Independents

The top plate could be opened up to a greater extent...

 

...possibly at additional cost to the customer.  Richard and Maria have certainly heard this comment about the top plate before from me, and others.  The fascinating motion of the jumping seconds mechanism in my case (I own the jump seconds with A07M movement) creates a desire to see more of what's going on "under there," so I can understand your comments.  You can read some of my initial thoughts about the Habring² I own by clicking here.

In my opinion, the qualities that make a Habring² compelling are not related to decoration or finishing.  If you are the type of enthusiast who only wants high-finished watches in your collection, likely a Habring² is not the best choice for you.  However, if you are looking for a timepiece with good value and price-to-finishing ratio (with more of a functional aesthetic as opposed to a decorative one) then a Habring² is an excellent choice IMO.  Accuracy of my timepiece is excellent and well within COSC specs last time I checked (when the watch went to the local watchmaker this year for its annual water tightness check).  The fit and functionality of a Habring² timepiece, based on my experience is fantastic.  I ogle the beautifully blued second hand on my watch for minutes on end, and smile at the way the second hand hits each of the indexes dead-on -- not slightly ahead or behind each indicator, but right on it.  Talk about mesmerizing.

In many ways, buying from an Independent is a leap of faith.  It is often a vote of confidence in a watch you've never touched, bought from a person you've never met.  It takes some gumption to pull the trigger under those circumstances, so as the saying goes, "don't just buy the watch, buy the watchmaker."   In the case of Richard and Maria Habring, I feel very comfortable, "buying the watchmaker."  I'm very happy with my Habring², and look forward to working with the Habrings again.  If you want to do some comparison shopping in the realm of entry-level pricepoint Independents check out the MIH watch and the 99.1 or Central Seconds from Dornblueth (those are my two favorite models from their atelier). 

Good luck with your search.  I hope you will be as happy with your choice -- whatever it may be, as I've been with mine.

Uncased A07M movement.  You'll notice in later versions, like on my watch, the balance cock is skeletonized.

A wrist shot taken in my garden under natural afternoon light.  You can see how the light affects the satine circulaire and the vertical satination in the dial's center differently.  The highlight of my watch is the traditionally blued second hand.  The overall result is a watch of incredible legibility.  Pure, unadulterated functionality.  I think it is simple, and beautiful.

The stepped bezel is a nice detail, and I love the naturally flowing lugs.

The crown is nicely sized and comfortably fluted.  The sapphire crystal is very slightly domed.  The case is beefy and solid.

You can see the jumping seconds mechanism through the port hole on the top plate.  The watch has an industrial feel to it.  I enjoy that aesthetic.  It comes across as a real MACHINE.

Clean, simple, and nice.  Nothing overly decorated here.

Excuse the dust on the display back.  In this photo and the next you can get an idea of how the perlage contrasts with the brushed finish.

The slight curve of the hands is charming and aids in accurate reading of the time.

Printing is clean, sharp; and the indices/numerals are nicely polished.

Cheers,
Daos