Independent watchmaking supremo Andreas Strehler releases a second collection to his accessible brand which he calls Strehler. Introducing the Strehler Säntis Worldtimer.
Press Release information with commentary in italics. With additional information and photographs taken of the atelier in 2023.
New: Strehler Säntis
The Strehler Säntis has a retail price of CHF 24,750 before taxes.
Commentary
This second brand by Andreas Strehler is as interesting as his main brand, which bears his full name. So Strehler versus Andreas Strehler. The brand simply called Strehler and exemplifies Andreas’ thoughts on making his watches more accessible. He does not simply slap a case and dial design, powered by a third party movement like many others. For example the Gröne and Kurono Tokyo brands. Nor does he do a design and quality control but farms out the manufacture, like what Raúl Pàges does for the Massena Lab watches. A method which we fully support and can put our weight behind.
But Andreas has gone the whole hog. No compromises. Almost. The movement, the case, the dial and event he hands are manufactured in-house in his own facility in Sirnach. I have visited in 2023, and found the atelier to be fascinating. A wonderland of sorts.
So what’s the catch? The launch model, called Sirna and this novelty, called Säntis is not customisable. You get what is there. While watches under the Andreas Strehler brand is fully customisable. The reward is accessibility. The pricing of the Strehler watches to the main brand is significantly lower. This is Andreas passing down of cost savings that he is able to achieve with economies of scale, and the amortisation of the research and design costs over a larger base of watches produced. The final pricing, though lower than the main brand, is higher than those of the other second brands listed above, but Andreas maintain full control of every step. No compromises. Andreas style.
This novelty is a worldtimer. A functional complication in typical Strehler style. A watch which looks very good, and is easy to use. See the notes below in the release details for the operations. The dial features a Cottier style display, and in the middle, it carries a proprietary pattern derived from a design by Eric Giroud. This looks like a guilloché, but it is not. It is made by laser engraving. The dial starts as a titanium sheet. The dial and minute rings are first machined before being cut out of the plate with an erosion machine.
I have seen the manufacture of the same pattern for the Sirna using the same laser engraving machine. Laser engraving usually leaves blunt edges, as the heat from the laser ablation melts the edges of the pattern and reduces its perceived crispness. But in this dial, Andreas developed technique using a computer controlled laser at ultra low power. This ablates the surface a tiny amount each pass due to the low power. To create the dimensionality of the pattern and texture, multiple passes are required. The process of making batch of dials takes more 15 hours. The dials are then sandblasted and the top of the pattern is polished by hand. The minute ring is finished with circular graining. Once both parts are ready, they are anodised together with a matching crown insert.
As mentioned, the movement is designed and manufactured by Andreas. It is built over the C. SA-30 used in the time only Sirna, and modified for purpose as a world timer, and carries the designation C. SA-30W. This is a beautifully laid out movement with a central large rotor. Finishing from the release photographs, and my direct examination of the Sirna is excellent, and every bit as good and fine as any other high end watch.
The press release photographs carry this note: The pictures feature a temporary city ring. The Helsinki star is currently positioned incorrectly, the DST cities are not correct and will be adjusted in the final production series.
Release details
The world on your wrist
Three years ago, Andreas Strehler launched a new brand simply called Strehler. Through it, the independent watchmaker’s ethos is expressed in timepieces that are more accessible while staying true to his principles. A first model named Sirna was conceived as an essential time-only watch, distilling Andreas’ philosophy, watchmaking expertise, and uncompromising level of craftsmanship into a refined daily companion. For its second model, Strehler takes a natural next step into complication territory with a worldtimer named Säntis.
Just like for its very first model, the name of this elegant worldtimer is deeply connected to its roots. While Sirna was christened after Sirnach, the town where it is crafted, this new creation takes its name from the landscape that surrounds Strehler’s workshop, with a nearby mountain that is the culminating point of the Appenzell Alps: Säntis.
After his three-hand model, and while also fulfilling a request from a collector, Strehler chose to develop a complication that is close to his heart and that he had previously explored in the Sauterelle Heure Mondiale: the world time indication. With Säntis, the goal has been to create a world time watch that remains elegant, intuitive, and deeply personal — one that combines technical refinement, aesthetic restraint, and mechanical ingenuity.
World time is, by nature, a functional complication — simple, intuitive, and made for everyday usefulness. For Säntis, Strehler opted for a Cottier-style world time display. It is operated by a single crown, without the need for an additional crowns or additional pushers, to preserve the purity of its design while offering great simplicity of use.
Its stainless-steel case has been designed with elegance and functionality in mind. For optimal ergonomics, its single, three-positions crown allows seamless control of all watch functions. Its 40 mm diameter strikes a versatile balance, while its fluid, modern lines convey a timeless sophistication. Although a new mechanism was added, it retains a slim profile under 10 mm for wearability. Every contour has been carefully considered to combine practicality with aesthetic harmony, resulting in a watch that is as comfortable as it is visually refined.
The operation is straightforward:
- In the neutral position, close to the case, the crown allows winding.
- Pulled out to the first position, turning it in one direction (clockwise) adjusts the city ring, and in the other direction (anti-clockwise) adjusts the 24-hour ring.
- Pulled out to the third position, it sets the hours and minutes, while naturally driving the 24-hour ring in synchrony.
Crafted from titanium, the dial features a three-dimensional surface that beautifully catches light from different angles and providing a textured backdrop that draws the eye inward. Its distinctive pattern is derived from the one created with renowned watch designer Eric Giroud for Sirna but that has been slightly modified. It is not stamped but each single dial is individually machined and engraved before being meticulously hand-polished.
Surrounding it, the 24-hour ring is divided into shaded segments that mark day and night. Rotating once every 24 hours, it aligns with the city ring to indicate at a glance whether it is day or night in each time zone. Outside the hour ring, a fixed city ring lists 24 world time zones. Central European Time is marked not by a city but by the Strehler name. Last but not least, the cities that observe DST are highlighted by a sun symbol following their name. For optimal legibility in low light, both the city disc and the 24-hour disc feature luminous printing, while the minute track at the outermost edge of the dial incorporates luminescent dots at key intervals.
The anodized titanium central dial, minute ring, and crown are available in a curated palette of 20 colors to suit individual taste, with the option to select a single unified color for all three elements. City personalization is not possible.
Also crafted in-house, the steel curved hands are delicately hand-polished and feature twin luminescent arrow-shaped tips. Their shape is reminiscent of the hands present on the Sauterelle Lune Exacte from Andreas Strehler. Visible through the sapphire caseback, the automatic movement is based on the Strehler Sirna calibre, the SA-30 time only movement. Entirely developed and manufactured in-house, this time only movement is enhanced with a world-time mechanism to display multiple time zones. This additional module is composed of no fewer than 41 extra components for a total number of parts of 224. The SA-30W is regulated by a Strehler Swiss-lever escapement and a free-sprung balance beating at 21,600 vph. It offers a robust power reserve of 60 hours. Every detail of the finishing — polished chamfers, circular Geneva stripes, and grained wheels — enhances the movement’s architecture, with the bridges and skeletonized 18k gold rotor tracing circles that mirror the case’s curvature.
Crafted in brown calfskin leather, the strap of the Strehler Säntis is sublty textured and grained. A contrasting off-white stitching runs vertically along its edge, adding a distinctive signature. Alternative strap colors and material are available upon request. The steel pin buckle is also crafted in-house and its lines echo those of the case.
The Strehler Säntis is presented in a beechwood box. It comes with a cognac leather travel pouch. While not a limited edition, its availability is inherently constrained by the artisanal craftsmanship involved and the production capacity of the workshop since all the mechanical parts are crafted in house including cases, hands, dials andmovement components. With an estimated production of just 30 to 50 watches per year, shared between the Sirna and Säntis models.
Strehler Säntis Specifications
CASE Manufactured in-house * Material: Medical grade stainless steel * Diameter 40mm (47mm lug to lug) * Height 9.7mm * Crystal Anti reflective sapphire * Back secured by 4 screws with sapphire crystal * Water resistance of 30m.
DIAL & HANDS Manufactured in-house
Dial Titanium, machined, laser engraved, polished by hand and anodised – Proprietary pattern derived from a design by Eric Giroud – Circular-brushed stainless steel chapter ring – galvanized brass 24-hour ring with day-night indication – Anodized titanium minute track ring with luminous dots Hands Hand-polished faceted stainless steel tipped with white * SuperLuminova C1 BL X1 with blue luminescence
MOVEMENT Manufactured in-house * Calibre SA-30W Automatic mechanical movement * Dimensions 30 mm * Height 5,05mm * Parts 224 * Jewels 30 * Power Reserve min 60 hours * Escapement Strehler Swiss Lever escapement with free sprung balance using 4 regulating screws * 21,600 bph * Functions Hours, minutes and world time with day-night indication * Rotor 18k gold with ceramic ball-bearing * Decoration Circular Geneva stripes, perlage, polished bevelled edgesw ith inward angles
STRAP Manufactured by Ledertique and Atelier Petrov * Material Brown calf leather with off-white stitching * Size 22mm x 18mm
BUCKLE Manufactured in-house * Material Medical-grade stainless steel
