For Moritz Grossmann’s 200th birthday
The finest German craftsmanship reinterpreted: the TREMBLAGE Gold anniversary edition with exclusive, hand-engraved dials in solid gold
The year 2026 is a special one for the Moritz Grossmann manufactory in Glashütte, as its founder and namesake was born on 27 March 1826 – exactly 200 years ago. Not only does he continue to shape the present-day watch brand, he also influenced the craft of watchmaking and the fate of his hometown, Glashütte. This is because Moritz Grossmann was a genius watchmaker and ambitious scientist, profound author, initiator of the German Watchmaking School in Glashütte and personality who set much in motion.
For the manufactory, Moritz Grossmann’s 200th birthday is a fitting occasion for a series of special models. These anniversary watches unite the founder’s cutting-edge ideas with the modern watchmaking craft. They reinterpret his legacy, and not by imitating historical concepts. Rather, they represent the creative, ongoing development of Moritz Grossmann’s innovations.
In keeping with his spirit, the watches feature modern manufacturing methods to achieve technological perfection and exceptional aesthetics, both of which were ambitions of the founder. The manufactory today realises his visions with soul and passion, making it one of a small number of watchmakers globally which master every detail of the time-honoured craft and breathe new life into it.
TREMBLAGE Gold: special anniversary edition
As the second special edition for Moritz Grossmann’s 200th birthday, two limited edition TREMBLAGE Gold models are being released: one with a rose gold case and the other with a platinum case. Both models feature a 750/000 rose gold dial made out of a solid gold disc, which the scales, numerals and typography are then cut from.
The vintage ‘M. GROSSMANN’ logo, appearing as it did in 1875, is created the same way as a reference to the anniversary. To create the sculptural effect, the dial’s background is hand-worked using an engraving technique that has been passed down over time.
The movement offers another nod to the special anniversary, with a balance cock bearing the engraving ‘1826’, the year of Moritz Grossmann’s birth.
Artistry on the dial
For Moritz Grossmann’s 200th birthday, a historical engraving technique is returning to the spotlight. It sees the dials of the TREMBLAGE Gold anniversary models – for the first time crafted from 750/000 solid rose gold – being designed using the engraving technique of the same name. It is a technique that the Moritz Grossmann manufactory has previously applied for different models.
Tremblage is a special form of engraving done by guiding a cutter by hand in tiny movements back and forth. These movements are what gave the technique its name as the French word ‘tremblant’ simply means ‘trembling’. However,
executing it successfully demands significant experience, as a more than 100-year-old manual for the special engraving craft attests: ‘A good deal of practice is needed to be able to do it evenly,’ the book says.
The evenness is what creates the desired appearance – a vibrant, textured and matt surface just like the ones that can be admired on the dials of Moritz Grossmann’s anniversary watches.
As befits the occasion, both are made of solid gold and hand-worked using a variety of cutters. It is work that takes many hours, and an engraver will spend multiple days on a single dial.
After receiving the tremblage engraving, the dial on the model with the rose gold case is given a black rhodium plating. The logo, numerals and second`s track are becoming more visible after their surface has been polished off. The dial on the platinum model, by contrast, is left in a more natural state, with a rose gold shimmer offering an appealing contrast to the white of the case
The finest mechanics the manufactory has to offer
Beneath the dial lies an extraordinarily sophisticated mechanism. If you turn the TREMBLAGE Gold model over, your gaze will be guided through the crystal case back to the hand-wound calibre 100.1. It is crafted in keeping with the old master’s spirit while also embracing his dedication to innovation and progress with newly developed details, including for example a newly engineered oscillator. The clever design of the Grossmann balance allows the moment of inertia to be optimally adjusted during its handcrafted manufacture and achieves high kinetic energy combined with minimised air resistance and the smallest possible mass. In addition to the carefully considered construction of the pillar movement, the elaborate finishing by hand on all components is simply fascinating.
Carrying on the founder’s tradition
The anniversary model is a direct reference to Moritz Grossmann’s ingenuity, with a movement featuring numerous details attributable to the manufactory’s founder.
His historical movements had quintessential characteristics such as a regulator index with a poising screw, a large balance wheel, applied screws and the straight cut of the three-quarter plate.
Other characteristic Grossmann features include the fine, handmade Benu hands made of solid rose gold or steel.
