Some watchmakers are proud of their history. We prefer making it.
Telling the complete story of our brand isn’t exactly straightforward. That’s because it’s a tale that predates the inauguration of our manufacture on Bözingenstrasse in Biel. In short, it’s a story of chance encounters and serendipitous events. So, for both your time and ours, let’s start when our unique watchmaking vision materialises.
Our journey began in 2009 with the opening of our fully integrated Manufacture in Biel.
Under the leadership of watch enthusiast Serge Michel and master watchmaker Claude Greisler, our goal was clear: to create innovative, high-quality timepieces in-house, rooted in Swiss-German watchmaking tradition yet elevated through our self-developed movement concepts
Mechanics tell time. Transparent mechanics tell the difference.
From day one, we’ve embraced an openwork design approach with our watches, a design-aesthetic that we call “transparent mechanics”. Why? Because we want to highlight the labour, precision, and dedication poured into each piece—a true reflection of our timepiece-manufacturing philosophy: the science of movement. This scientific ethos has shaped our watches and formed the foundation of our distinct design language, which is evident across all our product lines.
Each watch we create is hand-crafted, with nearly all movement components made in-house. Naturally, this level of craftsmanship requires time and dedication, which is why our annual production remains deliberately limited. Exclusivity? Absolutely.
Today, Serge Michel, Claude Greisler and our team of watchmakers and finishing specialists make up the company that we are: one of Switzerland’s premier independent watch brands. We are proud to say that, since 2009, we have evolved into a sought-after name among watch collectors and connoisseurs, drawn to the exceptional horological value in our timepieces. Value that comes to life when one of our artisans at their bench looks at a small piece of metal, thinking to themselves: “I will make every nanometer of you perfect.”
Serge Michel Founder
“Armin Strom represents a unique fusion of the Swiss-German horological tradition, avant-garde ‘transparent mechanics’ and an unwavering commitment to horological innovation.”
More about Serge
Serge Michel is the scion of one of the most prominent families in Switzerland. His unwavering passion and commitment to the business of the Armin Strom Manufacture have made him both the sponsor and the driving business force behind the brand.
Fascinated by watchmaking and watch collecting from a young age, he and his childhood friend Claude Greisler shared a dream of co-founding a watch company; one that would someday produce watches of the very highest quality in the Swiss-German tradition. Today that dream has become a longstanding reality.
Beyond his life in the Manufacture, Serge is a husband and proud father of two girls. His other passions include global travel and wine collecting. Nothing brings a bigger smile to Serge’s face than introducing the latest Armin Strom creation to good friends over a dinner paired with several bottles of fine wine.
Claude Greisler Co-Founder and Master Watchmaker
“A passion for ‘transparent mechanics’, both from an aesthetic perspective and to showcase how our watches actually work, has always guided my design sensibility. From a watchmaking perspective, I honor the many generations of Swiss-German watchmakers in my family with an uncompromising commitment to perfection in both movement quality and finishing.”
More about Claude
Claude Greisler is “a watchmaker’s watchmaker.” His greatest passions are watches (past and present) and complicated watchmaking. In actual fact, watchmaking has been a Greisler family profession for generations. Claude’s training began in his grandfather’s workshop, which led to his formal training, beginning with his completion of a four year program at the “School for Watchmakers and Rhabilleurs” in Solothurn, Switzerland; followed by a two-year program in movement restoration at Centre Interrégionalde Formation des Montagnes [CIFOM] in Le Locle; and then a further two-year program at CIFOM focused on the development and construction of complicated timepieces. Upon the completion of his 8 years of watchmaking education, Claude honed his craft as a watchmaker at Christophe Claret (a brand known for its ultra-complicated timepieces) as the next step in his longstanding ambition: to dedicate himself to the design and production of horologically significant timepieces. Beyond his watchmaking obsession, Claude is also a passionate skier and outdoorsman. Together with his wife, Gaby, Claude explores the Swiss backcountry as often as his responsibilities at the manufacture will allow.
Founding-father Mr Armin Strom opened his first shop in Burgdorf
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Founders
Employees today, (36 are watchmakers; 16 are in decoration)
Establishment of the manufacture
in Biel/Bienne
Movement decoration
Decoration techniques
mastered in-house
Exclusive
calibres
developed
Percentage of the movement developed, manufactured
and decorated in-house
Every watch is
assembled twice
COLLECTIONS:
SYSTEM 78,
RESONANCE,
MASTERPIECES
Armin Strom celebrates 15 years and heads into the future.
Co-founders Serge Michel and Claude Greisler look back on 15 years of achievements.
Armin Strom One Week Skeleton Titanium
They say time is just one dimension.
We added two more.
Skeletonized dial, geometric lines, exposing the heart of the watch.
