Habring²: Early Models and In-House Complications

Ornatus-Mundi · 2012-04-06T07:07:04Z

Explore Habring²'s watchmaking philosophy and early models, including the 'Time Only' and Regatta, with insights into their movement modifications and in-house complications.

Ornatus-Mundi

WPS member · Independents forum

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Ornatus-Mundi offers an exclusive look into Habring², an independent Austrian watchmaker. This installment, part of a multi-part series, delves into the brand's foundational philosophy and the evolution of its timepieces, from early outsourced movements to their distinctive in-house complications. Readers gain insight into the brand's commitment to everyday usability, longevity, and value.

Dear All:

following the introduction to country and the atelier in my previous posts in this series (part 1 and part 2 ) I now like to come to the core of any watch manufacturer, the watches themselves:

We picked an excellent day to stay inside and examine the watches, the weather was rather dull and uninviting.

Richard was up early and prepared the plans, parts and machinery.

To understand why Maria and Richard embarked onto the Habring² adventure one has to understand their very own criteria towards watchmaking, namely:

suitability for everyday use
longevity
controlled quality
customer orientation
choice and value-for-money
positive eco-balance etc.

When trying to mirror these criteria with the concepts their respective employers were referencing to it was clear to the Habrings that only an own watchmaking atelier, producing watches under their own name and after their own design, would bear promise to transform their ideas into reality. In 2004, the first watch, called 'Time Only', saw the light of the watch world:

It was a simple three hand watch, made in Austria, with an ETA-UNITAS based movement inside. The case was 42mm crafted in stainless steel, as were all Habring² watches at this time. The design was classic as this was considered a prerequisite for (aesthetical) longevity.

In the those early Habring² days, movements were mostly outsourced, some of them vintage calibres like the famous Chezard Jumping Seconds, UNITAS 6894 or ETA-Valjoux chronograph movements. Richard and Maria have always been open in regard to their suppliers, which include ETA SA and Soprod (for movement (or parts thereof)), Fricker (cases) or Cador for dials.

Several of the base movement were modified. The UNITAS movement for example featured a modified balance cock to facilitate the incorporation of a tourbillon at a later stage if the owner desires (more about this in Part 3b). Or take the Regatta watch, a regatta timer based upon the ETA 7750 movement.

It features a 15min countdown timer and was originally developed as a consultancy project:

I choose this watch as the entry point as it highlights several of the defining details for Habring² watches, e.g. a wide choice of colours, parallel brushing in the center and circular brushing in the outer part as well as finely applied numerals...

... and the versatile classic 42mm case:

Driven by the desire to strengthen their watchmaking identity, facilitate implementation of their creativity and gain as much self-sufficiency as possible, the two subsequently ventured into developing an in-house movement as a basis upon which a vast number of complications can be built. Literally, as the base movement can be ordered as houndwound or automatic movement (it can even later be changed from automatic to handwound or vice-versa!) with or without additional complications.

Complications can be added at any time right from the start or later after several years. This was one of the main criteria the Habrings wanted to achieve: a watch that could grow with the owner and accompany him/her throughout a lifetime. Speak about sustainability!

Furthermore, such a modular construction system would be essential for such a small workshop in order to offer a broad range of watches while keeping resource requirements and costs in check.

Its a win-win concept for both manufacturer and consumer, and at the same time is true to an ancient relationship between client and watchmaker:

"These values were quite commonplace when the production of wearable, mechanical watches first commenced. In the times of Abraham Louis Breguet and his contemporary and employee Joseph Thaddäus Winnerl, a Styrian by birth, one would go to the watchmaker and have a watch made to the stipulated requirements. Then, the craftsman first devised the desired product and assembled it to some extent over years of detail work, vigorously supported by his helpers, into a functioning ensemble." [Press Kit]

To present all different models at once, and explaining (some of) the technical concepts behind them, certainly would be an overkill. Therefore, I split this post in two installments:

Post 3a:

Regatta watch (see above!)
Handwound and automatic watch
Jumping Seconds
Ladies watch

Post 3b:

COS Chronograph
Doppel 2.0
Foudroyante
Tourbillons

Post 3b will be published sometime after the Easter days.

This message has been edited by Magnus Bosse on 2012-04-28 04:46:18

Key Points from the Discussion

Habring²'s dead-beat (jumping seconds) complication is notable for its minimal parts, requiring only about a dozen components to add to an existing movement, which is significantly fewer than other dead-beat watches on the market.
The first in-house Habring² watches, dating back to 2009, feature a manufacture movement based on the ETA-Valgranges train gear with in-house bridges, available in both hand-wound and automatic versions.
Habring²'s jumping seconds mechanism was successfully adapted for the Erwin Sattler Regulator watch, celebrating the clock manufacturer's 50th anniversary, demonstrating the versatility and quality of their in-house complication.
Habring² introduced a smaller 36mm case option for their manufacture movements, catering to smaller wrists and offering Time Only, Time Only Date, or Time Only Jumping Seconds variants, exclusively with manual-wound movements due to size constraints.
The Habring² dead seconds complication is praised for its precise and clean jump, landing exactly on the minute indicator, a quality not all dead seconds watches achieve. The A07M movement is also noted for its precision.
A collector shares images of their Chezard 116, a vintage movement known for its jumping seconds, providing a comparative visual to Habring²'s modern interpretation.

The Discussion

Ornatus-Mundi

Apr 6, 2012

The first of the in-house Habring 2 watches dates back to 2009 and features a manufactory movement based on the ETA -„Valgranges“ train gear, with bridges from in-house production. It can be had in either a handwound or an automatic version. Time Only Handwound The 'Time Only' comes with the typical 42mm case, here a ladies' version: The small seconds hand has moved from the 6 to the 9 o'clock position. The case is a bit conventional but is timeless and fits the overall design of the watch very

Ornatus-Mundi

Apr 6, 2012

This watch really shows what Habring 2 can deliver! A dead-beat (or jumping seconds) watch with as little parts a possible, easily added to an existing movement. It adds only a mere dozen parts (compare this to other existing dead-beat watches on the market!)! The complication adds a central jumping seconds hand to the movement. On the back side there is little to see at the first view, except for a tiny little window on the top bridge: The entire construction can be admired once the top plate i

Ornatus-Mundi

Apr 6, 2012

Lastly I'd like to present the new, smaller case Habring 2 offer. Catering both for female wrists as well as for people with smaller wrists, Maria and Richard decided to offer their manufacture movement in a 36mm (compared to the normal 42mm) case. For reasons of dimensions only manual-wound movements are available, but can be had as a Time Only, Time Only Date or Time Only Jumping Seconds. The first and the last are shown here: The 'Little' Time Only is the essential small Habring 2 watch. The

playtime

Apr 6, 2012

Am quite a fan of their watches--so much so that at time i am afraid to wear what i own! LOL! Looking forward to part 3b.. Jason

playtime

Apr 6, 2012

Thought I'd share a pic of my Chezard 116

Pulli

Apr 6, 2012

Magnus....this has been a great series of posts about Habring2.

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