Description
Moritz Grossmann Hamatic Vintage
Reference: MG-002708
The classic elegance of Moritz Grossmann’s BENU collection is carried through to the BENU Hamatic. Inspired by the pocket watches crafted in Moritz Grossmann’s workshop, signature elements such as large Roman numerals and slim hands, define the prominent face of the watch.
Throughout millennia, researchers and inventors strove to build a perpetual motion machine; a device that would continue to move indefinitely once started. Without any external source of power, it was believed that the machine itself could generate an unlimited amount of energy. It was only with the formulation of the law of conservation of energy in the middle of the 19th century that physics quashed the principle of perpetual motion. Nevertheless, people’s fascination for the concept remained.
While Moritz Grossmann’s HAMATIC calibre does not purport to be a perpetual motion machine (because it draws its kinetic energy from an external source), the cleverly designed concept is fascinating and beautiful.
How does it work?
Moritz Grossmann’s HAMATIC adopts a pendulum-style hammer weight to convert the energy generated through the wearer’s movements to the ratchet wheel and the mainspring in the barrel, meaning that an external energy source makes the dream of infinite motion come true. It’s therefore safe to say that the HAMATIC is one of the most beautiful and complex examples of ‘would-be’ perpetual motion.
The Vintage HAMATIC in 750/000 white gold comes with a retro-style dial and is limited to 25 models worldwide. The special dial carries the classic logo font and an exclusive finish. To achieve this, the German silver base surface was first painted in a black-anthracite colour then treated with a finish called ‘black or’, to create the highly polished, shiny black surface that gives this timepiece it’s signature vintage aesthetic.
Technical data
Diameter: 41 mm
Height: 11.35 mm
Material: 18k white gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m
Movement: Cal. 106.0
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 72 hours
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
Strap: Alligator with pin buckle in white gold
Limited edition: Limited edition of 25 pieces
Using your HAMATIC
– When you first put your watch on or your watch has stopped, wind it with 30 – 40 rotations of the crown to ensure stable operation
– To wind, turn the crown between your thumb and index finger using back and forth movements
– If daily worn while you are active, the watch has an achievable power reserve of 40 – 50 hours = optimum power range with minimal strain on the movement
– Achieve the maximum power reserve of 72 hours either through moving more intensively or hand winding with approximately 70 rotations of the crown
Before you first put on your HAMATIC or if it has stopped, we recommend winding the watch with 30-40 rotations of the crown to ensure it runs reliably and at a stable rate. Always turn the crown back and forth between your thumb and index finger. To prevent damage to the seal, try to avoid unilateral pressure, which can occur if you wind your watch with one finger.
When you wear the HAMATIC, it will generate the required winding energy from the movement of your arm. Wearers with average activity levels who use the watch daily will achieve a maximum power reserve of 40-50 hours. In this winding state, the movement will be in the optimal power range, ensuring minimal strain on the individual components of the movement.
You can achieve the maximum power reserve of 72 hours with more intensive movement or winding by hand. The excess energy is then transferred via a so-called slip or sliding bridle that acts as a safety clutch in the mainspring barrel. This is a reliable way of preventing the mechanism from being damaged. Approximately 70 rotations of the crown are required to fully wind the watch by hand.
Note: Classic watch winders developed primarily for automatic rotor watches will not achieve optimal winding performance on the HAMATIC because the hammer winder mainly relies on the dynamic, varied arm movements of the wearer.
Calibre 106.0
The movement used in the HAMATIC bears the designation “Calibre 106.0”. It draws on the historic technique of so-called hammer winding that was implemented in a handful of pocket watches and some early automatic wristwatches. As the winding mass in some pocket watches looked similar to a hammer, the term hammer winding was coined for this type of construction.
The main component is a pendulum mass featuring a limited arc and mounted outside the centre of the movement to generate the winding energy. The biggest challenges faced in manufacturing this watch are probably the limited hammer arc and varying intensity of the wearer’s movements. Two basic scenarios need to be covered by this winding system in a reliable and energy-efficient manner:
- To convert gentle deflections with as little loss of winding energy as possible.
- Fast movements must be attenuated and absorbed.
The HAMATIC incorporates precautions that allow for both scenarios. While the bidirectional pawl mechanism transfers even the smallest movements to the movement, the intricately crafted end springs consistently put the excessively accelerated hammer and its solid gold hammer weight back in place.
