Armin Strom expands the Orbit collection with the new Orbit Midnight Purple Ref. ST26-OR.01, a limited edition of 20 pieces that builds on one of the manufacture’s most distinctive colour themes.
First introduced in 2022, when Armin Strom unveiled the Orbit – the world’s first watch with an on-demand date displayed on the bezel – the model has since evolved through a series of colour variations.
A first purple interpretation followed in 2025, while the new Orbit Midnight Purple takes the concept a step further by extending the colour beyond the dial to the movement itself.
The new execution retains the Orbit’s recognisable architecture, centred around a fumé dial that fades from a vivid purple centre to darker edges, enhancing the sense of depth created by the open-worked construction.
For the first time, the mainplate visible beneath the dial is finished in the same midnight purple tone using a frosted PVD treatment, creating a stronger visual continuity between the display and the movement.
Legibility remains a priority despite the layered architecture.
The faceted, hand-polished steel hands are manufactured in-house and filled with Super-LumiNova, while the applied hour markers also feature luminous material.
The signature numerals at 12 and 6 o’clock are crafted from solid blocks of Super-LumiNova, producing a particularly striking effect in low-light conditions.
The 43.4 mm stainless steel case is paired with a black ceramic bezel and now fitted with a fully integrated stainless steel bracelet.
Measuring 12.6 mm thick with a lug-to-lug distance of 44.35 mm, the case is protected by sapphire crystals with anti-reflective treatment on both sides and offers water resistance to 5 ATM (50 metres / 165 feet).
Powering the watch is the in-house automatic Calibre ASS20, a movement measuring 35.52 mm in diameter and 8.42 mm thick, composed of 273 components and 30 jewels.
Operating at 3.5 Hz (25,200 vibrations per hour), it combines Armin Strom’s patented Equal Force Barrel with a micro-rotor winding system to deliver a stable 72-hour power reserve.
The movement also incorporates one of the Orbit’s defining features: the world’s first date-on-demand display positioned on the bezel.
Activated via the pusher at 10 o’clock, the central date hand moves from its neutral position at 12 o’clock to indicate the current date along the ceramic bezel.
The indication advances automatically at midnight while remaining hidden until requested, after which a second press returns the hand discreetly to its resting position.
The mechanism is controlled by a column wheel, ensuring precise and smooth operation.
The transparent caseback highlights Armin Strom’s emphasis on hand-finishing.
The purple mainplate provides a distinctive backdrop for the rhodium-plated bridges and components, while polished bevels, perlage, circular graining and the manufacture’s characteristic finger bridges reinforce the three-dimensional appearance.
As with every Armin Strom timepiece, each movement is assembled twice: first to verify mechanical performance, then disassembled, hand-finished and reassembled for final delivery.
Limited to 20 pieces, the Armin Strom Orbit Midnight Purple Ref. ST26-OR.01 is priced at CHF 36,000. arminstrom.com
