No, the dial of the Moritz Grossmann Central Second Purple isn’t a pigment of your imagination
Fergus NashIf you’re not already familiar with all of the Glashütte watchmakers, you may not have come across Moritz Grossman before. They might not enjoy the international recognition of brands like A. Lange & Söhne and Glashütte Original, having only been resurrected in 2008, but they make up for that with some of the most outstanding watches to be made in Germany. The Moritz Grossmann Central Second was released last year, melding traditional watch designs with modern engineering solutions. Now, they have elected to release that same watch but displaying a memorable dial with the Moritz Grossmann Central Second Purple.
The operation of the watch is breezy, with a pusher located near 4 o’clock that allows you to change the time display without needing to unscrew the crown and risk any water or debris ingress. In regular mode, the crown will allow the movement to be manually wound. The watch definitely feels on the larger side for something so classical, with a 41mm diameter and quite long lugs, but the 12mm thickness means that it isn’t too monstrous to be worn with formalwear.
Circling back to the main attraction, the Central Second’s dial is one of elegance and subtle mastery. The minute track alone is impressively characterful, with the numerous divisions implying a sense of higher accuracy than what we’re used to in a dress watch. The Arabic numerals are uncomplicated and easy to read, but their small curling serifs and differently-weighted lines make them more interesting to look at than your average watch. The hands are pure class, with their sharp points harkening back to that gothic pocket watch appearance yet actually being totally legible after dark, thanks to the hybrid ceramic pigment known as Luminex to provide a ghostly green glow. The purple sunburst is heart-melting, and shows how amazing the watch world could be if more manufacturers would begin to embrace colours properly. The dynamics of light between the reflective stripes of the dial and the crystal create an almost jewel-like effect that makes the watch feel even more precious, which is surprising considering how precious it already is.
The Central Second is one of those unassuming watches that doesn’t jump out as anything particularly unique upon first glance, aside from its less typical purple dial shade in this particular iteration, however, it’s clear those looks are deceiving once flipped over to reveal the movement. While the purple dial is surely the main talking point around this specific piece, the calibre 100.11 – as seen through the sapphire caseback – is what dreams are made of for mechanical watch fanatics. Resplendent in German silver, the in-house Moritz Grossmann movement is supremely well-finished with various graining and polishing techniques, plus the inclusion of screws that are heat-treated to turn them violet. It uses a 2/3 plate to keep the train of wheels tidy, playing into the traditional looks of German pocket watches and keeping things simple to appreciate. With less visual complexity, the ornate decoration on the balance and ratchet wheel can be savoured with greater intensity.
There’s some contention among watch fans as to how many pieces a limited edition can be before it becomes a simple case of low production, however Moritz Grossman don’t need worry here. With a limited run of just 25 watches in the entire world, the Central Second Purple is truly a very special watch. There’s no information about the RRP yet, although it will be available from Moritz Grossman’s online boutique, and the non-limited Central Seconds in blue goes for €24,700.