Habring² x Massena LAB
Habring² was founded by husband and wife duo Richard and Maria Habring, creators of relatively under-the-radar watches from the small town of Völkermarkt, Austria. Richard Habring is known for developing several notable complications during his formative years at IWC, including the split-second Doppelchronograph. The timepieces that leave the Austrian manufacture are known for being attractively priced and cleverly constructed complications.
This piece is the result of a collaboration between Habring² and Massena LAB, founded by William Massena. Massena is a veteran of the watch industry, having been a retailer in Miami and New York City, before acting as the Chief Operating Officer of Antiquorum in Geneva. Respected by his peers, he's also served as the Managing Director at Timezone and is a jury member of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.
Known for his long-standing passion for watches, the creation of Massena LAB was his way of supporting and collaborating with some of the artisanal, independent watchmakers that he admires. As such, he chose to work with Richard and Maria Habring on a small number of pieces, combining their horological skill with his experience as a long-standing admirer and collector of independant and vintage watches.
The Erwin LAB01
Produced as a limited series of 50 pieces, all of which were individually numbered, the Erwin Lab01 combines a bronze case with an attractive, glossy black sector dial. The overall aesthetic is reminiscent of vintage, Calatrava style watches from the '30s, with the bronze case and black dial bringing a more contemporary dimension to the overall design. In recent times, bronze cases have been chosen by several watchmakers because of the unique way in which they develop patina, soon after they are exposed to the elements.
The dial features a sector layout, with closed concentric circles segmenting it throughout. The gilt style printing echoes the tone of the case, whilst also effectively contrasting with the black backdrop. As for the raised hour markers, these are slightly recessed, adding an interesting level of depth to the smoothness of the lacquer finish. The leaf hands are gold-plated brass, matching the numerals.
The 38.5mm case takes its aesthetic cues from early 20th century wristwatches, most notably those from Patek Philippe. It features a stepped bezel and springbar holes on the side of the case. The oversized crown once again acts as a nod towards vintage pieces, whilst also helping with winding and setting the watch. The watch is fitted with sapphire glass, coated with anti-glare, on both sides, allowing admiration of both the dial and movement. An engraved "1X/50" serial number can be seen on the caseback.
The Movement
This Erwin LAB 01 is powered by the Habring² A11MS movement, which is entirely developed, manufactured and assembled in Austria. The architecture of the movement is based on the Valijoux 7750, though the display-back reveals many technical and aesthetic refinements applied by Richard and Maria Habring.
The key feature is the patented, deadbeat seconds mechanism, which ticks in one-second steps, driven by a gilded wheel and click-spring, visible in the centre of the movement. It features 21 jewels, an amagnetic escapement with Carl Haas balance spring and KIF shock-proofing, beating at a rate of 28,800 vph, with a 48-hour power reserve.
The Set
This Erwin LAB01 is accompanied by its pine box and papers, alongside its Italian-made grained leather strap in tan and bronze buckle. It also comes with one of our taupe grained leather Zürich straps.