Baselworld 2016 – Introducing the Armin Strom Edge Double Barrel (specs & price)

Armin Strom is one of the masters of skeletonization, as we recently showed to you with our in-depth review of the Skeleton Pure Air in Titanium, a watch that is unusually able to combine the beauty and delicate look of an entirely opened movement with the casual attitude and robustness of a sports watch. For Baselworld 2016, the brand decided to even emphasize this mix of both worlds, with a watch even sportier and with a movement designed to be highly architectural. Here is the robust, bold and sharp Armin Strom Edge Double Barrel.

Although it keeps the DNA of the brand fully alive, this new Armin Strom Edge Double Barrel is a strong evolution of the approach previously used: new design for the case, new design for the dial and mainly, new visual approach for the very well manufactured in-house movement. While the previous watches of the brand were playing with curves – both for the bridges of the movement, for the indications or for the case – this new watch sums up its concept in its name – Edge. It’s pointy, its sharp and it is definitely bolder than ever.

First of all, the case. The Armin Strom Edge Double Barrel retains the overall and traditional shape of the brand – including the signature lip at 6 (to be engraved to your convenience) – but breaks all the curves to brings angles. The lugs are more squared and hollowed, the casebands are now featured with angular protections and the bezel, which used to be smooth (even if boasting a radial brushing) now features some cutouts to make the watch visually more striking. Overall, the case is larger at 46.80mm (vs. 43.40mm for the previous watches) but not thicker at 13.20mm. In this early edition of the Edge, it is made of stainless steel coated with black PVD. This case is complemented by a black alligator strap, with large white contrasting stitchings (secured by a double-fold clasp in stainless steel PVD black). An additional black rubber strap is also delivered.

The Armin Strom Edge Double Barrel also introduced a new dial design, with a sportier approach. The off-centered layout is retained but the hour track now features large silvery white Arabic numeral for a good contrast and perfect legibility. At 9, we find back the double sub-dial displaying the small second and the power reserve. The hands are also typical from the Armin Strom production, with their large shape. As usual with the manufacture, the dial features a large hole in the middle, which reveals some parts of the movement, still with this nicely done symmetry.

Even if based on the existing Calibres of the brand, the Armin Strom Edge Double Barrel introduced a new visual approach, including newly designed technical elements and new finishes. The wheels now features angled spokes, the bridges are sharp and pointy (instead of being rounded) and the surfaces are voluntarily finished like being raw – which is in fact not the case. Instead of a straight graining or Geneva stripes, the bridges are finished with a cross-grinding decoration. As you can see, the rest of the surfaces are also executed with great care – polished beveled angles on the bridges and the wheels’ spokes, polished jewel and screw sinks, brushed wheels and gears or 3D engraving on the two barrels. And one thing to know is that such finish on straight and pointy shapes is always more difficult than on rounded shapes.

The back of the Armin Strom Edge Double Barrel reveals the same decoration theme, rather industrial but still worthy of haute horlogerie traditions. The regulating organ, with escape wheel and pallets made of massive gold with hardened functional areas, is easily visible. This movements features two large main barrels and provides a long 8-day power reserve.

The Armin Strom Edge Double Barrel is a limited edition of 100 pieces. It will be priced at 26,900 Swiss Francs.