Moritz Grossmann Central Second Watch
With its new model, Moritz Grossmann places the spotlight on the second as a unit of time, fusing sporty elegance in stainless steel with a radiant finish and luminescent effect in the dark.
More than five millennia ago, people in the Near East started to take an interest in measuring time. Priests analysed the cycle of the moon and planets and predicted the most favourable time to cultivate crops. Trade and warehouse management gave rise not only to writing but also to the art of arithmetic.
The development of the sciences and the flourishing of cities and trade meant that people had an increasing need for much more precise ways of measuring time. And so, over the course of the 13th century, the mechanical clock was developed in Europe. The individual planning of time was born.
Since the middle of the 20th century, the thought of our modern life without the accuracy of time down to the second and fractions thereof has become inconceivable today. With its new model Central Second, Moritz Grossmann pays tribute to the social and technological significance of this unit of time.
While conventionally the small second hand is placed in the six o’clock position in the bottom third of the dial on Grossmann watches, here a large-scale second hand is positioned in the centre of the highly refined dial.
Central Second combines a case made from polished steel with a charmingly elegant feel and superb functionality. Schönstes deutsches Handwerk made in Germany that unites the highest degree of craftsmanship with a mechanism that simply functions perfectly.
In doing so, the manufactory once again recalls the spirit of its namesake and grand master of the Glashütte art of watchmaking, Moritz Grossmann. In his treatise written back in the 19th century, the exceptional watchmaker and founder of the German School of Watchmaking (1878) described how to construct a simple but mechanically perfect watch.
Blue dial with HyCeram Luminex hands
Central Second is offered in a non-limited edition comprising a blue dial embellished with high-quality sunray finish. The type of finish used here lends the dial a luminous blue tone that makes it glow in various shades depending on the light present. The intricate finish is based on fine strokes that are barely perceptible to the human eye, but radiate out from the middle of the dial, making them reminiscent of delicate rays of sunshine.
A striking contrast to this is provided by the numerals in a rich white and the polished steel hands in white. Filled with HyCeram Luminex, they also make it easy for the wearer to read the time, even in the dark. This hybrid ceramic comprises powerful luminescent pigments that glow in the dark intensively, are long-lasting and produce a beautifully bright green colour.
The slender second hand is delightfully exquisite and moves smoothly around its axis in the centre of the dial.
Dial in salmon
The second version of Central Second comprises a salmon-coloured dial and is limited to 25 watches worldwide. The manually crafted hands made from steel blued over an open flame form a wonderfully sophisticated contrast to the dial in a salmon hue.
With the Moritz Grossmann logo and Made in Germany inscription in black letters, the blue hands and numerals form a harmonious ensemble. All of these elements combined underline the watch's air of classic understatement.
Calibre 100.11
Grossmann’s designers used the calibre 100.1 to devise the new calibre 100.11 for the Central Second. To keep the second hand rotating in the centre of the dial, the force of the mainspring is transferred from the third wheel to the new central second wheel via an additional intermediate wheel in the centre of the movement.
To ensure that the overall look is harmonious and also homogeneous, all the components of the train bridge are aligned on one level. For this purpose, both the train bridge and ratchet wheel were extended in height.
Further evidence of the highest standards of craftsmanship can be seen in the tooth flanks of the ratchet wheel, which are liberally chamfered at the top and polished to a high gloss sheen. Furthermore, the ratchet wheel is finished with a delicate sunburst decoration.
In contrast to other Grossmann movements, the crown wheel on Central Second is covered by the train bridge. Alongside the ratchet wheel, the new magnificently adorned intermediate wheel, which is also very striking in terms of its size, and central second wheel also draw admiring eyes. The wheel legs of the intermediate wheel are hand chamfered and polished.
In line with the service concept championed by Grossmann, the central second wheel can easily be removed when required. A spring slots into a groove underneath the wheel and both hold the wheel in the desired position and also ensure smooth, even rotation of the second hand. In its fully assembled state, this spring can be adjusted at any time via a screw in the train bridge.
The Grossmann manual winder with pusher
The in-house developed manual winding mechanism with pusher contains a perfected hand setting mechanism, which eliminates two potential problem areas: avoiding the ingress of foreign particles during the adjustment process and altering the hands unintentionally when pushing the crown back into place.
After a short pull on the winding crown, the mechanism switches to hand setting and simultaneously stops the movement. The crown immediately returns to its original position, allowing the hands to be adjusted precisely. The movement is then restarted using the pusher below the winding crown without having to move the crown again. At the same time, the mechanism is reset to winding mode.
Kudu leather strap
The exquisite hand-stitched strap made from brown Kudu leather emphasises the refined and at the same time sporty character of both models.
Limited edition
The version with a blue dial and HyCeram Luminex hands comes in an unlimited edition. The version of Central Second with a salmon-coloured dial is limited to 25 watches worldwide.
Central Second available from the new Moritz Grossmann Online Boutique
The new Central Second models and the entire Moritz Grossmann collection are now available from the new Moritz Grossmann Online Boutique. The Moritz Grossmann Online Boutique gives customers the opportunity to design their Moritz Grossmann watch just how they want it. Watch lovers can try straps to see which best suits their preferred model. They can also choose their preferred strap length and clasp.
The independent manufactory Moritz Grossmann produces with the highest flexibility. The manufactory can fulfil individual customer requirements, from unique pieces and special editions to small-scale limited editions. If a bespoke item is on a customer's wish list, the concierge service at the manufactory can offer a personal consultation to discuss the design and manufacture of the timepiece.
Moritz Grossmann Central Second Watch
Technical specifications:
· Reference: MG-002909 – Blue version; MG-002939 – Salmon version
· Case dimensions: Diameter: 41.0 mm, height: 12.00 mm
· Case: Three-part, stainless steel
· Dial: Solid silver, blue with sunray finish /salmon-coloured
· Hands: Manually crafted, blued steel/polished steel with filling of HyCeram Luminex (hour and minute hand)
· Crystal/display back: Sapphire crystal, antireflective coating on one side
· Special features: 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; balance cock and escape- wheel cock hand-engraved; broad horizontal Glashütte ribbing; sunburst decoration on the ratchet wheel; separately removable clutch winder; stop seconds for hand setting; central second wheel
· Movement: Manufactory calibre 100.11, manual winding, regulated in five positions
· Movement dimensions: Diameter: 36.4 mm, height: 5.30 mm
· No. of parts: 198
· Jewels: 22 jewels, of which one in a pressed gold chaton
· Escapement: Lever escapement
· Oscillator: Shock-absorbed 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, minutes and seconds, central second with stop second, Grossmann manual winder with pusher
· Operating elements: Crowns in stainless steel to wind the watch and set the time, pusher in stainless steel to start the movement
· Strap: Hand-stitched Kudu leather with prong buckle in stainless steel
The price for the Moritz Grossmann Central Second Watch is EUR 25,600 (Tax included - Delivery and shipping costs included). While the blue version in an unlimited edition, the salmon version is limited to 25 watches worldwide.
