Habring² x Massena Lab Erwin Lab 02

Steel | Rose sector-dial

Origin

Combining made-to-measure watchmaking with a love for horological invention beyond means, the Erwin Lab 02 by Habring² and Massena Lab equals a timepiece greater than the sum of its parts, celebrating independent watchmaking.

Habring² is an Austrian niche watch brand founded by Richard and Maria Kristina Habring, husband and wife. For over seventeen years, since the beginning of 2004, they have been producing a select collection of hand-made timepieces using top-notch components, a watchmaking dream that started taking shape a few years earlier in Dresden.

Richard Habring is Habring²’s master watchmaker, formerly known for significant contributions to the development department at IWC, having worked there as a watch designer under the wings of his renowned mentor Günter Blümlein before setting out to design under his own name with a view on the Austrian Karavanke mountains.

The slit-second Doppelchronograph complication was one of the fruitful products of his efforts at the Schaffhausen brand – one that laid the groundwork for Habring²-inventions, blending heritage and future while depicting hitherto unseen design of the fragile lever mechanism.

Today Habring² manufactures circa 200 timepieces a year in the picturesque town of Völkermarkt. The piece at hand is a limited to 50 pieces and stems from the unique design-effort of Habring² in collaboration with Massena LAB, established by watch collector and industry veteran William Massena, who has a notably track record at Antiquorum (Geneva) and Timezone, besides his triumph as a jury member of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.

With the aim of keeping the watch evolution at heart of the current momentum, embroidering on the past to ensure the horological future, this collaboration pays homage to artisanal watchmaking – setting the new vintage standard of the time ahead.

The Watch

The Habring² x Massena Lab Erwin Lab 02 succeeds the Erwin Lab 01 as a private series limited to 50 pieces, manifesting both skilled craftsmanship and contemporary design. With an outspoken yet minimal watch face, the 38,5mm stainless steel case hints to the 1930s Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 96 – with the oversized crown offering another clue to the past – spotting a multi-textured two-tone sector dial fusing rose gold and silver hues.

The Erwin Lab 02 demonstrates a stepped bezel and features a distinct interplay of polished and brushed surfaces all round. Its watch dial spots rhodium finished up to the minute numerals at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock, raised to deepen and enrich the dial’s design, polished leaf hands in steel and a blued seconds hand with matching hour indexes in blue, guaranteeing pronounced legibility.

The watch is individually numbered with the ‘X/50’ serial number engraved on the caseback.

The Movement

The Erwin LAB 02 features the in-house Habring² A11MS caliber, with architectonical references to the Swiss-made Valijoux 7750 movement. Pivotal to the Austrian-developed beating watch heart – at a rate of 28,800 A/h with a 48-hour power reserve – is the patented, deadbeat seconds mechanism, ticking in one-second steps. The caliber further features 21 jewels, an amagnetic escapement with Carl Haas balance spring and KIF shock absorber system.

Condition

This limited edition Habring² x Massena Lab Erwin Lab 02 timepiece is in as new condition and has perfect mechanical functioning. It comes as a full set, including box and papers.

If you desire to take a closer look at this precious timepiece, don't hesitate to contact us and make an appointment.