Scwarz Etienne releases enhances their 1902 Small Seconds collection with a new model using a power reserve complication. Introducing the 1902 Réserve de Marche.
Press Release information with commentary in italics.
New: Schwarz Etienne 1902 Réserve de Marche
The Schwarz Etienne 1902 Réserve de Marche retails at EUR 19,500 before taxes. Available in two dial colour options – in gold or silver.
Commentary
Schwarz Etienne’s 1902 collection is one which harkens to its glory days. The company was founded in 1902 by Paul Arthur Schwarz and his wife Olga Etienne. The company name is an amalgam of the founders’ surnames. This family business, founded in La Chaux-de-Fonds in the canton of Neuchâtel, began life as a manufacturer of mechanical movements. in 2007, the company was acquired by Raffaello Radicchi, a local entrepreneur with a passion for watchmaking. His arrival signalled the dawn of a new era with the company focussing its efforts on making exceptional watches as well as movements. We covered the Chopin Opus 10 No 12, which was a watch made in collaboration with the Frederic Chopin Institute bearing the name of the famous composer. And also the Geometry Cherry in 2024. Both are interesting watches.
So when they release a complication model to the 1902 collection, we take this closer look. The watch is offered in two dial options, one in a 4N gold colour and the other in silver. The design of the dial is very classical, with the traditional hour and minute hands mounted in the center, with a subsidiary seconds hand at 6 o’clock. A large quardrant arc is displayed between 12 and 3 o’clock, intersecting with the hour chapter ring to show the power reserve. The power reserve is displayed as fractions of remaining power from 1/1 to 0. The chapter ring is stepped slightly higher then the center, and the subsidiary seconds sub-dial sunken. A silver minute railway track lies on the periphery. Hour markers are bars for 5 and 7, a triangle for 9 and a wide trapezoid split in the middle for 12. the markers for 4, 8, 19,11 are arabic numerals. The dial looks asymmetric due to this unusual layout, but is very aesthetically pleasing.
The movement is the MSE 311.00, which is hand wound with double barrels giving 120 hours of autonomy. Movement finishing looks quite good from our examination of the high resolution release photographs, and with our own hands on experience with the Chopin watch.
Release details
SCHWARZ ETIENNE continues to chart its path in the world of fine watchmaking with the 1902 RÉSERVE DE MARCHE, a timepiece that captures the light and reflects a deeply personal connection to time. With its power reserve indicator positioned to the front, the wearer is reminded when it is necessary to wind the watch, a daily ritual beloved by purists. A defining creation within the 1902 collection, offered in two luminous and refined shades – Silver or 4N Gold colour – it embodies the independent spirit of a Manufacture that has remained uninterrupted since the year it was founded.
Mastering time: a movement of distinction
SCHWARZ ETIENNE celebrates the power reserve, not merely as a technical indication, but as a subtle dialogue between energy and time. It embodies a profoundly personal relationship between the wearer and mechanism, a heightened awareness of passing hours and the energy that remains to be given. The power reserve indicator serves as an aide-memoire, reminding the wearer to pause, momentarily escape the frenetic pace of daily life, and spend a few seconds manually energising the mainsprings.
Entirely conceived, developed and crafted in the SCHWARZ ETIENNE workshops in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the 1902 RÉSERVE DE MARCHE captures the delicate balance between watchmaking mastery and enduring elegance. Inspired by the great tradition of pocket watches, its hand-wound movement pays tribute to the noblest roots of fine watchmaking. The MSE 311.00 calibre owes its exceptional 120-hour chronometric autonomy to a reworked balance, designed to optimise the performance of its two barrels, mounted in parallel. Every detail of its construction speaks to an uncompromising pursuit of excellence: six bridges with hand-polished angles, concave jewel countersinks and a finely sandblasted mainplate, finished with rhodium plating.
Straight Côtes de Genève, lend the movement a crisp, distinctive visual identity defined by purity and discipline. The power reserve indicator serves as an aide-memoire, reminding the wearer to pause, momentarily escape the frenetic pace of daily life, and spend a few seconds manually energising the mainsprings. A true sculpture in motion, this calibre is the embodiment of SCHWARZ ETIENNE’s expertise, where artisanal emotion meets technical mastery.
Harmonious design, a bold signature
The dial reveals the watch’s full balance, a subtle yet confident aesthetic that draws on the brand’s heritage. This singular approach takes inspiration from Villa Sonnenheim, the historic residence built in 1910 by Léon Boillot and now home to the Manufacture. A listed landmark, it captures timeless elegance and echoes the spirit of SCHWARZ ETIENNE: a living bridge between cultural legacy and watchmaking excellence.
At the centre of the dial, a delicately grained texture plays host to polished rhodium-plated indexes. These play a deferential role to the timepiece’s principal complication. Available in two refined tones, silver and 4N gold colours, the dial is enlivened by an opaline ring, with black printed numerals in subtle relief, lending acontemporary note to a design rooted in tradition. A crisp minute track providesbalance and structure. As a signature of the 1902 collection, launched in 2025, itorchestrates timekeeping with poise. Each finish adds depth and character, crownedby diamond-cut rings, the ultimate mark of sophistication. The lancine-style hands, atribute to the brand’s legacy, alternate sandblasted and polished faces, engagingwith the domed indexes in a subtle play of light.
In the upper-right quadrant, the power reserve indicator asserts itself naturally as the focal point of the dial. Its thoughtful integration reflects the precision of the in-house design team, true instigators of the independent spirit cultivated by SCHWARZ ETIENNE. Its spiral-patterned centre opens onto a contrasting white display zone, highlighted by a black track, expressing meaning in an intuitive and highly refined form. Opposite, the small seconds at 6 o’clock animates the lower part of the dial with refined simplicity. Its snailed finish is enhanced by a diamond-cut ring and double transfer, ensuring perfect legibility
A union of craft and contemporary elegance
The 1902 RÉSERVE DE MARCHE is housed in a 39 mm case formed of Grade 5 titanium. It is an exemplar of contemporary watchmaking, combining balanced proportions, comfort and boldness. With its smooth yet taut lines, alternating polished and satin-brushed surfaces, the case exudes both fluidity and character. The crown, engraved with the SCHWARZ ETIENNE logo, and the elegant curve of the lugs enhance the overall sense of harmony and refinement. Every detail reflects a century of craftsmanship, sustained by a fully integrated production process.
Designed for both men and women, this creation is the result of meticulous care, guided by passion and unwavering standards. The watch is presented on a rubber-lined alligator strap, available in a choice of colours. A Grade 5 titanium pin buckle secures the watch to the wrist, completing the elegant ensemble.
Schwarz Etienne 1902 Réserve de Marche Specifications
Collection 1902 RÉSERVE DE MARCHE
Reference : WCL39RDMMSE34TICUARD / WCL39RDMMSE16TICUARD
Functions : Hours, minutes * Small seconds at 6 o’clock * Power reserve indicator at 2 o’clock
Movement : Manufacture manual with twin barrels MSE 311.00 * Stop-seconds * Components : 182 * Jewels : 35 * Mainplate : sandblasted, rhodium treatment, polished bevels, tone-on-tone engraving * Bridges : straight Côtes de Genève * Ratchet wheels : diamond drop and satin brushing * Power reserve: 120 hours * Frequency: 3 HZ (21’600 Alt/h)
Case : Titanium (39 mm) * Height : 10.90 mm * Water resistance : 5 ATM / 50 m
Dial: gold 4N colour / Silver colour * Schwarz Etienne polished applique
Hands: Lancine-style hour and minute hands in silver
Strap & Buckle: Brown alligator strap with black rubber lining * Titanium pin buckle with Schwarz Etienne logo
