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As common readers know by now, my contributions to Quill & Pad vary amongst “Behind the Lens” picture options of particular watches; “You Are There” reporting on collector-related occasions; and “Why I Purchased It” articles that describe my considering behind purchases of particular person watches.
One Hertz by Tim and Bart Grönefeld
For this particular article, I’ve the pleasure of overlaying the great Grönefeld One Hertz from all three views!
You’re there: amassing the One Hertz
For a watch fanatic, and particularly for lovers of impartial watch manufacturers, it’s a dream come true to satisfy the makers of the watches that we admire. With the Grönefeld brothers, it’s that pleasure occasions two.
Our story begins with assembly Bart Grönefeld at Düsseldorf airport in preparation to experience again to the Dutch city of Oldenzaal.
The Bart Grönefeld welcoming committee at Düsseldorf
After a nice drive, we met up with Bart’s brother, Tim, and walked to lunch, a tasty meal of native specialty Kroketten (a potato dish) washed down with the primary chilly beer of the day.
Oldenzaal city sq. with clock tower
The clock tower you see above served because the scene for a portion of the afternoon as we climbed to the highest to absorb the view and to take a look at the mechanism of the tower clock, which to today is maintained by their father, Sjef.
Bart and Tim Grönefeld with the bells and carillon, Oldenzaal clock tower
After lunch, it was again to the workshop for a tour, joined by Dutch watch pal and main A. Lange & Söhne collector Edwin H. As descendants of a watchmaking household, Tim and Bart have loads of great watch-related objects readily available, together with issues just like the Watchmaker’s Songbook proven beneath.
Anna one, anna two: Watchmaker’s Songbook
Edwin was sort sufficient to seize a shot of us as Bart tried to penetrate my jet-lagged cranium with a few of the technical options of the One Hertz.
Within the workshop with Tim and Bart Grönefeld (picture courtesy Edwin H)
It’s all the time a thrill to see elements in varied levels of ending. I significantly love seeing near-finished actions exterior of their instances, as there’s one thing about being “proper there” that even the clearest sapphire case again can’t reveal.
Chrome steel One Hertz bridge throughout ending
Restricted version One Hertz motion with gold-colored plates
Should you look fastidiously on the picture above, you may even see that this specific motion seems a bit uncommon. It’s certainly one of a restricted set developed by the brothers with gold-finished plates that distinction properly with the stainless bridges above.
Lastly, the second of reality, because the proud papas observe my pleasure at seeing my One Hertz for the primary time.
GaryG sees his One Hertz for the primary time (picture Edwin H)
The enjoyable didn’t cease there: we continued by way of dinner after which a late-evening bottle of wine with the brothers and Tim’s spouse, Maaike. Suffice it to say that when it was time to crawl off the bed at my resort the following morning I knew I had had a grand time with great hosts.
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Why I purchased it
Utilizing my pal Terry’s taxonomy, this was fairly clearly a “patronage” buy for me: a terrific watch that, maybe extra importantly, was made by two nice guys.
One particular additional advantage was that they agreed to make this piece for me with the blue dial, often reserved for platinum items, however on this case matched with the light-weight titanium case.
Grönefeld One Hertz in titanium with blue dial
What I like about it
The unhealthy information is that I don’t have area right here to checklist all 35 (no kidding) interesting options I’ve on my hand-written checklist of “loves” about this watch, however let’s decide off just a few of the biggies.
- Let’s begin with the apparent: there’s that large second hand snapping throughout the dial with authority. I’m a giant fan of discrete motion in watches (retrograde palms, leaping hours, instantaneously altering chronograph minutes and calendar dates, and so on.), and this leaping second show is each the featured factor of the watch total and a terrific instance of carving the relentless advance of time into observable chunks.
- I’m additionally a sucker for dimensionality in watches (just like the Lange Double Break up and just about something by Greubel Forsey). You don’t need to flip the One Hertz over to get a three-dimensional present.
Deep dimensionality: multi-layer dial facet of the Grönefeld One Hertz
- The technical design of the impartial useless seconds complication is each novel and really intelligent. The One Hertz motion is predicated on two synchronized spring barrels feeding two separate (however linked) actions – one for the hours and minutes and the opposite for the seconds.
This wasn’t straightforward to drag off technically, and in the end a mixture of options together with linking the 2 spring barrels, hacking the motion throughout setting, using a column wheel-based system to toggle between “set” and “run” modes, and using completely different torque ranges for the 2 energy trains was wanted to make the watch work.
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One of many nice issues about visiting with Bart and Tim was listening to the tales about how they both thought-about a few of these refined design parts upfront or developed them over time as they problem-solved points they encountered.
Motion facet of the Grönefeld One Hertz
- The interplay between the 2 energy trains is tremendously intelligent as properly: a wheel with a clean up-down wave is mounted on the fourth wheel pinion, gently rocking one facet of a jeweled lever forwards and backwards in a steady movement. The opposite facet of the lever interacts with an escape wheel sized to tick off time in one-second increments, synchronized with the ticking of sixths from the primary steadiness. These key connecting elements are proven within the picture beneath.
Key elements: connecting the facility trains of the Grönefeld One Hertz
Apparently, the only real perform of the lever is to manage the discharge of energy coming from the far facet of the seconds escapement – no energy is transmitted by way of the mechanism and, because of this the operation of the soar seconds, neither exacts put on and tear on the wavy wheel nor disrupts the amplitude of (or drains energy from) the primary motion.
Dial element of the Grönefeld One Hertz
- It seems good! And a few of the prettiest touches serve double obligation: the screw-mounted nameplates disguise one other set of screws that anchor the dial meeting securely to the motion. Tim and Bart really drew their desired dial structure first, after which discovered tips on how to make the motion match it.
Total, this watch meets my primary criterion: coherence. Nothing appears pasted on or gratuitous; the design options complement one another; and type and performance serve one another with excellence.
Coherent design: the Grönefeld One Hertz
Behind the lens: capturing the One Hertz
Fortunately, this watch is a delight to shoot from a photographer’s perspective. The masculine attraction of the piece is simple to seize, and as a result of depth and boldness of the dial-side options it’s doable to seize a wide range of seems through the use of a mixture of various watch positions and lighting.
In repose: textures and colours of the Grönefeld One Hertz
The various textures of the dial – together with curved brushing on the background, grooved subdials, and a frosted look behind the facility reserve and crown place indicator – and the even handed use of black accents and a transparent sector on the seconds chapter ring all create visible curiosity and supply alternatives to play with gentle.
The blue colour additionally seems fairly completely different beneath completely different lighting situations, which is enjoyable each within the gentle tent and when sporting the watch in or outdoor.
Straight on: the Grönefeld One Hertz in direct gentle
The one tough half is that the grooved subdials may cause a little bit of moire (that “strobing” impact one typically sees with patterned materials on tv), particularly when full-sized pictures are downsized for net viewing. However when the photographs are blown again up, the orderly look of the grooves returns.
I’ll go away you with a few parting pictures. All I can say is that in the event you ever have the chance to retrace my steps, I can strongly suggest the journey!
The horological brothers: Tim and Bart Grönefeld
Above Oldenzaal: the Grönefeld One Hertz with the Grönefelds’ workshop within the background
For extra info, please go to www.gronefeld.com/assortment/1896-one-hertz/
Fast Info: Grönefeld One Hertz Basic
Case: 43 x 12.5 mm, pink gold, platinum, or titanium
Dial: made with brown, ruthenium, white, and blue dials
Motion: hand-wound Caliber G-02 with impartial useless seconds, all bridges in chrome steel
Capabilities: hours, minutes, and seconds; energy reserve; indication of crown place (set vs. wind)
Worth (2015 retail): €60,000 (titanium); €73,500 (pink gold)
* This text was first revealed on October 26, 2015 at Grönefeld One Hertz – A Collector’s Journey.
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