Andreas Strehler’s newest watch is a travel watch that is simply called the Sauterelle à Heure Mondiale, which loosely translates to “Grasshopper World Time.” The Sauterelle collection was unveiled in 2013 featuring Strehler’s own patented rémontoir d’égalité or “constant force” mechanism. Likewise, the new Andreas Strehler Sauterelle à Heure Mondiale watch features the same mechanism in addition to interesting and practical travel time functions – a couple of which are displayed on the case back.
A quick introduction is in order for those not familiar with the name Andreas Strehler. Strehler is one of most highly regarded and sought-after independent watchmakers in the business. His career as a watchmaker started out around 1991 at the renowned APRP manufacture, and he gradually rose to become APRP’s head of prototyping. In 1995, he started his own workshop where he restored vintage watches and clocks. From then on, he began designing and building his own watches. At the same time, he also did work for other brands and founded another company called UhrTeil that manufactures and develops components and movements for other brands. He was also the watchmaker behind the Harry Winston Opus 7.
Clearly, it won’t be a stretch to say that Andreas Strehler is well-versed in all aspects of watchmaking, and this can be clearly seen in his watches which often combine technical innovations and quirky designs to very good effect. The new Andreas Strehler Sauterelle à Heure Mondiale watch is a good case in point.
The Andreas Strehler Sauterelle à Heure Mondiale is available in a platinum or 18k red gold case with a blue or silver dial, so that’s four references in total. The case measures 41mm wide, and its outline looks almost “tonneau” due to its cushion-shaped bezel. The crown appears fairly large, which should make it easier to wind (it is a manually wound movement) and to set the time when traveling across time zones.
The engine-turned dial has different types of guilloche to provide contrast and improve legibility. To the right is the main sub-dial that displays local time and an interesting thing to note is the sapphire disc that displays the minute track. At 10 o’clock is the visible rémontoir d’égalité mechanism that charges energy and releases it once every second to the escapement. This ensures that the escapement receives an equal amount of energy each time regardless of how fully wound the mainspring barrels are.
At 8 o’clock, there’s a 3D globe that shows the view from the North Pole with a line through the GMT time zone to help you line it up when setting the second time zone. It makes a full rotation once every 24 hours. It also doubles as a day and night indicator. The countries on the globe that are under the sapphire disc that displays the minute track are in the night.
The Andreas Strehler Sauterelle à Heure Mondiale has a sapphire display case back that partially reveals the movement, which houses more indications. On the back, there’s a 24 city ring with a central blue arrow. To set the time, simply pull the crown into the first position and adjust the blue arrow until you reach your home city or desired timezone. Next, pull the crown into the second position and simply set the time as normal.
When traveling, pulling the crown into the first position allows you to adjust the time in one hour steps without stopping timekeeping or affecting the minute hand – just like any other true GMT watches like the Rolex GMT-Master II or Omega Planet Ocean GMT. And, as you do that, the blue hand of the city ring on the movement side will also jump to reflect the correct timezone.
There’s one final trick up this watch’s sleeve. It has a moon phase indicator that is as precise as the one found on the record-breaking Sauterelle à Lune Perpétuelle watch. This means the moon phase indicator is so accurate that it will only be off by one day every 2.045 million years or 746,425,000 days! Talk about overkill.
The movement of the Andreas Strehler Sauterelle à Heure Mondiale watch features 206 components, two mainspring barrels, a power reserve of 78 hours, and a beat rate of 3Hz. It is also extensively hand-decorated, featuring hand-beveled bridges and main plates. Unfortunately, it seems like it will be quite hard to appreciate all this finishing since the movement is largely covered by the 24-city ring.
The Andreas Strehler Sauterelle à Heure Mondiale seems like a good traveling watch for lovers of independent watchmaking. It has a rather unconventional aesthetic and features a highly technical movement with many practical functions. The Andreas Strehler Sauterelle à Heure Mondiale watch in 18k rose gold is priced at 112,000 CHF. In platinum, it is 125,000 CHF. astrehler.ch
