Baselworld/SIHH

Basel 2016: AHCI - Andreas Strehler: Lune Exacte and Time Shadow

While i was going  around the AHCI booth of the AHCI, i met a  very friendly gentleman who turned out to be Mr. Andreas Strehler, AHCI member and watchmaker for true insiders.

I was familiar with his name and knew that he is the key person behind some well admired movements such as the H. Moser Perpetual 1,

(and certainly a few more movements which he is not able to disclose), but i was not  familiar with the watches he creates unter his own name. I heard of the Papillon and saw some press photos a few years back, yet it was most refreshing to see these watches in metal, presented by the craeator himself.

To get started, here is the Papillon D'Or:

Fascinating movment with bridges in the shape of a butterfly ("Papillon" in French), crafted in massive gold. Since i wasnt able to take photo of the reverse side, here is one taken from the website.

Next i was asking what watch Mr.Strehler was wearing on his wrist and i was shown this:

This is a creation called Sauterelle or Grasshopper in English. The idea of this watch is achieve a completely linear supply of energy to the escapement. Since i am not able to explain this in detail, i insert the text from the website:

To achieve this aim and to get at the same time a solid basis for future complications, Andreas Strehler was looking for a solution to completely uncouple the escapement from the gear train.
To do this would ensure that the escapement is not influenced by what is happening upstream, i.e. in the gear train. The intended device should be of compact dimensions, guarantee a permanent (i.e. long-lasting) constant amplitude. Further, the solution to be found should be a universal one; this means it ideally should work independently of the frequency of the escapement. This would enable Andreas Strehler to use the device on any future movement he would be designing

Conventionally, the complication known in watchmaking as force constante is mounted on the escapement wheel. However, this is the point of least torque in the whole movement.
By contrast, Andreas Strehler has placed his remontoir d'égalité on the seconds wheel. Every second, the visible satellite gear supplies the escapement wheel with exactly the same amount of energy. At the same time, the deadbeat or jumping seconds are indicated. The energy is accumulated in the course of every second by a star shaped satellite through the tensioning of a hairspring. The mechanism is then released, the balance receives the energy stored in the hairspring and the satellite wheel again rests against the stopping jewel.
This solution has the advantage that the complete escapement, including the escapement wheel, moves freely between two impulses, uninfluenced by the movement

The remontoir d'égalité, therefore leaves the Swiss anchor escapement unimpeded; an escapement type perfected over a period of more than 200 years. With the remontoir d'égalité, Andreas Strehler concentrates on the elimination of outside factors: Fluctuations in the supply of energy, flaws in the gear train (uneven discharge of the spring, uneven running of the gear train or the wheels actuating the hands) and variations in temperature (viscosity of lubricants) are filtered by the remontoir d'égalité.

Mr. Strehler brought two new creations to Basel in 2016. The Lune Exacte and the Time Shadow.

The Lune Exacte

As the name suggest, the The Lune Excacte is about a precise moon phase.  Precise phase of the moon indications deviate by one day after a couple of hundred years; Andreas Strehler's phase of the moon after two million years. This has won the Sauterelle à lune perpetuelle an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records.

However, all phase of the moon indications have a common problem As precise as they may be, they cannot be read precisely: Except at new moon and at full moon, th wearer of the watch has to guess what the exact phase or age of the moon is. Also, the exact setting of the moon phase indication is only possible at new moon and full moon. Andreas Strehler has changed this with the first precise phase of the moon indication.

The Lune Exacte  can be read and easily set, up to three hours at any time. This high precision moon age indication gives the age of the moon in days and further increments of three hours. To explain this, it is best to look at the following charts (taken from The Andreas Strehler website)

On the dial of the watch, there is a conventional phase of the moon indication and the additional age of the moon indication with its moon vernier scale at six o'clock. On this high precision moon age scale, a red arrow indicates the age of the moon in days. Two red marks on the scale indicate new moon and full moon.

A vernier scale on the inner vernier ring increases the accuracy of the indication to three hours.

Reverse side of the Lune Exacte

Movement: Calibre Sauterelle Lune Exacte, hand winding, 184 parts, frequency 3 Hz / 21'600 A/h, 32.0 x 30.0 mm, height 5.9 mm, 25 jewels, patented remontoir d'égalité, double main spring barrel, edges bevelled and polished by hand, fully decorated movement.
Case: Platinum or 18 K red gold (colour: 5N)
Dial: Silver with gray coating and rotating vernier scale
Hands: Hands: Blue steel with SuperLuminova

The Time Shadow

The second new watch for 2016 is called The Time Shadow, a simple yet powerful watch with the characteristic cushion shape case of the Andreas Strehler watches. See photo below.

I also attach two press photos below as i believe the brownish dial results from the light conditions at the booth.

Movement:  Hand winding, 132 parts, frequency 3 Hz / 21'600 A/h, 32.0 x 30.0 mm, height 5.9 mm, 20 jewels, double main spring barrel, edges    bevelled and polished by hand, decorated movement with ¾ bridge

    Dial:  Matt grey coated with orange Superluminova dot

    Case: Stainless steel, 41.00 x 37.30 mm (43.40 x 47.20 mm including the crown and lugs)

    Hands:  Polished steel hand, Superluminova filled

Of course this very brief report does not do justice of Andreas Strehler's work. Hoever i am glad to present few highlights of his very uniquie time pieces.

best

Stefan