The Firmamentum was another one of those stroll-by watches in Basel, that if I had more time I would have really stopped and got the full skinny on the piece.
From their site:
Aspiration
Our goal is no more and no less than the construction of true perfection – the precise mechanical watch. It is this basic principle of chronometry – the art of regulation – that inspires us and is to be found in every single one of our chronometers.
This is another reason why we only work with movements that we have developed and perfected over many years. We follow the same maxim for the materials we use.
In combination with our special movements, they guarantee the longevity of our chronometers, which are designed to last for generations. For example, in addition to many other details, the gear trains only use cycloid teething and fully hardened gear wheels and pinions.
Moreover, in the independent escapement of the TENSUS as well as in the Swiss club tooth escapement of the MAGNUS, the CENTENUS and the VIATOR, we have optimised oil retention through use of a capillary phase. This perfectionist approach to our watches can also be seen in the design, whose inspiration is rooted in the chronometry competitions of past centuries.
The result is unique instruments for the measurement of time, whose perfection and precision have yet to meet their equals.
They are laying it down gauntlet style that their timepieces are top notch. Heritage seems very pleased with their patents and have mentioned them quite often on their site. Last year, independent watchmaker Karsten Frässdorf had his hands full of folks that wanted a demonstration, so maybe next year we’ll have more time to inspect the goods.
In laymen terms, these watches would be the Harrison mold style. A special instrument for calculation on the off chance your GPS went south. The Firmamentum is multifunctional and covers the rotation of the earth via cannon and pinion for your safe travels. The appreciation of this type of engineering can be lost quickly if you find yourself a fashion watch collector and are not giddy by real purist mechanisms. The watch is aesthetically pleasing and would take a fine tutorial to operate properly and with conviction. But fear not, Heritage, we will see you next year when the tides part.
- Learn More: Heritage Watch Manufactory website