Habring2’s Doppel3
In-house movements have been a hot topic as of late, especially from non-Swiss countries. The latest news (no, not Bremont) comes out of Austria. That’s right, Austria. Just like Christopher Ward, Habring2’s dynamic duo, Maria and Richard Habring are marking their 10th anniversary with an in-house movement.
If you’re unfamiliar with Habring2, you may recognize a certain innovation from master watchmaker, Richard Habring. He’s the brains behind IWC’s Doppelchronograph, which has become one of the highlights of his new brand. Since their launch, Habring has only improved upon the Doppel, as it’s now on its third iteration. Until now, the Habring2 line has relied on ETA movements, which makes the recent news from the five-person operation even more impressive.
A11 Manual Wound Movement
The new movement, dubbed the A11, is likely the first to be designed, manufactured, and assembled in Austria. According to Habring2, the A11 will be a manual wound movement with a sub-seconds dial at the 9:00 position. At 30-millimeters wide and 4.2-millimeters thick, we’ve confidence Habring2 can not only power proper, classically sized watches, but also leave enough room to build modules on top. Although they’ll utilize Carl Haas hairsprings, Habring2 will be making their own escapement in-house – by hand! This, of course, is in addition to hand finishing of the bridges, plates and other embellishments. Rounding off the movement stats is a solid 48-hour power reserve, nearly enough juice to get you through a whole weekend.
Habring2 has made it clear this initiative isn’t just to bolster their catalog, but also to create jobs. They plan to use the power of humans, versus machines, and increase their already dominant watchmaking prowess within Austrian borders. They currently have the largest watchmaking apprenticeship program in Austria, and as you can imagine, this undertaking will only serve to strengthen that position. It’s quite refreshing to see a brand take on more than a healthy balance sheet. Hopefully other watchmakers will take note and follow suit, or at least feel a bit guilty – we have to start somewhere.
It appears we’ll learn a lot more on September 16th, when Habring2 reveals the A11 fully, and likely in an inaugural timepiece. After that, you can expect their in-house escapement to find its way in to every Habring2 watch. We’re damned excited for this innovation, as we’ve long considered Habring2 a great value, and an underrated watchmaker. Here’s to hoping for a successful launch and a deserved increase in notoriety.
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