Robert Mühle Zeigerdatum Manufacture Reference M1-11-46-LB

The Robert Mühle Zeigerdatum is the latest addition to a special collection of Manufacture watches from the renowned German watchmaking citadel of Glashütte, and the busy atelier of local family Mühle. A departure from the robust nautical and marine diver’s styles for which the Mühle company are best known today, in fact the classically inspired Robert Mühle collection continues a long history of progressive innovation, and boasts the company’s prize technical achievement in its own in-house Mühle Manufacture hand winding movement.

Produced in a small limited edition of only 100 pieces, the Robert Mühle Zeigerdatum celebrates in reserved elegance a little used feature in modern watches, yet one which had graced the dials of many watches for almost two centuries; the pointer date on a decentralised display.

Encased in a generous 44mm case of 316L stainless steel, with brushed lateral and polished upper surfaces, the metallic sheen of Zeigerdatum’s anthracite dial glints discretely in the available light under the sapphire crystal. Around its edge, the minutes are printed in white, as are the markings on the three recessed subdials which indicate the auf-ab gangreserve at the 3 o’clock, small seconds at the 6 and the pointer date at the 9. Slender hour indices complement the polished steel fine leaf hands, and overall the features contrast well for crisp legibility against the grey anthracite dial.

On the underside a sapphire exhibition window opens on the third iteration of Mühle’s in-house Robert Mühle Manufacture hand winding movements, adorned with rose gold chatons and blued steel screws underlining the significance of the calibre. A local Glashütte signature is the distinctive shape and ribbed surface decoration of the three-quarter plate, yet here we see an interesting variation in the three-fifths plate, which leaves more space to expose the beautiful hand work on the manufacture’s patented ‘woodpecker’ neck on the engraved balance cock, and the balance and escapement assembly. Beating at 21,600vph it has a power reserve of 56 hours.

The lugs extend just far enough to accommodate the crocodile leather strap which is attached by four screws, and it secures to the wrist with a folding deployant clasp.

As part of the Robert Mühle collection the Zeigerdatum is destined to become a special piece of historical value for the company, and also for lovers of the particular brand of watchmaking which has made the former East German town of Glashütte one of the most important centres of horological excellence anywhere in the world.