Twenty twenty-five marks Andersen Genève’s 45th anniversary, although founder Svend Andersen’s career as an independent watchmaker has spanned far more than 45 years. For the anniversary, the brand has revived the Communication 45, the tenth world timer wristwatch in its catalogue since Andersen Genève was established in 1990. 

Initial thoughts

Danish horologist Svend Andersen is an important name in independent watchmaking. The 83-year-old was one of the founders of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants AHCI, along with Vincent Calabrese. One of the earliest models he introduced after setting up his brand was a world time wristwatch – powered by a mechanism of his own design – that was inspired by his tenure working at Patek Philippe. Appropriately the brand is marking its anniversary with the very same complication.

The new Communication 45 (left) and its predecessor from 1990

With the Communication 45, Andersen Genève seeks to reinvent its original world timer, without being disruptive. The new model sports a refined case with prominent teardrop lugs and a textured dial in cognac-shaded Blue Gold. Notably, the case employs two peculiar crowns that are flush with the case band, a design which seeks to preserve the symmetry of the case — although it all ends up looking slightly odd.

The dial is well made and evokes the stylistic lavishness of 1990s luxury watchmaking, yet there is one element that doesn’t fit: the hands. Executed in the sharp, lance-like shape often used by Andersen, the coarsely brushed handset contrasts a little too much with the polished case and textured dial. I would have preferred a finer finish.

Overall, the anniversary model is a well-crafted piece, although it is not entirely different from other current Andersen world time watches. The decorated dial and polished teardrop lugs are highlights, though the piece ends up feeling a little pricey for what it delivers. Like most Andersen creations it runs on a hand-decorated “new old stock” movement adapted with an in-house module, but this really shouldn’t be the case at this price point where in-house or sophisticated calibres are common.

A signature complication

Before becoming a pioneering independent watchmaking, Mr Andersen cut his teeth in Patek Philippe’s complications workshop, where he first encountered and restored the brand’s famed world time watches. They were all equipped with the mechanism Louis Cottier developed in the early 1930s, which Patek Philippe then refined over the years.

After having set up his own workshop, Mr Andersen adapted the world time design to his own taste. He set up Andersen Genève in 1980 and in the following years he developed a proprietary world time module measuring only 0.9 mm in thickness. He then crafted a limited edition souscription world time, the Communication 24, which was launched in 1990.

The souscription series from 1990 featured gold cases hand-made by the late Jean-Pierre Hagmann, who would become a frequent supplier to the brand. Fittingly, the Communication 45 features a case made by an artisan based in the La Chaux-de-Fonds region, Marco Poluzzi, an 83-year old, long-time collaborator of Andersen Genève, whose workshop was acquired by the brand in 2022.

The case is among the strongest attributes of the Communication 45. The cases for the 45th anniversary watch were crafted without the use of CNC machines and hand finished to a high degree. Executed in 3N yellow gold, the 38 mm cases feature an understated round form and stepped bezel, with prominent teardrop lugs. The lug profile is somewhat sharper than the classic teardrop shape, leaning more towards a cornes de vache design.  

The case is polished all over — case band, lipped bezel and lugs – reflecting the classic designs of the 1990s. The only questionable choice here are the two crowns, set flush with the case. The symmetrically positioned, slim crowns blend into the case band. The crown set at the traditional three o’clock position winds and adjusts the movement, while the one at nine o’clock sets the world time module. 

The way the two crowns sit flush with the case preserves the symmetry of the watch, but also makes adjustment quite tedious. While Andersen has used the design previously in several models, it still feels off. 

A well-crafted dial

The palette of the dial is mostly nuanced off-white, which serves as a restrained backdrop for the 24 hour ring and the cities disk. There is also a small central disc depicting a map motif crafted from the brand’s proprietary BlueGold. The relief portion of the disc represents the continents, while the recessed section, the oceans. The edition is made up of 15 pieces embellished with a map of Asia, 15 with map of Europe, and 15 with map of the Americas. This is fitting for the world time piece and the execution is appealing.

BlueGold essentially 21K white gold alloyed with iron and then heat blued — hence the name. For the Communication 45 Andersen returned to the same alloy, but adapted the heating process to create a purplish-brown oxidation it describes as “Cognac”. The hue matches the cream rings perfectly and underlines the decoration on the central section. 

There is a subtle wave pattern on the map disc, which was done with a hand-operated tapisserie guilloche engine prior to the heating process. The sunken portion, representing the oceans, is sculpted from the BlueGold alloy after the heat treatment and the filled with a pure yellow gold lacquer. The sunken portions are lightly grained, adding texture to the dial.  

The heat treatment applied to the BlueGold rotor

Vintage movement

Inside the Communication 45 beats a vintage, “new old stock” caliber which Andersen Genève has fitted with a proprietary world time module and a custom rotor. It’s dressed up with a 21k BlueGold rotor that’s also decorated with the tapisserie motif found on the dial, and likewise heated to a brown shade. The movement looks tidy, but is easily overtaken by modern calibers in terms of both specifications and appearance.

The movement is a modified AS-1895 made by the defunct A. Schild manufacture (which was absorbed into ETA). The movement beats at 3 Hz and runs for 40 hours on a full wind — short by today’s standards. The choice of using new old stock calibers is questionable at this price point, but Andersen Genève and Chronoswiss were pioneers in this respect, having started the practice in the 1980s when such “NOS” movements were a novelty.

The decorated rotor and central dial disc in BlueGold before heat treatment to “cognac”

While Andersen Genève was never much involved in building movements, an anniversary edition like this could have employed a better base movement or an existing calibre modified to a greater extent. Apart from the rotor, the movement plates aren’t highly finished.

Key facts and price

Andersen Genève Communication 45

Diameter: 38 mm
Height: 8.97 mm (without the two sapphire crystals)
Material: 3N yellow gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: A. Schild AS-1895
Functions: Hours, minutes and world time complication
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 21 600 beats per hour
Power reserve: 40 hours

Strap: Crocodile strap with yellow gold buckle

Limited edition: 45 pieces
Availability: From Andersen Genève
Price: CHF49,800 excluding taxes

For more, visit andersen-geneve.ch