Since last August, Schwarz Etienne has a new CEO. His name is Florian Brosard. I don’t know if this name means anything to you, but that means a lot to me. I’ve been through the watch industry for a while. I first met Florian Brossard in 2013 at the Mont Blanc booth at Sihh (Salon International de Haute Horlogerie, now a watch and amazing). Demetrio Cabdu, who led Minerva at that point, introduced a rather impressive watch to a group of collectors from the Time Writer Project. It was the first time I’d seen a pervert live.
Florian Brosard
Everyone at Mont Blanc knew Florian. This included sales representatives and manufacturing Hamburg writing instruments. It was his mission to maintain Minerva’s legacy within Mont Blanc. Today, Minerva’s heritage rules the Mont Blanc watch collection. I met Florian at all sihh and all Baselworld. I realized that Mont Blanc’s constraints were too strict for him. When I met him at SIHH 2017, he surprised me with the news that he had left Minerva/Mont Blanc and was working with Greubel Forsey. There he started as a project manager and later took responsibility for innovation. He was deeply involved in the development of some of Grubel Forsy’s recent masterpieces. Florian was then offered the position of managing director for Schwarzetienne.
Villa Sonnenheim in Ratchakd Fonz, Schwarz Etienne’s first residence since 2024
Schwarz Etienne – True Manufacturing
I knew a few things about Schwarz Etienne. That means the brand creates movement within the company and has a collection of watches with flashy names. A little research revealed some facts that impressed me. Sharing La Chaux-de-Fonds’ Villa Sonnenheim with Schwarz Etienne is La Division Du Temps, making it possible to watch projects for other brands such as Ming. Florian also leads the company.
These two companies belong to a group that also includes other competent suppliers of watch parts. For example, RSM SA generates cases and bracelets. Other professional entities within the group cover movement parts and other major components. This organization can manufacture almost every part of the watch in-house, ensuring a considerable level of independence. What Schwarz Etienne needs to source from outside the group is sourced from a respected partner.
Collection from 1902
In this background, we need to understand that we want to know what a new watch from Schwarz Etienne looks like. The collection introduced this year was called 1902 and was also the year Schwarzetienne founded. The 1902 line is inspired by Schwarz Etienne’s Roma collection, but has been greatly improved. The 1902 Petite Seconde (French for “Small Second”) is a base model. Other models are built by adding complications and extending the basic design. The second 1902 model is Réserve de Marche (French for “power reserve”). So far, all variants share the same case, with brands being produced with 5th grade titanium. The movement is an extension of the base calibre, and the next member of this collection is already scheduled.
The choice of titanium as a case material gives these watches a modern touch while maintaining the traditional look of the dial. The shape of the case is rare. From above, it creates a strong impression, mainly due to substantial rugs. You will be surprised by the round structure that penetrates through a flat surface from the side. The inclined bezel is polished, the lug is brushed over the top, and the sides of the case are polished again. A comfortable sized signed crown allows you to easily blow wind and set your movement.
The slightly domed sapphire crystal provides a distortion-free view of the dial. I don’t notice that there is a crystal. Six screws secure the see-through case.
1902 Petite Seconde
The 1902 Petite Seconde is available with a silver, gray or rose gold dial. I chose the one that used a gray dial. And I must quickly admit that I absolutely love this watch! It boasts a sector dial with the same name small seconds register, four levels, and the same number of surface finishes. The highest level is the chapter ring on the border of the dial. This features an opalin finish with a printed railway fine track. It is followed by a ring containing a time index and a satin finished surface. The inside of the dial has a granular surface structure. A small amount of subdial forms the lowest level of the dial, withstanding a concentric sculpture surrounded by rings of oparin chapters that surround the main dial.
The time and fine hands of the lancet make a strong impression. Half of each hand is polished and the other half is sandblasted. A much simpler baton hand shows the seconds of the subdial. There are four types of time index: The two triangular parts form an index at 12 o’clock, with 3 and 9 indices being pointed out. Most of the rest are rectangular, while the 5 and 7 are trimmed diagonally, leaving space for the subdials. All applied indexes have rounded polished shapes that reflect light from any angle. The sophisticated application brand logo contrasts strongly with the grain dial below it.
Overall, there is a lot to discover through detailed examinations. Paying attention to all these details reveals the efforts that led to the design of this watch. For me, the most sparkling details of the design of the Slate-Gray Petite Seconde are the bright chapter rings. It doesn’t dominate, but creates a sophisticated, modern touch within a traditional dial layout.
1902 Lesvel de Marche
Lesave de Mart was the second member of the family in 1902. It expands the petite second with a prominent power reserve indicator above the 2 o’clock dial. This indicator replicates the design of the small-second register. To reestablish the balance of the dial, the brand’s logo is a little further away from the center of the dial. It needs it and it works impressively well.
This model is available with a silver or rose gold dial. I like silver stuff. It took me a while to warm up that design. This could be due to a singular combination of indexes. The designer replaced some of the applied items with thinly printed Art Deco numerals. The dial looks out of balance without these special time markers. Certainly, that wouldn’t be very interesting.
ASE 300.00 Movement
ASE 300.00 is a modern micro-rotor caliber that offers a traditional touch through the arrangement of bridges and classical ornament. In this way, this movement is perfectly suited to the petite second of 1902. The finish is mostly industrial, but at a high level. It has a wide circular wave pattern (Coat de Genève), sandblasted main plate, chamfered and polished edges, a concave polished screw sink, and diagonal and polished screws. The micro rotor’s vibration weight is decorated with a chevron pattern, and the ratchet wheel teeth are polished by hand.
This 29 jewel calibers run at 3Hz frequencies and provide a comfortable 86-hour power reserve. By setting the time by wrapping ASE 300.00 through the crown, you will get a sense of importance and confidence in reliable, high-quality movements.
MSE 311.00 Movement
The MSE 311.00 in the 1902 Réserve de Marche has the same architecture as the ASE 300.00, but the second barrel, which operates parallel to the first barrel, replaces the microrotor. This second barrel extends the power reserve to an impressive 120 hours (5 days). It definitely makes sense to me that a watch with a well-known power reserve indicator has manual movement. Similar to the 1902 Petite Seconde and its movement, the MSE 311.00 fully completes the 1902 Réserve de Marche.
The finish is roughly the same as that of the ASE 300.00, and it is equally pleasing to observe it through the sapphire display on the caseback.
Schwarz Etienne 1902 wearing Petite Seconde and Réserve de Marche
I rarely got the strong impression that the watch looked clearly the best when worn on my wrist. This applies to both 1902 models, and stimulates the effectiveness of the design. The 39mm x 10.9mm case sits comfortably on a 19cm wrist. These are not strict dress watches. Rather, they are elegant watches with traditional and modern clues for everyday wear. These two models do not draw attention when worn. However, anyone who sees them will soon notice a high degree of refinement. The titanium case supports this lightweight attitude. The clock is noticeable, but not as much of a visual or physical cost.
The 1902 Rèserve de Marche is delivered with a classically visible black alligator strap, while the grey 1902 Petite Seconde is found on a very simple black Calfskin strap that perfectly matches the style of the watch. Both straps have elastic lining and come with a very refined branded titanium pin buckle.
If you are looking for a luxury daily watch, you definitely need to consider the Schwarz Etienne 1902 family. Prices (excluding VAT) are 18,500 chf for Petite Seconde and 19,500 chf for Réserve de Marche.
Conclusion
I’ve come to know Florian Brosard as someone who likes to expand boundaries but has great respect for tradition and the achievements of others. He respects people. For these reasons, the 1902 family is not a radical break from what Schwarzetienne did before. Instead, it is an outstanding evolution of respect for the brand offering created in the efforts of the integrated team. I love the results and am grateful for the way these watches carry on tradition into a more modern look.
And don’t forget that Petite Seconde and Réserve de Marche are just the beginning. Based on the movements we became acquainted, there will be more models that extend the 1902 family with more complications. The brand has already scheduled the next model. Florian didn’t reveal any details about it to me. I’m interested!
Check out the Schwarz Etienne website to learn about the brand’s history and current portfolio. In the comments section you can share your thoughts on the two new 1902 models or general opinions about Schwarzetienne.
