Winnerl - Chronometer series Tremblage (and Founder's series)

In 2020, Winnerl is launching the new Chronometer series Tremblage featuring a special "salmon" dial finished using a technique known as tremblage. The Winnerl Chronometer series Tremblage N. 601 will be produced in a limited edition of just 6 timepieces worldwide with a price of Swiss Francs 65,000 before sales taxes.

Well known among watch industry insiders, Austrian watchmaker Bernhard Zwinz joined the atelier of master watchmaker Philippe Dufour in 2001 where he took responsibility for assembly and finishing of the Simplicity series for a period of three and a half years. He then left in 2004 to start his own workshop working for renowned brands like Greubel Forsey, H. Moser & Cie, MB&F and Urban Jürgensen taking care of various phases including movement design, prototyping, finishing as well as assembly of tourbillons, repeaters and other complications.

In 2018, Zwinz decided to establish his own complete manufacture under the name of Joseph Thaddeus Winnerl (1799-1866), a legendary 19th century Austrian watchmaker that he considers the ultimate ‘watchmaker for watchmakers’. It is interesting to mention here the special link between three of the greatest watchmakers of all time: Winnerl was an apprentice of Abraham-Louis Breguet while he later had Ferdinand A. Lange among his apprentices.

The inventor of several watchmaking innovations, including the return-to-zero and split-seconds mechanism, Joseph Thaddeus Winnerl was particularly focused on achieving absolute excellence in chronometry. His ship’s chronometers were so accurate and so well built that they were still in regular use by the French Navy in the late 1970s, even after the introduction of atomic timekeeping.

All of his timekeeping creations were specifically designed and developed as timekeeping tools of a serious nature, with accuracy, clean lines, and high legibility being the keywords of their production. The revival of J. Th. Winnerl’s work by Bernhard Zwinz builds upon these foundations laid out more than 190 years ago.

Last year the revived Winnerl brand presented the Founder's series, three models housed in 40 mm x 10.35 mm cases crafted from precious metals and powered by a hand-wound movement with 3/4 plate construction marking the first use in a wristwatch of J. Th. Winnerl’s specially designed balance wheel.

Directly inspired by an example found in one of his ship’s chronometers, this bowl-shaped balance wheel is characterized by slanting sides that significantly enhance fine regulation of its inertia. Just consider that one complete turn of its screws has only half the normal influence on the balance.

The 3/4 plate construction provides stability to the CW01 movement while highlighting the distinctive balance that beats at 18,000 vibrations per hour with a power reserve of 49 hours.

The Founder's series N. 596 comes in white gold with a blue gold dial and polished steel hands. The movement has a silver grainage finish. Price before sales taxes: Swiss Francs 68,400.

The Founder's series N. 597 combines a red gold case to a white enamel dial with blued steel hands. The movement is decorated with Geneva stripes. Price before sales taxes: Swiss Francs 68,400.

For the Founder's series N. 598, a platinum case frames a black enamel dial with polished steel hands. The plate is enhanced by hand-mad engravings. Price before sales taxes: Swiss Francs 87,600.

This year, Winnerl is launching the new Chronometer series Tremblage N. 601 featuring a special "salmon" dial finished using a technique known as tremblage.

Derived from the French word "trembler" that means "shaking", tremblage is a form of textured engraving where a small burin is lightly hammered with quick light taps, as if trembling over the surface of the dial. This creates randomly placed, small indentations and micro incisions that make each dial unique.

Protected by a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, the dial is completed by Breguet-style blued steel hands and a classical railroad track minute scale to encircle the Roman numerals.

Water resistant to 100 metres / 330 feet, the case measures 39.90 mm x 10.30 mm and is crafted from white gold polished and satin-brushed surfaces. The customer can choose the finish of the movement: silver grainage or Geneva stripes.

The Winnerl Chronometer series Tremblage N. 601 will be produced in a limited edition of just 6 timepieces worldwide with a price of Swiss Francs 65,000 before sales taxes. winnerl.ch