I visited Andreas Strehler at BaselWorld 2014. Here is one of my favorite pieces of his collection. A mechanical desk calendar called the Tischkalender (which means table calendar or desk calendar in German).
Here's a picture of the Tischkalender with its nice wooden carrying case.
For a description of how it works, I'll quote Watchbore's description of the Tischkalender, and you can see the original article at this link (http://people.timezone.com/library/wbore/wbore0005):
"Strehler's most intriguing horological demonstration is a symbiotic combination of a pocket- watch and a desk calendar, that recalls Abraham-Louis Breguet's sympathique. watch-and-clock pair. But it is entirely different, with an original twist and a host of clever features.
The perpetual-calendar indication is on the desk calendar, but its brain is contained in the detachable pocket-watch, which only shows the time. Put the two together, and a sensing mechanism reads the day, date, month and year from the pocket-watch, updating the indications on the two dials of the desk calendar.
The trick is that the pocket-watch does not track the calendar as such, but measures the elapsed time (for up to 21 days) since it last took the date-reference from the desk calendar. The desk calendar contains its own mainspring and perpetual-calendar mechanisms, which keep the calendar updated while it is connected with the watch. When the calendar spring needs winding (about twice a year), a pump-winding stem jumps up.
The pocket-watch has a sun disc in an aperture in its back to show the diurnal cycle, as well as a dot on the dial which appears when the elapsed-time memory has reached 18 of its 21 days. Beyond that time, the reference date on the desk-calendar has to be reset manually.
When the crown of the pocket-watch is pulled out to set the time, the elapsed-time mechanism halts so that days are not added by moving the hands past midnight."
Here is a closeup of the Tischkalender. The brushed finish looks great.
In 2013, Strehler won the Gaia prize.
Here's another interesting pocket watch by Strehler, called Zwei.
The word zwei means "two" in German, and comes from the fact that the watch has two different indications modes. It normally shows the time, but when you depress the button (at the 10 o'clock position), the hands change to instead indicate the date. It does that by using the numbers 1-12 for the month, and the outer track numbers 1-31 for the date. The other interesting thing is that each hand moves to the appropriate date indication using the shortest path to get there. E.g. if the time is 3 o'clock and the date is May 27th, then the hour hand would move clockwise from 3 to 5, and the minute hand would move counterclockwise from 12 to 10 (which is also where the 27 is). When the button is released, the hands return to indicating the time.
Here's Strehler's new watch, the Sauterelle à Lune Perpetuelle with the most accurate moonphase ever for a watch. It needs adjustment of only one day every 14,189 years. Here's a link to the recent post about the watch for more info:
Messages: 8355 Location: Zürich
Registered: December 2008
Beautiful work
Mon, 02 June 2014 09:40
I had the good fortune of meeting Andreas Strehler on our train ride back from Baselworld. Very nice guy with some beautiful pieces. I love the case shape, really nicely done.
After winding and wearing it daily for over a month it has shown no difference in rate between completely wound or after having let it run for more than three days up to the 78/hr limit, where it stops.
But the amazing thing sbout this watch it that it keeps a constant amplitude when left in any position and independent of its state of wind
The two or three seconds that it gains in a flat position can be easily "regulated" back by one of the four vertical positions. I am still testing it for the one most effective.
The Sauterelle actually lives up to its promise for delivering constant energy to the escapement wheel and balance. Without using hi-tech materials and construction methods - that is a true horological sensation!
It is also ravishingly beautiful from someone whom I am now calling The Mozart of Watchmakers.
I am still winding it every day, and wearing it several hours a week - - like right now!
Within that frame of time, about +/- two or three seconds off per week according to the position; and there is nothing left for me to do - up to 78 hours long - no difference!
Resetting it is easy - and so is the winding - even though the seconds do not "hack" on demand. And why should they? Start the watch up, as closely as possible, let it run, or let it run down, then try again. That's it!
Andreas has also presented, if a bit late to be judged at the GPHG, his Sauterelle with a moon phase that is at least mathematically correct to be one day off within *** two million years *** if you can imagine that! Frankly, I can't do that either.
I am completely in awe about his ideas for a special open-faced version.
Another quite different concept of the Papillon will be hopefully completed in time for the next Baselworld or presentation to the public.
Of course I am buying these!
Back to the theme: Andreas Strehler does actually supply constant regulated energy ! ! !
