A renowned specialist of the skeleton watch (his first skeleton model was a pocket watch made in 1983), Armin Strom has long created unique and tailored pieces destined for a very personalized clientele. Hasn’t he always delivered the watches himself to their new owners? With his reputation steadily growing in this field, Strom began creating very tiny skeleton watches for the ladies. As far back as 1990, he created a watch, which was, and still is, the smallest skeleton timepiece in the world. But these works of art were, by their very nature, extremely rare.





Small series collections
In 2006, Armin Strom decided to enlarge his audience and founded a company in Bienne. Besides his unique creations, which he continues to make, he is now also proposing new collections in small limited editions. They come in two types. The Blue Chip and Skeleton pieces are signed Armin Strom, while a more contemporary collection is called Armin by Armin Strom (this year in line, the watchmaker is presenting a very lovely and bold series of four pieces featuring retrograde date in a limited edition see Europa Star 1.09).
Among the pieces signed Armin Strom, we find watches that represent the finest traditions of skeleton timekeepers. The Blue Chip series is an initiation to skeletonising. It includes a chronograph with a date at 6 o’clock, an automatic timepiece with power reserve indicator, a traditional automatic watch, and a manual-winding model with a small seconds hand. In all these pieces, the dial opens onto the movement, offering a glimpse of the quality of its hand-decoration. The Blue Chip collection is available in steel or in red gold with a bezel set with baguette diamonds.
The collection of entirely skeletonised watches, which shows off the full measure of Armin Strom’s talent, is available in very small limited editions, although there is a choice of either round or form cases




Armin Strom Skeleton Automatic
Automatic movement entirely hand-engraved and hand-skeletonised, Armin Strom ASS06 calibre, 25 jewels, 38-hour power reserve. Polished 18 carat red gold case with engine-turned flanks, 39.20 mm. Anti-reflective sapphire crystal, front and back. Water-resistant to 50 m. Black dial with applied 18 carat gold hour-markers. Gold-plated hands. Alligator strap or stainless steel bracelet with safety folding clasp and screwed lugs.

Armin Strom Blue Chip
Automatic movement Armin Strom ASB11 calibre, 24 jewels, 46-hour power reserve. Polished steel case with engine-turned flanks, 46.50 mm. Anti-reflective sapphire crystal, front and back. Water-resistant to 50 m. Black and silvered dial. Steel hands and applied hour-markers. Alligator strap or stainless steel bracelet with safety folding clasp and screwed lugs.

Armin Strom Skeleton Square
Hand-wound, entirely hand-skeletonised and hand-engraved, Armin Strom ASM09 calibre, 17 jewels, 38-hour power reserve. Polished 18 carat white gold case with guillochÉ flanks. Anti-reflective sapphire crystal, front and back. Black dial with applied white gold hour-markers. White gold hands. Black alligator strap with 18 carat white gold buckle.


Source: Europa Star April-May 2009 Magazine Issue