MORITZ G
AN UNDERSTATED MORITZ GROSSMANN WITH DETAILS THAT MATTER.
THE CONVERSATION
“I’M INTERESTED IN A DRESS WATCH FROM A LESSER-KNOWN BRAND. SOMETHING VERY UNDERSTATED WITH A USEFUL COMPLICATION AND SUPERB FINISHING”
THE STORY
Unlike most other bespoke projects, this one was inspired by fewer changes in pursuit of a more clean and minimal aesthetic. The allure of the Moritz Grossmann brand is their understated sophistication and enviable finishing.
Typically available in rose gold and white gold with three dial variants, we opted for the radiant argenté (silver) dial, as this tone comes to alive when the light catches the sunburst texture. The white gold case was best suited, retaining that cohesive feel our client desired. A bespoke set of polished blued-steel hands were made instead of the annealed in brown. When paired with the deep blue 24 hour ring and a deep navy blue strap. The result is a more cohesive and crisper look that complimented my client’s style.
The vintage Moritz Grossman pocket watches used to bear his name, ‘Grossmann”’, with his home town ‘Dresden’ underneath. It was important to revive this detail in a way that paid homage to the modern era of Moritz Grossman being based in the German watchmaking town of Glashütte. This double-deck ’vintage’ logo font style visually balanced the dial, whilst adding a more distinctive character. To keep the dial focused and pure, the text ‘GMT’ was removed from the sub-dial.
The movment displays clear rubies surrounded by raised gold chatons and brown annealed screws. A beautifully hand-engraved cantilevered balance cock with micrometer screw. These are just a few details that are signature to the brand. The 100.8 calibre has a visually balanced 2/3 plate construction and has an enviable level of finishing that could rival and surpass many. The execution truly impressed our client, so we felt such a distinctive movement required no further Bespoke alterations.
ABOUT MORITZ GROSSMANN WACTHES
———— Moritz Grossman stands out in the world of luxury watches for several reasons. Firstly it’s based in Glashütte, the epicentre of German watchmaking – not Switzerland. Secondly, because of the incredible finish to their products. And thirdly, in a male-dominated business, it has a female CEO.
Christine Hutter bought the name Moritz Grossmann in 2004. Karl Moritz Grossman was a local hero in Glashütte – a 19th century watchmaker known for his philanthropy and for founding the German School of Watchmaking.
Christine takes the Grossmann name seriously – 85-90 per cent of the movement is crafted in-house, and the company is renowned for its delicate hands, annealed to a characteristic brown/violet hue. The Benu Tourbillon was the world’s first watch to use a brush of human hair as part of its movement to facilitate the stop second.
All watches are named after Egyptian deities – the discretely perfect Atum watch is named after the god of the sun, and the Tefnut after the goddess of rain. In 2017 the company won the prestigious Eve’s Watch Awards for the Tefnut Twist, a remarkable women's watch that is wound by twisting the strap (so the wearer doesn’t have to wait for her nail polish to dry).
The company believes in quality not quantity, producing around 500 pieces a year. If you’re a fan of mechanical watches and German engineering, they are definitely worth considering as part of your collection.
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Brand:
Moritz Grossmann
Model:
GMT - Piece Unique
Dial:
Argenté, Solid silver
Hands:
Bespoke blued steel, hand-polished
Movement:
Manufactory calibre 100.8, manual winding,
regulated in five positions.
Jewels: 26of which 3 in screwed gold chatons
Power reserve: 42 hours
Oscillator: Shock-resistant Grossmann balance with 4 inertia screws and 2 poising screws, Nivarox 1 balance spring with No. 80 Breguet terminal curve, Gustav Gerstenberger geometry
Parts: 253
Functions:
Hours and minutes, subsidiary seconds with stop seconds, second time zone (24-hour display) by means of revolving hand, Grossmann manual winder with pusher
Case:
ø 41mm white gold, height: 11.85 mm
Crystal:
Sapphire front and back
Strap:
Bespoke length navy blue hand-stitched Alligator,
Pin buckle in white gold
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