement and is geared towards the manufacture of limited and small quantities. Light and spacious ateliers offer ideal working conditions for the watchmakers and hand engravers.
Dynamic teamwork and the total commitment of all those involved enabled the caliber known as "ARM09" (Armin Reserve Marche09) to be launched in a comparatively short time.
The first public presentation in November 2009 was a great success.
The watch movement consisting of 146 individual components was presented as part of an entire Armin by Armin Strom collection at the 2010 BaselWorld World Watch and Jewelry Show.