I would have loved for the case to be titanium, but here it is offered in steel. I have a feeling the brand will choose titanium for future cases, though this could easily increase the price since titanium doesn’t polish up this well easily. The Waltz 1 case is given two surface finishings to keep things interesting. The bezel and upper lugs (in one large shape) are polished, while the rest of the case is sandblasted – another nod to it being a machine, since that finish is most commonly associated with industrial equipment. The art here is to take the shape of a dress watch and then give it an industrial feel.

You can tell that most of the design work (outside of the case) went into the dial and hands. I can’t imagine how many design revisions the designer went through in order to get this just right. What really works well about the dial is that it is extremely complicated but seemingly basic. The best trick is the bisection of the dial, adding an unexpected (yet balanced) asymmetry. This trick alone might not have been enough if it wasn’t for the “cut-out floor” style subsidiary seconds disc that rotates a section of the dial halves as they blend with one another. This most certainly gets a spot on the top 10 best non-utility seconds hands I’ve seen out there.

The next most impressive part of the dial is the set of sloped edges with following hour markers. The brand needed to really make sure it got the dial design right, or else this part likely wouldn’t have looked nice. The hour markers are given their own visual depth which helps the presentation look nice, and the hour markers and minute track are among the few nods to traditional dress timepieces.

Consider the Waltz 1 also to be one of the most legible watches out there with polished steels hands on a silver dial. Carl Suchy & Sohne offers the Waltz No. 1 in other dial colors such as black, but I would advise you stay with a lighter-colored dial with these hands. The relatively matte finishing allows for impressive legibility at all angles. It helps that the hands are properly sized, and that the slightly curved sapphire crystal has good shape and decent AR coating.

Not everyone likes the Carl Suchy & Sohne logo – which I agree can look like that of a pompous (and private) bank. Though, that might actually be where the money came from to restart the brand. The logo appears again on the strap’s deployant clasp. Another small complaint is the intersection between the bezel and the crystal, which is marginally rough, and feels like it needs to be a bit smoother to the touch.

I very much like the fact that the brand chose to go with a strap end that is curved to better sit right next to the case. This is part of the tight design integration I was referring to above. With that said, this does make for one drawback with the watch. The strap itself is black leather and of a really high quality with an inner and out layer and quality stitching. The 20mm strap width feels ideal as well. I will say that the black strap is very basic in style, so that means you might want to swap it out later. That is possible, but remember that you need a special curved strap. The Waltz No. 1 lugs look great being so short, but it also means that straps must be fitted to work with this case.

Carl Suchy & Sohne has offered up something special with the Waltz No. 1. No, it isn’t the cheapest dress watch around, but it does have a lot of the right components and the design is of a great quality. Little things like the quality of the hands and integration of case parts can and will be smoothed. I really like that I can talk about a minimalist dress watch that isn’t actually just simple and boring. True minimalism should offer you plenty to talk about. So let me be cliche and suggest that one good dance deserves another and I look forward to seeing where Carl Suchy & Sohne go next. For now the Waltz No. 1 is a great option if you are looking for something that will go with a suit, but also work well as formal wrist statement that matches with more casual wardrobe items. Price for the Carl Suchy & Sohne Waltz No. 1 watch is 8,500 CHF. carlsuchy.com

Necessary Data
>Brand: Carl Suchy & Sohne
>Model: Waltz No. 1 (natural steel case and silver dial as tested)
>Price: 8,500 CHF
>Size: 41.5mm wide
>Would reviewer personally wear it: Yes.
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Design and architecture aficionado looking for a contemporary dress watch to match their lifestyle.
>Best characteristic of watch: Excellent use of minimalist design lessons to create a contemporary, formal timepiece that is both attractive and distinctive. Great subsidiary seconds disc design.
>Worst characteristic of watch: “Collector watch” pricing makes sense because of the production pedigree, but will keep the watch out of many otherwise willing hands (wrists). Logo isn’t to everyone’s taste. Hand quality upon very close inspection could be a bit more crisp. Strap is pleasant but uninspired – replacing it could be a challenge.