Dark matterBaselworld 2018: Full of energy – the Black Line versions of MeisterSinger classics
MeisterSinger makes mechanical watches with one single hand – for people who don’t want to combine two or three readings, but simply keep track of time. The design principles of these timepieces are therefore similar to those of historical instruments – with functional typography and double digits to indicate the hours.
However, these watches are quite different from one another in character. Some are extremely elegant, others sporty – and the four Black Line watches show that “instrumental” can also mean “very dramatic”.
Diamond-hard matt black
To achieve this effect, the cases of these four MeisterSinger classics are coated with jet-black carbon and then sandblasted to provide a matt finish. The diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating makes these watches particularly hardwearing and rugged. The dials are also designed in matt jet black, accentuating the digits and markings in an even more striking manner. During the day, their color seems similar to the patinated radium displays of historic watches. In the dark, however, their super-luminova coating emanates a forceful glow. The length of the hand’s red segment precisely matches the geometry of the dial, just like the red highlights of the indices, which give the dials a rigorous structure. The contrast on the backs of the cases is particularly strong, where the similarly blackened back forms a frame for the glass exhibition window and the meticulously finished movements. The robust saddle leather straps that come with this line of watches underscore their energetic character.
Subtlety is not a criterion here, but coolness counts. The Black Line watches are definitely striking, but they also make a great conversation piece, as there is no shortage of things to say about each of them:
No.03 Black Line
The No.03, which has won various design awards in the past, acquires a new, dark attraction in the Black Line version. With a diameter of 43 millimeters, its splendid stainless steel case is coated with black DLC and sandblasted to achieve a matt finish. The imprint on the black dial is colored in “old radium” with four red hour markers and a red-tipped hand. The glass exhibition window set in the back, which is also matt black, provides an excellent view of the Swiss movement. The watch comes with a cognac-colored saddle leather strap and is available from April 2018.
Perigraph Black Line
With its open date disk, the Perigraph has long since become a classic model in the MeisterSinger collection and its design has won a number of awards. In the Black Line version, exactly that section of the hand which moves around the hour circle is marked red. Small red indices give the date disk a striking visual contrast. The screwed-in back of the stainless steel case is also coated in matt black DLC. The Swiss automatic movement is visible through its window. The Perigraph Black Line is combined with a dark brown saddle leather strap that completes the vintage style. The Perigraph Black Line is available from April.
Salthora Meta Black Line
The Salthora Meta is a powerhouse by nature: The hour display in the window positioned at 12 o’clock jumps to the next hour every sixty minutes with a full-bodied click. The Black Line version gives the dynamic character of this watch additional power. It features typography with instrument-like “old radium” coloring and a red-tipped hand that moves around the black dial for 60 minutes until it finally reaches the window at the top to actuate the jump to the next hour.
The stainless steel case of the Salthora Meta is coated in black DLC with a matt finish. The Swiss movement, which features a module new to MeisterSinger, can be viewed through a window in the black-coated back. The watch comes with a robust brown saddle leather strap and goes on sale in April.
Circularis Power Reserve Black Line
The flagship of the MeisterSinger collection, fitted with an in-house designed hand-wound movement and a special-purpose display for the generous power reserve, shows a completely new side to its character in the Black Line version, as here its instructive technology comes to the fore in place of the otherwise elegant styling. Both the time of day and the power reserve are indicated by hands with red markings and the small red indices that point to the diminishing power reserve are not meant as additional information, but as a warning signal. The date display in red is also accentuated, transforming the black dial of this Circularis into an instrument panel.
The dial is framed by a matt black, DLC-coated stainless steel case and the back provides an excellent view of the black-coated caliber of the MSH02. The watch comes with a robust brown saddle leather strap and is available from April.