It is not in Glashütte Original’s character to cause much of a commotion about its launches. But it should, especially when it comes to its latest timepiece, the Senator Excellence, which is equipped with a brand new in-house movement, the Calibre 36.

It is a handsome, discreet watch with a minimalist silhouette belying the stellar engineering within. So proud is Glashütte Original of the movement’s capabilities that it has established a certification system that accredits the performance of each Senator Excellence that is produced at its manufacture. We get the low-down from its president Yann Gamard.

Glashütte Original president Yann Gamard takes pride in sharing the details of the brand’s latest masterpiece, the Senator Excellence.

The Power of Four
The development of the Calibre 36 was focused on four tenets: extreme stability, increased autonomy, maximum precision and a timeless aesthetic. To achieve the highest standards within each tenet, the watchmaker took four years, instead of the usual three, to complete the manufacturing process. The reason, says Gamard, is because Glashütte Original wanted to perfect each and every element of the watch. “It took four years but we’re not unhappy, because a year before we were at 80 hours (of power reserve)—which is a good life cycle—and now we’re at 100 hours, which is excellent.”  

Four days of power reserve, achieved via a single spring barrel, is quite the feat made possible by reconstructing the barrel and increasing the length of the mainspring.

Testing Times
During the development of the Calibre 36, the watchmaker decided to certify each and every Senator Excellence that leaves its premises, engraving it with the letter Q as a stamp of approval, and allowing collectors to access the information on each individual watch online. Each watch goes through a test spanning 24 days, including a 24‑hour position test to determine the daily rate deviation, which should not go beyond the parameters of -4 to +6 seconds a day; rate testing and adjusting in six positions, compared to COSC’s five; temperature checks, to see that it is fully functional in any climate; water resistance; and ensuring that the watch runs for a whole 100 hours.

Made for Success
The question begs to be asked: why did Glashütte Original take four years to engineer Calibre 36, and how did it achieve its goals of precision and stability? By reworking the wheels of watchmaking, and introducing novel techniques and materials that improve performance. For instance, friction, which can cause components to wear and tear, was reduced by replacing several watchmaking parts with better alternatives. Moreover, to further increase stability and resistance against shocks, the watchmaker has engineered an intelligent system whereby the entire movement is locked in place within the case, much like the bayonet mount of a camera.

“The development of this calibre was possibly one of my best watchmaking experiences so far,” Gamard enthuses. “I really enjoyed it. We did a little more than the control of a chronometer, without actually saying it’s a chronometer.”