Switzerland and Austria have a lot in common. Alps, rolling hills, valleys, harsh winters for instance. Watchmaking is not one of the similarities. Still there is an Austrian luxury watch with a legacy that goes back to 1822. Please meet the Carl Suchy & Söhne Waltz No 1..
Let’s waltz back in time for a minute. Once upon a time, Suchy was the most important reference for watch aficionados of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy and the intellectual elite of Fin de Siécle Vienna. Did Sigmund Freud look at his Suchy pocket watch when he wanted to know how much longer he would have to listen to his patient’s childhood memories? Did Gustav Klimt’s work inspire the beauty and perfection of Suchy clocks? Did the Suchys, after having closed their shop for the night, join the Viennese literati to a philosophical salon? Could well be.
Watchmaker of the Habsburg dynasty
Fact is, Carl Suchy & Söhne lived in exceptional times of industrial innovation and artistic creation. Together with his four sons, Carl Suchy became the most successful watchmaker of the Habsburg dynasty. He catered to the royal court, artists and the intellectual elite of 1900-Vienna. Based in Vienna and Prague, the family also owned a factory in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, won prizes at several world expos and shipped their watches as far as the UK and France. With the end of the Habsburg Empire in 1918, Carl Suchy & Söhne disappeared – until 2016, when the brand was relaunched with a limited, 22-piece edition of the Waltz No 1. Featuring a mechanical movement manufactured by Vaucher Fleurier with a golden oscillating mass, the watch is inspired in its design by 1900-architect Adolf Loos. Waltz No 1 follows an elegant and minimalistic design aesthetic with an emotional twist, a love for seamlessly combining sophisticated materials and a passion for the latest technology.
The next dance
The first edition of Waltz No1 is already sold out but the next edition of 50 pieces is about to go in production. Carl Suchy & Söhne’s new owner, Robert Punkenhofer and watchmaker Marc Jenni, who is a member of the renowned Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants, are very proud of their Austrian/Swiss watch that will make its debut at BaselWorld later this month.
Movement: Mechanical self-winding caliber Vaucher VMF 5401. Visible through a transparent sapphire crystal caseback. 50 hours reserve. Gold plated oscillating mass. • Functions: Hours, minutes and seconds. Seconds in the form of a turning ‘waltzing’ circle. Case: 41mm steel or black steel case. Water resistant up to 30 meters. • Strap: Black leather strap with adjustable triple folding buckle with security push-pieces. • Price: 5,900 euro without taxes.
Please find more info on Carl Suchy & Söhne website
