I have to admit, I am certainly an appreciator of watches that embody symmetry. While no watch is going to end up being perfectly balanced (often, if north-south is good, east-west will be off, or vice versa), there are more than a handful that do certainly embody this approach to watch design. One of the latest of these that caught my eye is the Mühle-Glashütte Teutonia II Großdatum Chronometer.
I have had the opportunity to spend time with watches from Mühle-Glashütte, and they present an interesting twist on what I perceive to be the German watch aesthetic. There is a sort of sport influence on the watches that, to my eye, shows up in the design of the case. While the Mühle-Glashütte Teutonia II Großdatum Chronometer certainly gives the overall look of a dressier piece, the case shape really speaks to me as being a sportier, or more industrial, piece. Some of that is due to the brand calling to mind the M29, but there is no denying that this is not your typical dress watch.
With the Mühle-Glashütte Teutonia II Großdatum, there is a starkness present that I appreciate from German watches. While the dial itself has different textures and layers, it’s presented in a single tone (here, either silver or a lovely shade of blue). To keep the time visible, the indices and handset are finished in a contrast tone (black for the silver dial; silver for the blue dial) that assures instant readability. For my tastes, I would not have minded the handset being a bit wider, but it seems that Mühle-Glashütte prefers the more slender style.
The Mühle-Glashütte Teutonia II Großdatum also features something that I have come to appreciate more as of late – the large date display (aka Großdatum). Aside from simply being easier to read, the usage of two discs is a little more visually interesting, especially if you are like me and find yourself resetting the date and time on a watch after it’s wound down from not being worn regularly. Realistically, though, it’s mostly due to the fact that it’s easier to read that I like the complication.
Balancing that out as best as it can is the small seconds register, which shows up at the 6 o’clock position. All of this is driven by an ETA 2892 movement (which has achieved chronometer rating), with the large date display coming courtesy of the Jaquet 3532 module. Of course, this has some customization on it for Mühle-Glashütte, with their woodpecker neck regulator and rotor, and some of the surface finishes the brand prefers.
As I mentioned earlier, there are two variants, with the midnight blue dial giving a more casual feel (due to the brown strap), and the silver dial (with it’s black strap) giving things a dressier look. There will only be 250 pieces of each made (so, 500 total); pricing is TBA, with availability expected by late Summer 2015. muehle-glashuette.de
Watch Overview
- Brand & Model: Mühle-Glashütte Teutonia II Großdatum Chronometer
- Price: $TBA
- Who we think it might be for: You’re looking for a dressier watch, but you’re not ready to give up the look and feel of a sportier watch
- Would I buy one for myself based on what I’ve seen?: Quite possibly, yes.
- If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: Test out a wider handset, especially on the more casual (blue dial) iteration
- What spoke to me the most about this watch: Symmetry, symmetry, Symemetry.
Tech Specs from Mühle-Glashütte
- Movement: ETA 2892 with Grand Data module Jaquet 3532, automatic; Mühle version with woodpecker neck regulation, own rotor and characteristic surface finishes. Stop-second. Fast date correction. 42-hr power reserve.
- Case: brushed/polished stainless steel. Domed, anti-glare sapphire crystal. Transparent case back. Screw-in crown. Ø 41.0 mm; H 12.7 mm. Water-resistant up to 10 bars.
- Strap: Crocodile leather strap with stainless steel butterfly clasp. Screwed strap attachment bridges.
- Dial: silver, guilloche finish or midnight-blue with solarization. Applied indices, blackened or nickel-plated hands.
- Limited edition: 250 pieces in each face colour.
