An Austrian independent watchmaker specialising in honest and appealing watches, Habring² has just unveiled its latest jumping-seconds wristwatch, the Erwin “THC School Piece”. Based on the brand’s signature time-only watch, the School Piece is fitted with a two-tone dial that features familiar elements combined in an unusual manner.

It sports ever-popular olive green, but only for the chapter ring that features Breguet numerals. Having a 1930s vibe thanks to the dial, the School Piece was unsurprisingly born of a request by a group of Asian collectors with an eye for vintage wristwatches.

Initial thoughts

Neither overly vintage nor too modern, the School Piece is arguably just right. The design blends details that are common but manages to do so at a coherent manner, resulting in something different that stands out from most Habring² creations – a feat considering the that most of the brand’s limited runs are vintage-inspired watches.

The styling should allow the School Piece will speak to enthusiasts across the collecting spectrum. Vintage-watch enthusiasts will appreciate the hints of the Patek Philippe Calatrava refs. 565 and ref. 570. While those who follow modern watchmaking will like the two-tone dial with a prominent green ring that gives the dial more flair than the typical vintage-style watch. And then there are the Breguet numerals that almost everyone likes.

While the School Piece is certainly appealing, there are arguably too many iterations of the brand’s jumping-seconds wristwatch that have similar design elements like Breguet numerals, “sector” dials and so on, making it difficult to keep up with the variations. That said, the School Piece is a limited edition of 10 available only to THC members so it is a moot point for this specific edition.

The Horology Club

THC is short for The Horology Club, a band of watch collectors in Hong Kong. Founded in 2021 by three young enthusiasts, THC aims to “promote the community aspect of watch collecting and the appreciation of the horological arts”.  Aiming to reach an audience beyond its home city, THC has its own website that includes articles and a fee-free classifieds section for selling watches.

And then, of course, there are the special edition watches, all of which are designed by club members. While Habring² is the first, THC has more in the pipeline, possibly including something from H. Moser & Cie.

Back to the School Piece: it’s like a typical Erwin with the a compact 38.5 mm case that houses the cal. A11MS, a proprietary movement constructed on the basic architecture of the Valjoux 7750.

While the movement is unchanged from most Erwin watches, the dial is novel. Unlike many Habring² watches that are definitively retro, the School Piece manages to look contemporary, despite being mostly made up of classical details such as the Breguet numerals.

Notably, the dial of also sports several details that reflect its designers’ keen eye. Amongst them is the fine concentric patterning on the green chapter ring as well as minute track, which contrasts with the vertical brushing on the silvered central portion. Another is the slightly raised profile of the Breguet numerals, which are actually adhesive appliqués. Such details are imperceptible at a distance, but they create depth and texture that brings it to life.

Key facts and price

Habring2 Erwin ‘THC School Piece’

Diameter: 38.5 mm
Height: Unavailable
Material: Steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: A11MS
Features: Hours, minutes, and jumping seconds
Winding: Hand-wind
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 48 hours

Strap: Grey calf leather strap

Limited edition: 10 pieces
Availability: Only to THC members
Price: Unavailable

For more, visit Habring2.com and Thehorologyclub.com.