Independent Swiss watchmaker Armin Strom offers an exciting take on the date display. The Orbit, a 43.5mm stainless-steel timepiece to be introduced in the Carré des Horlogers exhibition, features a central hand that points to the numbers 1 to 31, which are prominently displayed on the bezel. The precise indication and secure setting of this hand is made possible by a sophisticated column-wheel mechanism, which can be seen at the top left.

However, the ingenuity goes even further: A pusher, placed on the left flank of the case, allows the hand to be set to rest in the vertical position, so that it does not interfere with the time display. By pressing it again at any time, the hand jumps to the correct date memorized by the mechanism. Last but not least, the date display is of retrograde nature and jumps back instantly from 31 to 1.

At the heart of this new complication lies the top-notch manufacture caliber ASS20 with three-day power reserve, constant force, and microrotor, all visible on the dial. Each element is meticulously hand-finished in the brand’s workshops in Biel/Bienne, as is de rigueur at Armin Strom. The Orbit is limited to 25 pieces and retails for approximately $34,600 when converted to USD.

To learn more, visit Armin Strom, here.