Moritz Grossmann

Grail Watch 9.1: Moritz Grossmann × Kari Voutilainen Benu 37 Stainless Steel ‘German Silver’

$35,300.00
Our latest Grail Watch sees us return to Germany’s watchmaking heartland, Glashütte, and the expert watchmakers at Moritz Grossman. We are following on from the phenomenally popular ‘Silver Bullet’, the Moritz Grossman x Kari Voutilainen Benu 37 ‘German Silver’. The moniker for this elegant watch comes from the dial, which is made from the durable alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc known as maillechort, or German Silver in English. German Silver is remarkable in that it will softly patina over time, meaning that these 20 pieces, which began life as identical watches, will evolve into pièces unique, thanks to the soft honey patina of aged maillechort. The material isn’t the only thing that makes these dials remarkable. They’ve been crafted on vintage rose engine machines at Kari Voutilainen’s dial factory, Comblémine.
To complement the dials, the manually winding caliber of this watch boasts a soft frosted finish, hand bevels and hand-engraved details. While the earlier ‘Silver Bullet’ was cased in white gold, this ‘German Silver’ model features a hardy stainless steel. The Benu model was first launched in 2010 and, with its in-house movement, is a foundational watch for the Mortiz Grossman of today. This exceptional timepiece is produced in a very limited run of 20 pieces.

Specifications
Movement: Manual winding caliber 102.1; 48-hour power reserve

Functions: Hours, minutes and small seconds
Case: 37mm; Stainless Steel 
Dial: Guilloché à main on German silver; applied hour markers and Breguet numerals
Strap: Kudu leather strap, with an additional hand-stitched Taupe Epsom leather strap custom made with purple stitches, by Delugs
Availability: Limited edition of 20 pieces

Breitling is regarded as being one of the preeminent brands for aviator watches, having been of the first watch companies to feature a slide rule on the dial of a chronograph. They first did this in the early 1940s on the Chronomat. The Navitimer was launched in 1952 and for years was the most important watch in its line-up. Still today, the Navitimer is used as a navigational aide by pilots and the watch has become a classic piece for chrono collectors. This is a special reference 815 known as the ‘LONG PLAYING’ STOCKHOLM CHRONOMETER’ TILLHÖR TELEVERKET’ for the Swedish telephone company.

A Dial of Dreams

Not only does the German silver dial promise to develop a distinctive personality of its own over time, but thanks to the complex array of guilloché techniques, it’s a dial that demonstrates just how impressive the vast array of vintage rose engine machines at Kari Voutilainen’s dial factory, Comblémine actually are. The applied hour markers and Breguet-style numerals at 9, 12 and 3 are the finishing touches on this very special dial.

German Engineering

Powered by the manual-winding caliber 102.1, this watch exemplifies everything that makes German watchmaking so special. The strong three-fifths plate is traditionally German, as is the hand-engraved escape wheel and balance cock with heat-purpled screws.

Making a Case for Perfection

Our latest limited edition is based on the Moritz Grossman Benu — a model first launched in 2010, and one which upholds the values of classical watchmaking. Not only is the silhouette flawlessly smooth, but the overall case width of 37mm is perfect for modern sensibilities.

Comfort and Style

Given that the German silver dial will change over time, it’s only fitting to add a strap to match. The soft brown Kudu leather strap is supple and instantly comfortable, with a worn-in patina that makes this watch feel right at home on the wrist.