Watchatlas

Armin Strom

Biel/Bienne, Switzerland · Est. 1967

Founded by Armin Strom, Claude Greisler, Serge Michel

Armin Strom is a Swiss watchmaker based in Biel/Bienne, founded in 1967 and known originally for its skeletonisation expertise. The brand relaunched under new ownership in 2009 with an in-house manufacture, focusing on open-worked movements with a strong architectural design language.

Founded
1967
Headquarters
Biel/Bienne, Switzerland
Group
Independent
Price Segment
Mid
Status
Revived

Key Collections

  • Mirrored Force Resonance (2016) — The Mirrored Force Resonance is Armin Strom’s signature resonance wristwatch family, using two independent balances connected by the brand’s patented resonance clutch spring. It is one of the clearest modern expressions of observable resonance on the wrist and a cornerstone of the brand’s contemporary identity. Key references: First Edition, ST22-RF.05, Ice Blue.
  • Gravity Equal Force (2019) — Armin Strom’s Gravity Equal Force is the brand’s System 78 constant-force automatic platform, built around the patented equal-force barrel and Geneva stop-work concept to deliver more consistent torque while preserving the manufacture’s open, mechanics-first architecture. Key references: ST21-GEF.SA, ST24-GEF.BLU, ST24-GEF.SAL.
  • System78 — System78 is Armin Strom's accessible-haute-horlogerie umbrella collection, grouping the brand's wearable in-house pieces under a shared architecture-first philosophy across Gravity Equal Force, Orbit, and One Week families. Key references: Gravity Equal Force, Orbit, One Week.
  • One Week (2023) — Armin Strom’s One Week is the System 78 family’s seven-day, manually wound platform: a contemporary, openworked three-hander built around twin barrels, a prominent power-reserve display, and the brand’s accessible-haute-horlogerie positioning within its in-house collection architecture. Key references: ST23-OW.FE, ST23-OW.ME, ST24-OW.05, TI25-OW.75, RG25-OW.35.
  • Tribute — Armin Strom’s Tribute line is the classical flank of the System 78 family, pairing an off-centre time display, visible barrel architecture and hand-finishing with a slimmer, dressier 38 mm format than the brand’s more overtly technical pieces. Key references: Tribute² Aurum, Tribute 1 Green, Tribute 1 Fumé Sky.

Timeline

  • 1967 — Armin Strom opens his personal workshop in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. He becomes one of the era's finest skeletonisation specialists, working for other brands as well as under his own name.
  • 1975 — Strom wins multiple prizes at international watchmaking exhibitions for the quality of his skeleton movement work.
  • 2008 — Armin Strom (the watchmaker) retires. The original studio closes, ending over 40 years of personal craft.
  • 2009 — Claude Greisler (Master Watchmaker) and Serge Michel (CEO) acquire the Armin Strom name and relaunch the brand as a full in-house manufacture in Biel/Bienne.
  • 2012 — The first entirely in-house manufacture calibre — ARM09-1 — is completed, establishing the relaunched Armin Strom as a true manufacture rather than an assembler.
  • 2016 — The Mirrored Force Resonance is unveiled at Baselworld, presenting a resonance complication with two coupled balance wheels in the same horizontal plane — a technical and visual breakthrough.
  • 2020 — The System78 modular case platform is introduced, allowing customers to reconfigure the watch's structural elements — a new concept in high-end watch customisation.
  • 2025 — Debuted One Week Skeleton Titanium, Orbit Purple, and Dual Time GMT Resonance at Watches & Wonders 2025.
  • 2026 — Released Tribute 2 Aurum (10 pcs) and Mirrored Force Resonance Ruby (5 pcs with natural ruby dial).

Frequently Asked Questions about Armin Strom

What is resonance in watchmaking?
Two oscillators (balance wheels or pendulums) placed close to one another and mechanically coupled will naturally synchronise their frequency. This mutual stabilisation resists external shocks and temperature changes, improving long-term accuracy.
Is the original Armin Strom still involved?
No. Armin Strom the watchmaker retired around 2008. The brand is now owned and run by Claude Greisler (Master Watchmaker and Technical Director) and Serge Michel (CEO).
Where are Armin Strom watches made?
Entirely in-house in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. The manufacture produces its own movements, cases, and finishing — a rare level of vertical integration for an independent brand.
What price range should I expect?
Armin Strom pieces typically range from CHF 15,000 for entry-level models to CHF 100,000+ for the most complicated resonance pieces.
What is the System78 concept?
A modular case architecture where individual structural components — bridges, plates, sapphire elements — can be reconfigured or swapped. It's Armin Strom's answer to personalisation in fine watchmaking.

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