For the 2023 Only Watch Charity Event, Moritz Grossmann, the independent manufactory from Glashütte, will be providing a wristwatch with an emblematic tremblage dial.
Equipped with a hand-wound calibre, the unique TREMBLAGE watch has a vintage look and will be auctioned at the Only Watch auction on 5th November 2023.
The Grossmann manufactory is rooted in the legacy of Moritz Grossmann, who was one of the most eminent watchmakers in the Saxon town in the 19th century. With the aim of championing the cause of the Only Watch auction, the brand combines its diverse areas of expertise to craft a singular and expressive masterpiece.
The vintage charm of the TREMBLAGE ONLY WATCH is further highlighted by the historic logo on the dial. Additionally, the engraved cursive script signature of Moritz Grossmann on the plate pays homage to the tradition observed in Moritz Grossmann’s pocket watches during his lifetime.
The Moritz Grossmann TREMBLAGE watch was introduced in 2021. Tremblage involves a surface being finished by hand using a range of engraving burins. The tools are moved across the metal in a trembling motion, which is also where the name comes from, with the French ‘tremblant’ meaning ‘to tremble’ in English. This process provides a rough but matt effect that dampens the incident light on the dial and makes the tremblage surface appear beautifully matt.
Once tremblage has been applied to the German silver dial, it undergoes a galvanising treatment. The surface is rhodium-plated, creating a tint. This lends even more expression to the tremblage engraving.
The raised elements of the dial – numerals, indices, the manufactory logo and the inscriptions ‘Only Watch’ and ‘Made in Germany’ – are then finely brush finished. The elaborate refinements give the figures and scales a light German silver hue that stands out from the tremblage surface as a fine nuance.
The hand-wound calibre 100.1 bears the M. Grossmann signature in cursive script and has numerous special features. These include its construction as a pillar movement, which lends a sense of visual depth.
The finishes on the components emphasize the aesthetics of the mechanism: the characteristic 2/3 plate bears the Grossmann signature engraved by hand in cursive script. The arch-shaped plate cut-out gives a view of the Grossmann balance, which is supported by the cantilevered hand-engraved balance cock.
The bearing jewels made from white sapphire, which are set in gold chatons and fixed with brown-violet screws, contribute to the distinctive look of the fine movement.
The unique piece for Only Watch has a stainless steel case worn on a hand-sewn strap made from dark brown kudu leather.
Technical details
Model: Moritz Grossmann TREMBLAGE Unique Piece for Only Watch 2023
Movement
Manufactory calibre 100.1, manual winding, regulated in five positions
No. of parts: 198
Diameter: 36.4 mm
Height: 5.0 mm
Jewels: 20 jewels, of which 3 in screwed gold chatons
Escapement: Lever escapement
Oscillator: Shock-resistant Grossmann balance with 4 inertia screws and 2 poising screws, Nivarox 1 balance spring with No. 80 Breguet terminal curve, Gustav Gerstenberger geometry
Balance diameter: 14.2 mm
Frequency: 18,000 semi-oscillations/hour
Power reserve: 42 hours when fully wound
Functions
Hours and minutes, subsidiary seconds with stop second, Grossmann manual winder with pusher
Operating elements
Crowns in stainless steel to wind the watch and set the time and the date, pusher in stainless steel to start the watch
Case
Three-part, stainless steel
Diameter: 41.0 mm
Height: 11.35 mm
Crystal/display back: Sapphire crystal, antireflective coating on one side
Dial
German silver with tremblage, galvanised
Hands: Manually crafted, steel
Strap
Hand-stitched kudu leather with prong buckle in stainless steel
Special features
Dial with tremblage, galvanised; Grossmann balance; hand setting override and start of movement with lateral pusher; space-saving modified Glashütte stopwork with backlash; adjustment with Grossmann micrometer screw on cantilevered balance cock; pillar movement with 2/3 plate and pillars made of untreated German silver; 2/3 plate, hand-engraved balance cock and escape-wheel cock; barrel bridge grained; 3-band snailing on the ratchet wheel; raised gold chatons with pan-head screws; separately removable clutch winding mechanism; stop seconds for hand setting
Estimate
CHF 30,000 – 45,000
