Armin Strom Review and Watch Service
My Gravity Water has returned from a five-month service trip and what follows is an Armin Strom review and watch service story. I provide insight into Armin Strom as a watch manufacturer and provide plenty of pictures of the watch service process, the watch, and macro views of this stepping stone in the quest for my grail, the Mirrored Force Resonance Water.
In my previous chapter of The Brian & The Grail Series, I purchased the Gravity Water only to discover it was not in “excellent condition” as described by the dealer and I was concerned that some jewels were missing. After consultation with Claude Greisler (co-founder and watchmaker) and Thierry Hess (head of marketing) at Armin Strom, a whole new adventure ensued.
The Video
https://youtu.be/f_Qr4Gyhtag
Timeline:
- 0:00 Intro
- 1:44 Brian & The Grail (A Summary)
- 4:35 Armin Strom (Thoughts & Insight)
- 9:39 Tribute 1 (A New Direction)
- 12:26 The Service Process (Clean Me!)
- 19:21 Macro View (It’s the little things…)
- 23:19 Final Thoughts (A Journey Beyond Expectations)
This post mainly serves as an outlet for the many photos from this stage in my pursuit of the grail. The photos are arranged by watch, service, and macro view. Review details are in the video.
The Watch
The Service
When the watch initially arrived in January 2021, a couple locations in the micro-rotor gear train had metal bushings instead of jewels and debris was inside the case. Turns out that jewels were initially used in the AMR13 movement for those locations, which is why such pictures exist online, but the jewels were eventually changed (by Armin Strom) to copper beryllium bushings due to the diameter of axis and pressure on the jewels. Micro rotors introduce such technical challenges. Still, someone had been inside the case that was not an authorized service center or the manufacturer, and the watch was in need of a good cleaning.
Armin Strom is a watch manufacture, a notion much deeper than a “brand.” Not only did they offer a courtesy service and maintained contact with me in a meaningful way, they offered to provide me with pictures of the service process. Seeing the movement disassembled and then pieced together was unexpected yet welcome insight. Simply put, the people at Armin Strom are wonderful.
Macro View
Other Details
In the video, I discuss a couple highlights such as how much I like the pressure-fit clasp and horned alligator strap on this watch, along with a tangent regarding Armin Strom’s foray into the dress watch category with the Tribute 1.
Tribute 1
Final Thought
If you find yourself in the position to purchase a luxury watch, consider going the route of haute horology as opposed to mass manufacture. Armin Strom is a path you will not regret. As for my grail journey so far, it has been an experience worth the time, and I look forward to what the future holds.