Hands-On – New Armin Strom Skeleton Pure in White Gold (live pics, specs & price)

The Armin Strom Skeleton Pure is no stranger to us, as we’ve already seen it several times, in multiple editions: the Skeleton Pure Water (stainless steel with blue movement plates), the Skeleton Pure Water Fire (red gold with grey movement plates) or the Unique Piece for Only Watch 2015 (stainless steel with black movement). We even demonstrate you the customization possibilities that Armin Strom offer to its clients on this watch. While running through the QP 2015 walkways, we had to make a stop at the Armin Strom booth and here is the latest edition of the Armin Strom Skeleton Pure we’ve been showed that now comes in white gold with a new movement adornment.

Something we already told you when handling some of the creations of Armin Strom is their capacity to fully expose their movements, where all the technical parts appear through the opened bridges and plates. Skeletonization is a motto for the brand that tends to have, at least, some parts opened – if not the entire movement. The reason for this choice is obvious when you know a bit more about the history of this brand. Mister Armin Strom had always skeletonized his watches and even practiced his talent for third parties. You can have a look on our dedicated page or on their website, all the watches made by Armin Strom have skeletonized parts. This became even truer when, in 2014, the brand launched the Armin Strom One Week Skeleton, followed the next year by a cleaner, less decorated edition, cleverly called Pure.

While some brands tend to use one of their existing movements and to open the bridges, that are usually engraved with floral patterns or arabesques – making them extremely pleasant and usually demonstrating the expertise of trained watchmakers (look at this Vacheron Constantin Malte Tourbillon Openworked for an example) – these kind of watches remains quite traditional, not to say old-school. Amin Strom has something different with the Skeleton Pure, something modern, architectural, clean and (well you’ve already seen it by yourself with the photos), extremely technical. All the elements are positioned in a balanced way – starting from the double barrel to the gear train and the bridges on the top that secure the entire movement. It’s clear that this movement had been thoroughly thought through, right from the beginning of its conception to be opened.

Compared to the previous editions, the Armin Strom Skeleton Pure Water & Fire, what are the novelties with this new iteration? First of all, the case is now made of 18k white gold. While not very different in terms of look, compared to the stainless edition (except a metal that is a tiny bit warmer), it considerably changes the perception of the Skeleton Pure on the wrist, especially compared to the light stainless edition (the Water) and to the super-light titanium edition (the Air). It feels heavier and more present – a feeling that some collectors appreciates, as the sensation of the weight adds to the luxury feeling for some. The case retains is typically Armin Strom shape, with a 43.4mm diameter, chamfered lugs, polished flat surfaces and satined flanks, and of course the signature lip at 6 (that can be used to engrave a motif of your choice).

Then comes the choice of colours. Compared to the stainless steel Water edition, the colours are reversed. Usually, Armin Strom chooses to coat the chassis of the movement (the main plate) with a colour and leave the bridges on the top classically rhodium plated. Here, the main plate is only rhodium plated while the bridges on the top are PVD coated in bright, vivid blue. The movement itself is known – and superbly executed – with its nice finishing (bridges are beveled by hand with re-entrant angles, the barrel wheels are also opened, beveled and uniquely shaped…). It boats 8 days of power reserve (that you can control or via the power reserve indicator at 9 or via the tension of the mainsprings thought the opened barrels – much cooler) and it features a small second indicator at 9 and the typical slightly off-centered time indications.

We’re not going to go deeper into the technical specifications here, as we’ll soon have a complete review of the Armin Strom Skeleton Pure, with the titanium Air edition, right here on Monochrome-Watches. The Armin Strom Skeleton Pure White Gold will be produced in a limited run of 100 pieces and has a retail price of 43,200 Swiss Francs. More details on www.arminstrom.com.