The Grnefeld 1941 Remontoire, in many ways, is the embodiment of artisanal, independent watchmaking. Designed by the Grnefeld brothers in the Netherlands, they took inspiration from a remontoire clock their grandfather, and father, used to maintain. This example features a classic grey dial that complements the steel case an excellent addition to the collection of any collector interested in the modern advancements of traditional timekeeping.

The inspiration for the 1941 Remontoire harkens back to the Grnefeld brothers childhood, and the memories of the clock their grandfather and father used to maintain. The clock in question belonged to a nearby church and dated back to 1240. It features a seldom seen, and highly technical form of power distribution: a remontoire. Providing a more constant delivery of energy to the escapement, in theory, a remontoire should offer greater precision. In tribute to their father, the brothers commemorated his date of birth in the name of the 1941 Remontoire.

From a technical perspective, the watch features an eight-second remontoire, which serves to deliver a constant amount of power to the escapement using a secondary wheel, visible through the dial at 9 oclock. Consisting of 258 individual components, the calibre features over a dozen different finishing techniques, from snailing to frosting. The bridges, shaped like the bell gable roofs of Dutch houses, are fashioned out of steel, which is much more difficult and costly to work with than brass or silver.

Notably, fewer of these pieces appear in steel, and when they were released, they were similarly priced as a precious metal case, highlighting the excellence of their quality, construction and finishing. The case, measuring 39.5mm across and just 10.5mm thick, is made from a special stainless-steel alloy, polished and treated in a way that appears brighter than the standard 316L steel. Its sculpted profile is executed with a specially shaped cutter, to create its characteristic hollowed, concave recesses and convex surfaces.

Further to this, the grey dial found on this example is a shade that blends seamlessly into the steel case, giving the piece an elegant, classic look. Meanwhile, the delicately hand-hammered dial is a finishing style that provides depth and interacts wonderfully with the light. The piece is well-suited to a collector who has an appreciation for mechanical innovations within independent watchmaking.

If sold within the United Kingdom, this Grnefeld Remontoire 1941 will be subject to 20% VAT.

Closer look

This steel Grnefeld Remontoire 1941 is in excellent condition, having only been worn on a couple of occasion by the previous owner. As such, the watch virtually looks as it did when it first left the workshop.

The watch comes with the remainder of its manufactures warranty, alongside a lifetime guarantee of authenticity from A Collected Man.