Moritz Grossmann Hamatic vs. Power Reserve Vintage

sham1 · 2019-07-22T23:36:05Z

Explore Moritz Grossmann's 2019 Hamatic and Power Reserve Vintage. Compare hammer winding, vintage logos, and unique hands in this independent watch review.

sham1

WPS member · Independents forum

25 replies3757 views6 photos

Sham1's post, "Grossmann v Grossmann," offers a detailed comparison of two significant Moritz Grossmann releases from 2019: the Hamatic and the Power Reserve Vintage. This piece provides an insightful look into the brand's innovative approach to automatic movements and its aesthetic evolution, particularly regarding the use of vintage logos and unique hand designs.

This year I have been impressed with two watches launched by the under rated Glashutte brand, Moritz Grossmann. Both are 41mm in diameter and share a similar case but that is as far as the similarities go. The Hamatic launched a couple of months ago in Moritz Grossmann's Hong Kong road show is the brand's first foray into automatic watches and unlike other brands that use the recognisable rotor or semi rotor to power the watch, the Hamatic utilises an unusual 'hammer winding mechanism that relies on a pendulum to wind the mainspring. This was used in the late 18th century and even adopted by the great Abraham Louis Breguet in his perpetualle watch.

The Power Reserve Vintage was launched at the London Road show this month and is a slightly different take on the Benu Power Reserrve. The brand's logo from 1875 has been used which if I may say looks more attractive than the company's current logo. The power indicator is now in blue instead of red while the hands are identical to the Hamatic measuring just 0.1mm wide at their narrowest and the second hand measures 0.05mm which is pretty remarkable. I love the hands as I am most fortunate to have a piece unique from the 10th anniversary collection and these two new offerings have used the same hands.

I think the logo on the Power Reserve Vintage would look great on the Hamatic and if Moritz Grossmann chose to make the dial in grand feu enamel, the watches would be hard to beat.

The Hamatic - elegance personified

The gorgeous Hamatic movement

The Power Reserve Vintage - Beautiful in rose gold with the vintage logo

I am not sure if I prefer the power reserve indicator in red or blue. What beautiful hands!!

The power reserve movement

My anniversary piece unique in 37mm

Key Points from the Discussion

The Hamatic's hammer winding mechanism is a unique and beautiful movement architecture, prompting curiosity about its pros and cons compared to traditional rotors.
The hammer/pendulum movement is likely more difficult to construct and perfect, which may explain why it hasn't become a standard in automatic watches, despite its aesthetic appeal over traditional rotors.
Micro-rotors, while aesthetically pleasing, often lack sufficient weight to reliably power a movement, leading many manufacturers to prefer the reliability of semi-rotor movements.
The vintage Moritz Grossmann logo is highly praised, with a suggestion that the brand should incorporate it across its entire collection.
The maroon color of the heat-blued steel hands on the manual wind model is noted as particularly difficult to achieve, highlighting the brand's craftsmanship.
The original author's 10th-anniversary piece unique is highly admired, with one contributor expressing a preference for it above the new releases.

The Discussion

sham1

Jul 23, 2019

thanks to the movement and classic elegant dial.

sham1

Jul 23, 2019

I hope Moritz Grossmann will issue such a watch one day!

mahesh

Jul 23, 2019

of course the movement too....personally i like the white gold, old logo & the grained dial. thanks for sharing ! Best, mahesh.,

sham1

Jul 23, 2019

why no manufacturer has introduced this alternative of the automatic movement because it looks so much more attractive than one with a rotor, even a mini rotor and I am including Laurent Ferrier's galet micro rotor too

sham1

Jul 23, 2019

It would be great if Moritz Grossmann incorporate the vintage logo to their entire collection. Perhaps they are using the Power Reserve Vintage as a test bed for this idea!

sham1

Jul 23, 2019

Correct me if I am wrong but are the the skeletonised ones with the 'B' incorporated in the rotor?

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Moritz Grossmann Hamatic vs. Power Reserve Vintage

Key Points from the Discussion

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