It’s a tribute to Swiss watchmaking’s sheer strength in depth that a watchmaker heralded as one of the most innovative and important of his generation can remain relatively unknown to all but the true connoisseurs of haute horology.

When it comes to naming some of the most important watchmakers in recent history most will no doubt agree on George Daniels, others will champion F. P. Journe, while strong contenders on the contemporary scene would include Stephen Forsey and Robert Greubel of Greubel Forsey, Christophe Claret, and Franck Muller. To this elite group of contemporary watchmakers, it is entirely logical to add that of Andréas Strehler.

The watchmaker’s watchmaker

Andréas Strehler is a watchmaker through and through. His special talent for understanding the complex structure of a timepiece simply by looking at it was already evident in his youth. His passion became his profession.

Strehler has the pale and interesting look of a wunderkind who has spent a great deal of time sequestered away in the workshop. After completing an apprenticeship as a watchmaker, he worked for Renaud et Papi, where he collaborated with great watchmakers such as Robert Greubel, Stephen Forsey and Giulio Papi.

In 1995 he became a freelancer and developed numerous movements for well-known watch manufacturers. He was invited to create the famous Moser Perpetual 1 for H. Moser as well as Harry Winston’s Opus 7.

Outstanding quality

From this work his company was born, Uhrteil AG. A dozen employees, watchmakers, technicians and precision mechanics, implement Andréas Strehler’s philosophy to the highest standards and guarantee outstanding quality.

Andréas Strehler thrives on discovering new, more refined procedures to advance the watchmaker’s art. He not only produces the movements for his innovative mechanisms but often also the machines and software required for their manufacture.

Strehler feels strongly that his ideas prove that in the field of “haute horlogerie”, all the options are still far from exhausted:

“It’s similar to music. All the notes are already familiar and yet new melodies are constantly being invented. This proves that there is always something new to develop.” Andréas Strehler

Strehler may be one of the lesser known watch brands, but he is undoubtedly one of the greatest of contemporary watchmakers.

Strehler’s moments of genius

Harry Winston Opus VII

The Opus VII is without any doubt one of the most complex of watches to comprehend. Strehler managed to create a fascinating timepiece. When you look at it, you don’t understand how to read the time if you don’t have the method. In fact, the watch belongs to the very rare category of timepieces which does not display the time data all at once. The pusher is a display menu: you press it and change the information which is on the dial. You read the hours, the minutes, the power reserve one after the other instead of at the same time.

Perpetual desk calendar

In 1998 Andréas Strehler presented his first creation: the perpetual desk calendar. A combination of desk calendar and pocket watch. An interaction of mechanical memory and immediate synchronisation with the two elements in conjunction.

Zwei

One year later watch number “Zwei” appeared a remarkable pocketwatch which can switch the display as if it were an electronic digital watch, yet with a mechanical movement, which can combine any kind of displays with the aid of differential gears.

Papillon

Two giant gear wheels with 192 and 175 teeth enables Andréas Strehler to forego a third wheel. The double spring barrel arrangement and the omission of one gear wheel deliver energy savings which will extend the life of the watch enormously.

Along with the technical advantages, the arrangement of the gear wheels also offers the opportunity to design the movement in an open way, and the particular pleasure of being able to watch the passage of time.

Moser Perpetual 1

Strehler is also responsible for perfecting what is perhaps the most interesting and effective perpetual calendar currently in production.

The Moser Perpetual 1 is the only watch in the world to feature the patented “Flash Calendar” perpetual calendar. It does not display an incorrect date, and it can be adjusted both forwards and backwards via the similarly patented Double Pull Crown mechanism. This mechanism permits reliable setting of the position with the crown. Although the internal workings of the Moser Perpetual 1 are highly complicated, it looks very classic and elegant from the outside.

Last year Moser’s Perpetual 1 collected one of Germany’s most prestigious awards when more than 10,000 enthusiasts voted it the winner of the Goldene Unruh (Golden Balance) in the category for watches priced above 25,000 euros. (US$35,000).

Pictures of Andréas Strohler, the Perpetual Desk Calendar, Zwei and Harry Winston Opus VII courtesy puristspro.com

Picture of Papillon watch by Ian Skellern