In our new interview series spotlighting forward-thinking figures in independent watchmaking, Serge Michel, founder of Armin Strom, discusses the risks taken to create the new Minute Repeater Resonance 12:59 First Edition
It’s difficult not to smile when Armin Strom’s Minute Repeater Resonance 12:59 is in your hands. There is nothing outwardly amusing about the watch; on the contrary, there is some serious watchmaking going on here. With the brand’s ever-impressive patented resonance system paired with a Westminster minute repeater, the level of horological pedigree is nothing short of impressive.
But it is the brand’s inclusion of an on-demand 12:59 strike that will have any watch enthusiast smiling with glee. Through a dedicated selector, the 42mm watch is able to toggle between chiming the current time as displayed and performing the full 12:59 sequence—the longest possible striking cycle of the repeater, comprising twelve hours, three quarters, and fourteen minutes. The purpose of the function? An intuitive, on-demand way for the discerning collector to show off the full mechanical splendour of the watch.
It seems Armin Strom understands the mind of the collector intimately. And when you consider the Westminster chime—driven by four gongs and four hammers—paired with the brand’s signature resonance system, the result is a watch that is both conceptually and visually intriguing.
“What makes this watch truly stand apart is not only the level of complexity, but the way this complexity is orchestrated,” says Serge Michel, founder of Armin Strom. “We are not simply adding complications, we are redefining how they interact.”
What makes the Minute Repeater Resonance 12:59 First Edition special?
This piece represents a fully new development for Armin Strom, both in terms of mechanical architecture and overall proportions. It embodies our most advanced expression of what we call the Science of Movement, combining two of the most complex domains of watchmaking: resonance and striking mechanisms.
The integration of a Westminster minute repeater with our patented resonance clutch, combined with the introduction of the 12:59 function, creates a new type of interaction with the complication. It is both highly technical and deeply intuitive.
What elements of its conception or execution could only have been realised by an independent watch brand?
Independence gives us freedom, but more importantly, it gives us coherence. This watch could only exist in an environment where watchmakers, engineers, and designers work side by side, without compromise.
The decision to combine resonance with a minute repeater, to develop a completely new calibre with 506 components, or to introduce a function like 12:59 anytime, these are not incremental decisions. They require a long-term vision and a willingness to take unconventional paths.
What risks were taken to make this watch possible?
There are risks at every level. Technically, synchronising two independent regulating systems while integrating a full Westminster chiming mechanism within a reduced volume is an immense challenge. The level of precision required is extremely high, especially when you aim for both acoustic performance and chronometric stability.
Creatively, choosing to keep the movement fully openworked while introducing more elements, four hammers, four gongs, the flying governor, requires discipline. You need to achieve clarity, not overload. And commercially, of course, developing such a calibre for a limited series of 25 pieces is a strong commitment. But for us, this is exactly what independence means, investing in innovation without compromise.
What long-term impact do you hope the timepiece will have?
I believe this piece will be seen as a milestone, a moment where different strands of our expertise came together in a very pure way. It builds on our work in resonance but elevates it into a new dimension by combining it with a highly sophisticated striking mechanism.
In the long term, I hope it will stand as a reference point, not only for its complexity, but for its coherence. A watch where innovation, design, and craftsmanship are perfectly aligned.
