Armin Strom introduced the Tribute 1 in steel with new fumé dials and guilloché plates.
Press Release information with commentary in italics.
New: Armin Strom Tribute 1 with Fumé Dials and Guilloché Plates
The Tribute 1 Fumé is priced at SGD 33,650, inclusive of GST. The series is limited to 10 pieces each in ocean, slate, sky or burgundy fumé dials.
Commentary
The Tribute 1 has been a success for Armin Strom since it was released in 2021. The entry level watch from this small independent watchmaker has been selling well since introduction. The combination of a very sound watchmaking knowhow has made this watch such a compelling mechanical timepiece. The blend of modern avant garde aesthetics with a touch of vintage goes quite well. With this new colour dials, the design looks altogether fresh, and quite a bit bolder than the more sober first editions.
The novelty is the same watch as the other Tribute 1 in stainless steel case. Same movement, same dial aesthetics. However, the hour/minute subdial is still offset, but now rendered in a fumé style with options for 4 colours – Slate Grey, two blues – one known as Sky and the other Ocean, and red Burgundy. The fumé pattern goes from colour in the center to dark on the periphery. The base plate, visible in the background set by the hour/minute sub-dial and the mainspring barrel is now in a guilloché plate made by Kari Voutilainen.
Everything else remains the same as the other steel Tribute 1, including the outstanding Calibre AMW21 movement.
Prices have risen significantly over the first edition price of CHF 13,900 (about SGD 21k now). This novelty’s price of more than SGD 33k seems to us to be a rather large hike. Even if we can tribute this to the fumé dial with the beautiful Kari made guilloché plate. Or the limitation of 40 pieces, 10 in each colour. But of course, only you can decide if it is worth the premium. Even the rose gold model had a retail of SGD 37,780 in 2022. See our full review of the Tribute 1 in Rose Gold published in the beginning of this year. However, we do note that these may have been sold out, as they are all limited editions. But it does strike us that the standard edition without fumé and without guilloché, is looking more and more like a bargain at CHF 16.9k (about SGD 26k). At time of publishing this model is still available.
Press Release
Armin Strom’s purest creation, the Tribute 1, receives a chromatic twist with 4 fumé dials limited to
10 pieces each. Featuring an in house developed and manufactured manual-winding movement with
a motor barrel on the guilloché dial plate, the Tribute 1 Fumé is a mpelling mechanical masterpiece
blending modernity with a touch of vintage.
The finishing touch to the Tribute 1 Fumé is the velvety-soft and supple Grey Alcantara calf leather
strap with white stitching.
Dramatic, Intense and Reflecting A Multitude of Tones
The fumé dial gives a new depth to the already three-dimensional Tribute 1. Its vignette effect, which
has a distinctly 1970s vibe, creates a striking gradient of bright highlights at the centre of the dial that
give way to shadowy contrast towards the outer edge. With a sunray-brushed finish on the metallic
base, the dial is animated by light, which can bring out the different tonalities and shades of the four
dials’ colours. This spectacular effect is further heightened by the anthracite guilloché plate, which is
handcrafted by celebrated independent watchmaker and close friend of the brand, Kari Voutilainen.
A Statement of Simplicity
The Armin Strom way. The Tribute 1 is our unique take on the most fundamental of timekeepers, the
three-hand watch. Perhaps the most essential expression of the art of watchmaking, every detail in
the Tribute 1 is rendered meticulously to achieve a harmonious, integral and highly original piece like
no other
“The Tribute 1 is a twist on the classic dress watch – literally. From its slender 38 mm steel case with
Claude Greisler, Co-Founder and Master Watchmaker
the crown unusually positioned at 2 o’clock, to the off-centred small dial displaying the hours, minutes
and seconds, there’s harmony in its asymmetry. Like all Armin Strom creations, there’s something
mechanical and quite ingenious to be admired from the dial side.”
100 Hours of Power Reserve
Consistent with Armin Strom’s approach of showcasing innovative mechanical elements on the dial
side of our watches, the Tribute 1 Fumé is equipped with a hand-polished dial-side motor barrel. This
barrel is distinguished by an arbor that turns around the mainspring within the barrel itself; making it
more efficient while also conserving space. It provides 100 hours of continuous operation.
Hand Wound, Hand-Crafted and Hand-Decorated
The Tribute 1 Fumé’s manually-wound movement was developed and manufactured entirely in-
house. Consistent with the Manufacture`s artisanal approach to watchmaking, every part of the
Tribute 1 is hand finished to the highest haute horology standards. It incorporates different decoration
techniques to embellish our purest movement to date. For example, the three-quarter bridge is
bevelled and polished in 60°; an arduous process that takes twice as long as more commonly-applied methods.
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