Introducing: Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force P.03 Night Ops For Collective

Our friends at Collective Horology are no strangers to awesome collab releases. The team seems to possess the diplomatic skills required to push some of the greatest watchmakers to do things outside of their usual scope. In the case of Armin Strom, a brand that doesn’t shy away from combining tradition with radical new ideas anyway, that could only result in something cool.

In fact, it already has. Today’s release is a fresh take on an earlier collaboration between the two. We saw Armin Strom and Collective present the Gravity Equal Force P.03 in late 2022. It was a stealthy, tactical-looking version of the Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force limited to 30 pieces. Today, we get a new batch of 30, pushing the concept of tactical gear even further. Let’s have a closer look!

Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force P.03 for Collective

Let’s kick things off with a quick recap. Back in 2022, Collective Horology and Armin Strom teamed up to release the P.03. It was a take on Armin Strom’s Gravity Equal Force and featured an aesthetic inspired by outdoor gear. This took the shape of a green fumé dial with a green sub-dial and a green fabric strap.

The 2022 version

But there was more. For instance, the mainplate, visible through the dial, was finished in a Frag guilloché pattern. The “12” and “6” numerals were executed in solid Super-LumiNova, and the unique take on old-school finger bridges was embellished with extra cutouts. All of these distinguishing features remain on the new “Night Ops” version released today.

Actually, specs-wise, this watch is almost identical to the 2022 model. You still get a 41mm × 48.09mm × 12.65mm case and the automatic micro-rotor Armin Strom manufacture ASB19 movement. The Frag guilloché, cut-out bridges, and fumé green dial also remain.

Night Ops

So, what is new? Well, in a first for Armin Strom, this Night Ops version receives an all-black titanium case. The Grade 5 titanium, with alternating brushed and polished surfaces, has a full DLC coating. Collective Horology describes it as pushing the original concept even further. It is easy to see this idea because the watch is indeed even more tactical and ominous in appearance.

The dial-side bridges are still dark gray ruthenium. I wonder if the watch would look even cooler with blackened dial-side movement parts. Still, the current shades do put the caliber on display more prominently. It emphasizes the fantastic dial layout that is so characteristic of Armin Strom. The horizontal bridges on the right, pointing at the small dial on the left, provide a sense of movement to the design. It looks amazingly dynamic and alive.

The new Night Ops version maintains the fumé green dial and green sub-dial of the original. It is an interesting combination, with a warmer khaki green for the main dial contrasting a cooler minty green for the sub-dial. I find it slightly disharmonious in a good way, much like the blue note in blues and jazz music. It creates a little bit of tension, adding excitement. It works particularly well with the new black case and strap. This environment puts the green front and center, not fighting for attention within the visual hierarchy.

Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force

Now, even if you are a hardcore watch nerd, you would be forgiven for asking at this point, “What does Gravity Equal Force mean?” I’d say that’s a rather crucial question when evaluating this watch. Simply put, it is Armin Strom’s solution to an age-old problem in mechanical watchmaking — torque. When the mainspring is fully wound, it pulls harder than when it is almost fully unwound. This compromises time-keeping precision.

To solve this issue, Armin Strom reversed the winding and power-release mechanism. Usually, the arbor rotates when winding, leading the barrel to turn in the opposite direction. The barrel is meshed with the gear train to power the movement. Here, the reverse is the case. Winding is done by rotating the barrel, and the arbor then powers the drive train.

This wouldn’t yet fix the issue on its own, so Armin Strom also uses a Maltese Cross to limit the mainspring’s unwinding to nine out of a possible 12 turns. Before the torque drops, unwinding comes to a full stop. This keeps the force in the Goldilocks zone at all times. Even though this cuts the tail off the power reserve, Armin Strom manages to offer an ample 72 hours of autonomy.

Pricing and availability

The new Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force P.03 Night Ops for Collective comes in a limited run of 30 pieces. It is available now from the Collective Horology website, and it will take US$27,000 and some haste to get one.

What do you think of the new Gravity Equal Force in its tactical guise? Let us know in the comments below!