Kemmner 24 Stunden Uhr - excellent German machinery (AWW 44)
Specifications
Name: Kemmner 24 Stunden Uhr
Movement: manual wind ETA Unitas 6498-1 soigné swiss, 17 jewels, 18.000 bph, 45h power reserve
Time display: 24 hour (12 on top), minute, small seconds at 6
Date: no date
Case: all stainless steel with screw on back
Size: 45 mm diameter without crown, 49 mm with crown, 55 mm lug to lug
Height: 12 mm
Face: matt black dial with white guilloche upper half
Text on dial: [Kemmner logo] GERMANY
Text on back: 316L/5ATM 003/100 movement modified by R.Nienaber Germany
Hands and markers: Superluminova C1 white hour markers and hour and minute hands
Water-resistance: 5 ATM water protected
Crown: signed main crown at 3
Crystal: flat sapphire crystal, both sides AR coated
Lugs: 24 mm
Bracelet: leather strap with signed butterfly clasp, stainless steel bracelet with butterfly clasp
Foreword
I think that this watch was introduced in February 2014. When I first read about the watch it immediately took my attention. Kemmner watches have a good reputation. And this was the first true 24h model from Kemmner as I know. Moreover - this watch is a cooperation of two well-known watchmakers - Roland Kemmner and Rainer Nienaber.
Roland Kemmner is a well-known German watchmaker, who is mostly producing for other bigger brands. But beside subcontractor activities is Mr. Kemmner producing and selling some watches under his own brand. You can find more information on Kemmner watches in German watches forum.
Kemmner watches are easy to find in auction. But for small brands it makes always sense to try to connect directly with the master himself. Doing this way you can usually spare some bucks. So did I and ordered my watch directly from Mr. Kemmner.
All the communication and delivery was very nice, smooth and enjoyable. A true personalized service.
Comments
Ordered watch was quickly sent to my, next day delivery. It came in a very big package. The nice and valuable burl wood box is huge - 35x16x11 cm. It contains the watch with leather strap, additional high quality stainless steel bracelet, set of watch strap tools and minimal paperwork.
When I first read about this watch in German uhrforum.de, then many members were not satisfied complaining, that the dial and hands are not nice enough.
From the first sight after I opened the box I think that this is nice watch. And it is a big watch that probably many of you appreciate. Dimensions 49 mm with crown, 55 mm lug to lug, are too much for me for everyday comfortable wearing.
When you order the watch you have two options. You have to pick up bezel you like (picture by seller):
Option one is the world traveller bezel with cities around the world. A special hook here is that instead of Berlin a small town (about 10,000 inhabitants) Bad Wildbad is between London and Athens. As you can guess - Kemmner watches are coming from Bad Wildbad (Bad Wild Bad?).
Option two is bezel with hours scale for second time zone and countdown minutes scale.
My pick was option two. This is exactly what I need for a 24h watch - second time zone and minutes countdown. Most of the bezels you see with minute scale have normal clockwise minute markers. When I need minute scale then only as a countdown tool - therefore the minute markers should be counter clockwise.
Of course is the bezel technically correct - 120 clicks - as it should be for a 24h watch. (Not like a disappointing 60 click 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] time zone bezel I have with my Airnautic Early Bird, which makes the bezel useless. Obviously the number of clicks must be multiple of 24 for a 24h watch. Always check the bezel when buying 24h watches. Some careless brands are using normal 12h watch bezels for 24h models.)
The matt black dial with 12 on top and upper daytime half in guilloche white is also good to me. I don't need much sweep second hand and small seconds with pleasant mini red hand are OK. All in all the dial design seems more to come from 1920s or 1930s, than 2010s. And that is what I especially like.
The Arabic hour numbers are Superluminova C1 white. The Hour and minute hands too.
Technically is everything fine with 24 Stunden Uhr.
The movement is ETA Unitas 6498-1 soigné swiss. Modified (to 24h) and decorated with Geneva waves by Rainer Nienaber. Rainer Nienaber, member of AHCI (Academy of Independent Creative Watchmakers, elite group of masters), is also assembling these 24 Stunden watches. If you are interested how the movement decoration is to be made - here is video by Mr. Nienaber: how to make a Côtes de Genève (
how to make a Côtes de Genève - YouTube).
Case is 316L stainless steel polished. Face and back are both flat and covered with sapphire crystals. Face sapphire is both sides AR coated, back sapphire is inside AR coated. Transparent screw case back has even bigger crystal than face with a great view of decorated movement. The case is 5 ATM water protected. This is absolutely sufficient for all everyday activities - swimming, sauna, shower etc. On the edge is serial number. As I see I got watch number 3 (of 100).
Both supplied bracelets are nice. The watch is equipped with soft black calfskin strap with signed butterfly clasp. Additional stainless steel bracelet has butterfly clasp too.
The strap tools which came with the watch are still in the plastic bag. But it seems to me that they are even of better quality than my tools I'm using every day.
Summary
This watch is exactly what you think when you are buying a "German watch". Everything is solid and right here. Bezel is the best I have in my collection. All the details - like the length of hands - are exactly right. There is no need even to start talking on legibility.
What is missing? A sounding brand name. For sure most of the production Mr. Kemmner is making for other more known brands is selling for a higher price including these brand name premiums. Kemmner watches are very affordable for a genuine classy German products. "24 Stunden Uhr" is one of the most expensive in Kemmner catalog, the price level is about 700 EUR or 1000 USD.
