ften present but rarely revisited, the date function is considered one of the most useful complications in mechanical watchmaking. More commonly displayed in a small aperture on the dial, or a pointer-style hand with the date on the periphery of the dial, the date function is a complication that has rarely been reimagined. And that’s precisely what Armin Strom sought to accomplish with the 43.4 mm Orbit.

Entirely conceived, developed and built by the Armin Strom manufacture, the unique complication has been dubbed the “Column-Wheel Date”. As its name implies, the column-wheel drives the date mechanism, which is visible from the dial side. The date is indicated on the bezel by a large central hand with a red “A” tip for Armin. The days of the month – 1 through 31 – are engraved in white around the circumference of the polished black ceramic bezel.

Armin Strom unveils a new creation endowed with a highly legible date driven by a column-wheel that can be activated and deactivated with the push of a button, all in a sporty package: meet the Orbit first edition, limited to 25 pieces.

The date hand essentially has two modes: stationary and active. When the date hand is in the stationary mode, it is essentially “off” and remains in its fixed position pointing at 12 o’clock, leaving the off-centred dial unobstructed. Using the pusher on the left side of the case, the date hand is ”engaged” and jumps to point at the correct date.

Price: CHF 29,500

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION