Tribute 1 By Armin Strom — A New Model Hits The Brand’s System 78 Collection

The last time we featured Armin Strom on Fratello was over a year ago. It was February 2020, way before the corona craziness hit us. That article was my 52Mondayz piece on the Gravity Equal Force, a watch I fell in love with then and there. Today Armin Strom is launching something even more intriguing, the Tribute 1.

If you read any of my Gravity Equal Force articles, you remember that the watch was the first of the brand’s new collection, System 78. Well, since today, that collection has yet another timepiece thanks to the Tribute 1.

System 78

With the System 78 collection release, Armin Storm aimed to target a different audience form its core fan base. While designers stayed true to the brand’s quality and craftsmanship standards, Armin Strom introduced some new ideas. Firstly, the timepieces are less complicated, mostly time-only models. Secondly, the materials are, for the most part, not precious metals (although in some instances they are also available). Lastly, the sizes are somewhat smaller than you might expect from your typical Armin Strom. The Tribute 1 is the brand’s take on the dress watch. As Claude Greisler, Master Watchmaker and co-founder of the company, says:

“We’re the heirs to a long tradition of manually-wound dress watch design at Armin Strom, but like much of the rest of the market, we had moved away from that. Over time, this became a source of deep regret for me — and I was ultimately inspired to do something about it.”

Serge Michel, the other Armin Strom co-founder, draws a different relation between Tribute 1 and the industry. According to Michel, the watch represents hope that the end of the pandemic is over. Soon we will be able to go out and experience life as it used to be. But, of course, part of that would be to attend social gatherings, and for that, a dress watch always comes in handy.

Tribute 1

The most recognizable feature of the Tribute 1 is its pocket watch-like white gold barrel bridge and barrel. You see a very similar execution on the Gravity Equal Force, albeit there are three bridges on the dial side. As with that model, the Tribute 1’s dial is also off-center, and the crown is at the 2 o’clock position. According to the brand, this enhances wearer comfort and makes it easier to wind and set the timepiece. The dial is gray; the hands are stainless steel. The watch perfectly fits in the dress watch category at 38mm when it comes to its size.

Furthermore, the thickness of the case is only 9mm. As the movement is manual wind, this was easily achievable. The beauty of the Tribute 1 lies not only in its dial but also in the case back. Here, an array of decorations impresses the wearer.

AMW21

The in-house caliber AMW21 that beats inside the Tribute 1 a simple yet excellent movement. The fact that it is manual wind also adds to the piece’s dress watch-like character, but there is a twist. The extended barrel allows the timepiece to have a significant power reserve. In the case of Tribute 1, it is 100 hours. The AMW21 has 21 jewels, is made of 135 components, and has a frequency of 3,5Hz (25,200vph). The gear train bridge on the backside has beveling and 60-degree polishing, a super complex and time-consuming process that provides outstanding aesthetics to the watch.

What’s left to say

This first edition of the Tribute 1 comes in only 25 pieces. The Gravity Equal Force already came with a much lower price than your average Armin Strom. However, the Tribute 1 is even “cheaper” at CHF 13,900. For this, the brand offers its customers a 10-year warranty, which is double what AS typically provides. The Tribute 1 comes on a gray Alcantara calf leather strap with stainless steel double folding deployant buckle. In case you want to take it to water, it can withstand that down to 50m. If you are interested in checking out Armin Strom’s collection, please feel free to visit the brand’s official website.