In 2023, Andreas Strehler opened a new chapter in his watchmaking journey with the launch of Strehler, a dedicated brand designed to bring his uncompromising independent approach to a broader audience through more accessible, serial-production timepieces.
Following the debut of the Sirna — a refined three-hand “daily wearer” named after the town of Sirnach — the collection now expands into complication territory with its second release: the Säntis.
While its predecessor drew inspiration from the workshop’s location, this new worldtimer takes its name from the Säntis, the highest peak in the Appenzell Alps overlooking the Strehler atelier.
Andreas Strehler is not new to the world time complication, having previously explored it in the Sauterelle Heure Mondiale with a distinctive and unconventional display. For the Säntis, however, the watchmaker adopts a more classical Louis Cottier-style layout.
Prioritising both aesthetic clarity and ease of use, the complication is operated entirely via a single crown, eliminating the need for additional pushers and preserving the case’s clean lines.
Crafted from stainless steel and manufactured in-house — as is the entire watch with the exception of the strap — the 40 mm case has a thickness of just 9.7 mm, ensuring a slim profile on the wrist.
Water resistance is rated at 3 ATM (30 metres / 100 feet).
Operation of the three-position crown is straightforward:
- In the neutral position, close to the case, it is used for winding.
- Pulled out to the first position, rotating it clockwise adjusts the city ring, while turning it anti-clockwise adjusts the 24-hour ring.
- Pulled out to the third position, it sets the hours and minutes, while driving the 24-hour ring in synchrony.
The titanium dial features a three-dimensional surface that interacts with light from different angles, creating a structured, textured appearance.
Its pattern is derived from the one developed with watch designer Eric Giroud for the Sirna, here slightly revised. Each dial is individually machined and engraved rather than stamped, then hand-polished.
The 24-hour ring is divided into shaded segments indicating day and night. Rotating once every 24 hours, it aligns with the city ring to show the corresponding time zone at a glance.
The fixed outer city ring displays 24 time zones, with Central European Time indicated by the Strehler name. The images shown feature a temporary city ring, and elements such as the Helsinki marker and DST indications will be corrected in the final production series.
Cities observing daylight saving time are marked with a sun symbol.
For improved legibility in low-light conditions, both the city ring and the 24-hour ring feature luminous printing, while the outer minute track includes luminescent dots at selected intervals.
The anodised titanium central dial, minute ring, and crown are offered in a selection of 20 colours, with the option of a uniform colour across all three elements. City customisation is not available.
The steel hands, also manufactured in-house, are curved and hand-polished, with twin luminescent arrow-shaped tips. Their design recalls the hands used on the Sauterelle Lune Exacte by Andreas Strehler.
Visible through the sapphire caseback, the automatic movement is based on the Strehler Sirna calibre, the SA-30 time-only movement.
Entirely developed and manufactured in-house, it is here enhanced with a world-time mechanism to display multiple time zones.
This additional module comprises 41 extra components, bringing the total to 224 parts. The SA-30W is regulated by a Strehler Swiss lever escapement and a free-sprung balance beating at a frequency of 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour), with a power reserve of 60 hours.
The movement features polished chamfers, circular Geneva stripes, and grained wheels. The bridges and the skeletonised 18k gold rotor follow the curvature of the case.
Paired with a calfskin leather strap secured by a steel pin buckle, the new Strehler Säntis is priced at CHF 24,750 excluding taxes. strehler.watch
COMMENTS