For Moritz Grossmann’s 200th birthday
The year 2026 is a special one for the Moritz Grossmann manufactory in Glashütte, as its founder and namesake was born on 27 March 1826 – exactly 200 years ago. Not only does he continue to shape the present-day watch brand, he also influenced the craft of watchmaking and the fate of his hometown, Glashütte. This is because Moritz Grossmann was a genius watchmaker and ambitious scientist, profound author, initiator of the German Watchmaking School in Glashütte and personality who set much in motion.
For the manufactory, Moritz Grossmann&rsquo's 200th birthday is a fitting occasion for a series of special models. These anniversary watches unite the founder’s cutting edge ideas with the modern watchmaking craft. They reinterpret his legacy, and not by imitating historical concepts. Rather, they represent the creative, ongoing development of Moritz Grossmann’s innovations. In keeping with his spirit, the watches feature modern manufacturing methods to achieve technological perfection and exceptional aesthetics, both of which were ambitions of the founder. The manufactory today realises his visions with soul and passion, making it one of a small number of watchmakers globally which master every detail of the time-honoured craft and breathe new life into it.
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The first special model being released for the 200th birthday of Moritz Grossmann is the limited edition HAMATIC Silver-Plated by Friction. The anniversary year is referenced with an ‘1826’ engraving on the balance cock. The vintage ‘M. GROSSMANN’ logo on the dial, appearing just as it did in 1875, is a further homage to history.
The model’s name is a reference to its unconventional mechanism. Inside is the calibre 106.0 with exceedingly effective automatic winding thanks to a pendulumstyle hammer weight, a feature which led to the mechanism being called a hammer automatic movement. This historical idea was further developed by Grossmann’s engineers in a masterful way and has been given a fresh interpretation in the HAMATIC movement.
The manufactory calibre 106.0 has further exclusive features, too, including for example stop seconds for setting the time precisely and fine finishes carried out by hand at the manufactory.
An aesthetic ‘face’ for the mechanism
The model’s name also reflects the elaborate design of the dial, which is silver plated by friction. This finish, which can also be thought of as silver-plating by grit, is a rare one. It uses a historical technique where the dial is given a fine-grained, velvet-like texture by hand-brushing it with various pastes and powders. The surface then softly reflects the incident light.
Only a handful of specialists still master this technique, which is practised completely by hand and requires a high degree of concentration, a delicate touch and a great deal of experience. However, the end result justifies the time it takes: the interaction of light and shadow, of gloss and matt, creates a singular effect which maintains its radiance even as time goes by. It is complemented fittingly by the cool blue of the numerals and scales as well as the vintage Moritz Grossmann logo. Aside from that, this special model is introducing a further premiere: the Arabic numerals representing the hours on the Hamatic’s dial, which for the first time are taking the place of the Roman numerals previously used.
Carrying on the founder’s tradition
The anniversary model is a direct reference to Moritz Grossmann’s ingenuity, with a movement featuring numerous details attributable to the manufactory’s founder. His historical movements had quintessential characteristics such as a index pointer with a poising screw, a large balance wheel, raised screws and the straight cut of the three-quarter plate.
The fine, handcrafted hands made of blue annealed steel are also quintessentially Grossmann, with a hue that perfectly matches the typography on the dial of the HAMATIC Silver-Plated by Friction.
A debut for Moritz Grossmann’s birthday
The special edition HAMATIC Silver-Plated by Friction, with a white gold case, will be released on 26 March 2026. This model is limited to 18 pieces and fitted with a blue kudu leather strap.
Technical data for HAMATIC Silver-Plated by Friction
| Movement: | MG-004040 Manufactory calibre 106.0, automatic winding, regulated in five positions |
| Number of parts: | 312 |
| Number of jewels: | 38, of which 3 in screwed gold chatons |
| Escapement: | Lever escapement |
| Oscillator: | Shock-resistant Grossmann balance with four inertia screws and two poising screws, Nivarox 1 balance spring |
| Balance: | Diameter: 10.0 mm, frequency: 21,600 semi-oscillations/hour |
| Power reserve: | 72 hours when fully wound |
| Functions: | Hour and minute, small second with stop seconds |
| Operating elements: | Crown in 750/000 gold for winding the watch and setting the time |
| Case dimensions: | Diameter: 41.0 mm, height: 11.35 mm |
| Movement dimensions: | Diameter: 36.4 mm, height: 5.15 mm |
| Case: | Three-part, in 750/000 gold |
| Dial: | Brass, engraved, set in blue and silver-plated by friction |
| Hands: | Manually crafted from steel, annealed to a blue hue |
| Crystal and display back | Sapphire crystal, antireflective coating on one side |
| Strap: | Hand-stitched kudu leather with prong buckle in 750/000 gold |
| Special features: | Grossmann balance; click pawl in reduction gear; adjustment with Grossmann micrometer screw on cantilevered balance cock; pillar movement with 2/3 plate and pillars made of untreated German silver; hand-engraved 2/3 plate and cantilevered balance cock; wide, horizontal Glashütte ribbing; double-band snailing on the mainspring barrel; raised gold chatons with pan-head screws; separately removable clutch winding mechanism; stop seconds for hand setting; automatic winding with oscillating hammer, bidirectional click wheels; idler with pawl clicks; manual yoke winder; special ‘1826’ engraving on balance cock |