Hands-On With Two New Dial Variations Of The Sternglas Berlin

We have come to know Sternglas as a brand that predominantly creates watches within the minimalist Bauhaus style. Over the past couple of years, though, we have seen the brand push the boundaries of that aesthetic. One of the leading examples is the brand’s Berlin model. While the watch still ticks quite a few of the minimalist boxes, the style differs from the brand’s usual Bauhaus watches. The dial sees a gentle injection of Art Deco elements to create a classy daily watch with a day and date display. The inspiration for the watch comes from the Berlin train station established in 1857 in Sternglas’s hometown of Hamburg. It’s time to find out more.

As Germany is a big country, the impact of the introduction of long-distance train travel was huge. It connected the main German cities that were days apart in those days. The trip from Hamburg in the north to Berlin in the east was one lengthy journey before the mid-19th century. Nowadays, it takes just over three hours by car, which is nothing too special. However, when the first train connection was established, the nine-hour train ride was a great improvement over a trip by horse and carriage.

The story of the Sternglas Berlin

The first train connection between Hamburg and Berlin was established in 1846. Its initial trial run took place on December 16th of that year, which started a permanent connection between the two cities. In 1857, a dedicated train station was opened in Hamburg to connect to Berlin.

It was that special moment that inspired the creation of the Sternglas Berlin. The watch features an engraving on the case back commemorating the opening of the Berlin station in Hamburg. It is also combined with a slightly different dial design than most other Sternglas watches.

Above all, the Art Deco-like dial design better suits the stature and elegance of the classic railway image than the usual Bauhaus style, even if Art Deco was an early 20th-century movement. This gives it a charm that works better with the story of the Sternglas Berlin. In addition, I like it when the brand mixes things up, as we saw with the Sedius model we reviewed last year.

Sternglas started with two quartz versions of the Berlin, and now the brand introduces two more. These new ones offer a few tweaks compared to the first two, making choosing between the four available versions rather tough.

The details of the new Sternglas Berlin variants

Overall, the style has stayed the same for the two new models. First off, they feature the same stainless steel case as the inaugural versions. It measures 38mm in diameter, 45mm from lug to lug, and 10mm in thickness, including the domed crystal.

The first new model is the Berlin Metro Silver, which features a matte silver dial with black markers and numerals. Unlike the original green-dial version, which has case-matching steel hands, the Berlin Metro Silver has gold-colored hands that spice up the overall look. As with the first two models, there are day and date apertures at 3 o’clock. These sit rather close to the center, so there is also a complete hour marker next to them. This looks a bit odd at first, but I found that my eyes got used to it rather quickly. Another difference between the two new versions and the original ones is that the day and date discs now both match the dial color instead of the date disc being black and the day disc being white.

The Berlin Metro Silver comes standard with a 20mm dark brown or black leather strap. However, you can also choose a Milanese bracelet or the brand’s signature SuperSlim bracelet.

The second new version

Next, we have the Sternglas Berlin Piano Black, which combines a gold-tone case with a black dial with white markings and numerals. As mentioned, this time, both the day and date discs match the dial, meaning they’re black with white text.

The gold-colored hands match the case, resulting in a stylish aesthetic that is distinctly dressier than the silver-dial model. Especially on the leather straps, the watch looks very classic. But, as with the first model, Sternglas also offers the watch on the Milanese and SuperSlim bracelet, this time executed in a matching gold color.

Sternglas equips both watches with the Miyota GM02 caliber. This quartz movement displays the time in hours, minutes, and seconds and is hidden behind the engraved case back, which depicts the old Berlin train station. Additionally, you get a day/date display, as already mentioned. The caliber runs with an accuracy of ±20 seconds per month and offers a 36-month battery life.

Wearing the new Sternglas Berlin models

On the wrist, the Sternglas Berlin wears nicely. The 38mm case is nicely proportioned and, at 8mm without the crystal, rather slim. The domed sapphire crystal adds 2mm to that, but it also brings quite a bit of charm. Plus, at 10mm thick in total, the Berlin still slips under a cuff easily.

After taking both models for a spin, some things stood out immediately. First, the look of the dial works best with a leather strap. Whereas the regular Bauhaus models, such as the Naos, look great on the Milanese bracelet, I prefer the Sternglas Berlin’s classic aesthetic with a strap.

Speaking of which, the strap is not of the best quality. Just moving the strap around resulted in squeaky sounds. I’m sure it will get more supple with time, but I don’t want to hear these weird sounds every time I move my watch. That’s why I would switch straps and go for something different. Having said that, the look of both strap options is very nice.

Each of these watches comes in at €209 on one of the leather straps and €239 on one of the bracelet options. As said, I would pick the former, and more specifically, the gold-colored version with the black dial. I enjoy the look of that watch and prefer it over any of the other three available models. The Sternglas Berlin offers a nice break from the usual Bauhaus style and an alternative for fans of the brand who are looking for something different. Therefore, I believe the expansion of the Berlin lineup makes sense and will attract new buyers to the range.

What do you think of these watches? Let us know in the comments section below.

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