Armin Strom PURE RESONANCE User manual

OWNERS
PURE RESONANCE
CALIBRE ARF16 GUIDE

RESONANCE
Thank you for buying an Armin Strom
watch. To guarantee perfect working of
your watch for many years to come, plea-
se pay careful attention to the advice on
use set out in these instruction
INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE
Resonance is a well-documented pheno-
menon in physics. Two oscillators in close
proximity tend to influence each other
and eventually synchronize.
Back to the 17th century, Huygens was the
first to observe the synchronization of
pendulum clocks hanging from a common
wood beam. Since then, the phenome-
non has fascinated many watchmakers.
But resonance has rarely been attempted,
let alone mastered. Most research has
generally focused on uniting two move-
ments and adjusting the distance between
their balance wheels.
But with its Resonance concept, Armin
Strom proposes one of the most spec-
tacular and innovative applications of the
resonance phenomenon in watchma-
king. The radical innovation lies in its
coupling mechanism. The twin balances
are joined together by a steel coupling
spring. The tiny vibrations in the spring
cause them to resonate and synchronize.
Oscillating at opposing rhythms, they
mutually correct their rate differences to
achieve enhanced precision and stability
of rate!

Your manual mechanical watch must be
wound regularly for it to work properly.
To do so, turn the crown clockwise in the
normal crown position.
WINDING

When fully wound, the watch has a 48h
power-reserve. The two barrels of the
Pure Resonance model are fitted with a
slip-spring, which is not locked when the
movement is fully wound. Some thirty
turns are needed to wind the watch fully.
You may also check the state of winding
by looking on the back of your watch at the
two barrel springs compressed around
their arbor once the movement has been
fully wound.

Pull the crown out one click. To ensure
correct setting of the time, first rotate
the minute hand 5 minutes ahead of the
desired time, then go back (by rotating
counterclockwise) to the desired time.
IM PORTANT: do not operate the crown
underwater or when the watch is wet.
Always push the crown back to the normal
position once the settings have been
made.
SETTING THE TIME

SUSTAINING A CONSISTENT RESONANCE STATE:
A SOLUTION TO THE 200-YEAR OLD PROBLEM
Resonance watches are so rare precisely
because they are so extraordinarily dif-
ficult to design and produce, as they es-
sentially require two watch movements
to be combined into one unit that utilizes
two independent mainsprings, gear
trains, escapements, and balances. A re-
sonance watch requires its two balance
wheels find a concurrent rhythm so as to
continuously regulate one another. The
follow-on challenge is to consistently
maintain oscillation-rate stability; in order
The twin balance wheels of the Armin
Strom Pure Resonance oscillate in oppo-
site direction. If you have not worn your
watch for some time and restart it by
manually winding it, the oscillators will
synchronize in less than ten minutes.
In case of a disturbance such as a shock,
it takes only a few minutes for the two
balances to find their resonant rhythm
once again.
to enlist the resonance phenomenon to
the cause of chronometric precision.
This challenge has historically eluded
even the greatest of watchmakers, as the
fragility of the phenomenon makes it
extraordinarily difficult to consistently
maintain with resiliency to disruption; par-
ticularly in the context of a human wrist
that is both continuously engaged in
unpredictable motion and which often‚
bumps into things‘

SUSTAINING A CONSISTENT RESONANCE STATE:
A SOLUTION TO THE 200-YEAR OLD PROBLEM
The pursuit of a consistent state of reso-
nance is what ultimately led Claude
Greisler to conclude that Abraham-Louis
Breguet’s approach, which achieves
resonance via precise balance-wheel
proximity, was of little actual utility in the
context of his precision-oriented horo-
logical ambitions. Greisler’s goal was
to harness the resonance phenomenon
in a wristwatch with sufficient consis-
tency to enable his wristwatch to operate
with marine chronometer precision, de-
spite the ever changing positions of the
human wrist. Marine Chronometer ac-
curacy targets consistency as its sole goal;
meaning that it must gain or lose pre-
cisely the same number of seconds every
single day without variation. Contrast
this with the variable plus/minus approach
for a standard wristwatch and the dif-
ference becomes exceedingly clear. It
would require two balance wheels to
dynamically regulate each other on a con-
sistent basis in order for Greisler’s ambi-
tion to be achieved. In the end, Greisler’s
solution would require a return to first
principles and a deep exploration of the
resonance theories of Christiaan Huy-
gens (the father of mathematical physics
and the inventor of the pendulum clock;
who had died over 50 years before Bre-
guet was even born). In keeping with his
desire to restrict his solution to the same
materials that his watchmaker-grand-
father could have used, Greisler’s deve-
loped his „Huygens Resonance Clutch
Spring“ in steel. He spent three years
perfecting its shape and characteristics:
recalculating, optimizing, simulating,
testing, retesting and achieving incremen-
tal improvements until the ‚Huygens
Clutch Spring‘ had developed into its
current form. This patented clutch spring
design maintains an optimal a state of
resonance by synchronizing two sets of
oscillators (comprising twin balance
wheels and balance springs) in what Huy-
gens described as a state of ‚odd sym-
pathy‘ (oscillating in perfect consonance
but in opposite directions, while syn-
chronized in anti-phase)

Dear Collector, You are the proud owner
of an ARMIN STROM timepiece. Our
sincere congratulations on your purchase!
We hope you derive great pleasure from
your watch and thank you for your confi-
dence in us.
Serge Michel
Founder
Claude Greisler
Co-Founder

Your Armin Strom watch is warranted
against manufacturing defects for a pe-
riod of five years from the original pur-
chase date. Within the framework of this
warranty, any servicing or repair work on
your Armin Strom watch must be carried
out by an authorized Armin Strom service
center.
The warranty does not cover:
•defects or damages after the warranty
expires •damages resulting from the mis-
use, negligence or accident •defects
or damages resulting from unauthorized
modifications or repairs •theft, loss, acts
of God, accidents and natural disasters
•wear and tear from normal ageing and
use of the watch •damages resulting
from the contact with water if water resis-
tance tests have not been performed every
two years and each time the case was
opened, or, if your watch is not water re-
sistant
In order to benefit from your Armin Strom
warranty, you will be required to present
to Armin Strom or any Armin Strom aut-
horized Retailer, your warranty Certificate
duly completed, dated, stamped and
signed by Armin Strom or an Armin Strom
Authorized Retailer.
NOTE The international warranty does not
in any way affect the consumers’ rights
legally recognized by the applicable na-
tional legislation.
WARRANTY

Like any sophisticated instrument that can
be subjected to a wide variety of stresses
and strains, your Armin Strom requires
proper care and regular maintenance. We
generally recommend that a maintenan-
ce service should be carried out every
3 to 5 years. To ensure that the service is
carried out professionally, take your watch
to Armin Strom or an authorized Armin
Strom retailer.
We recommend the following considera-
tions, so that your watch is preserved as
long as possible:
•keep your watch away from exposure
to magnetic fields like electric devices,
speakers or other electromagnetic appli-
ances •avoid wearing your watch during
activities involving strong vibrations or
impacts •avoid exposing your watch to
extreme climatic changes, in particular
changes in temperature or humidity such
as saunas •take your watch off before
you swim in seawater. Rinse your watch
with fresh water after exposure to salt
water •Avoid contact with cosmetics or
corrosive products as these may damage
seals, straps or case •to clean your
watch, simply wipe it with a little soapy
water and dry it with a soft cloth •When
not being worn, keep your watch in a cool
dry place
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE

WATER RESISTANCE
Your Armin Strom watch is water resistant to 50m. The water resistance of a watch can
be compromised by external factors (such as shocks, perspiration, cosmetics or
salt water) or by the natural aging process of the gaskets. That is why water resistance
cannot be permanently guaranteed, and the gaskets must be periodically replaced.
We recommend having a water-resistance check conducted every two years. Always
make sure that the crown is pressed back in the normal position.

ARMINSTROM.COM