Introducing the Habring² X TimeZone Erwin 21 Jumping Seconds, ref. TZ21

To celebrate the 21st anniversary of TimeZone, Habring² has just unveiled its latest collaboration with the longstanding forum–the Habring² X TimeZone Erwin 21 Jumping Seconds, ref. TZ21. If this is your first time hearing of Habring², it’s definitely a brand that you should familiarize yourself with. Habring² is an Austrian independent founded by Richard and Maria Habring, a husband-and-wife team doing some incredible work at price points matched by few in the watch industry. As we explained in our initial article announcing the release of Habring²’s Erwin watch, “Richard Habring is no stranger to the industry, with a career spanning decades in some of the watch world’s most renowned firms, among them IWC where he notably developed the brand’s rattrapante (split-seconds) chronograph module as head movement designer. In 2004, he formed his eponymous brand, with the spirit of Habring² being focused on limited, nearly-bespoke production led by a small team.”

The abovementioned Erwin is the successor to the Felix, the brand’s first watch to feature an in-house caliber, the A11B. The Erwin debuted Habring²’s second in-house movement, the A11S, which took the architecture of the A11B and added the firm’s signature jumping seconds (dead-beat) complication. It is worth noting that Habring² is known for making a large majority of its movement components in-house, with a clear preference for a more manual approach to production. The one major part not produced by Habring² is the chronometer-grade balance spring, supplied to Habring² by renowned spring producer Carl Haas.

The TZ21 boasts a design unlike that of the Erwin model released late last year, but rather it pulls inspiration from iconic ‘30s-era sector dial watches (and if you’ve been following SIHH coverage, you’ll probably have noticed that sector dials are making a strong showing this year). The dial is divided into four distinct segments (or sectors) featuring a mix of polished, matte, and brushed surfaces. Starting from the outermost ring, there is a silver-gray minutes railway. Moving toward the center, there is then a polished dividing ring that leads into to the silvered hour section. The hour section is matte and has crisply printed numerals and markings in a midnight blue. Finally, the center-most sector, divided into quadrants, is hand brushed with fine vertical lines. The hands are heat-blued feuille—otherwise known as leaf—hands.

The case measures 38.5mm, a great modern size for a contemporary dress watch. It features a flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides, and there’s a sapphire on the case back showing off the stunning A11S movement.  The TZ21 comes on a blue calf leather strap with a tang buckle.

The Habring²  X TimeZone Erwin 21 Jumping Seconds, ref. TZ21 is a limited edition project of 21 units, each individually numbered. It will come in a handmade presentation box. The watch is available for $5,750. For more information, visit TimeZone.