The name Lang & Heyne may not have been on your radar, unless you’re an enthusiastic collector of Saxonia watchmaking, a proud owner of a Georg SHH Edition (more on that later), or perhaps in a bizarre yet plausible instance, it came to you in a vivid dream.

Now as with any respectable watch company named after their founding fathers, Lang & Heyne is made up of Marco Lang and Mirko Heyne, two young watchmakers based in Dresden, Germany. Fun fact: Dresden is historically recognized as the origin of mechanical timekeeping in Saxony, a tradition that began during the reign of King Frederick Augustus I of Saxony in the early 19th century. They’ve documented all of this that you can read about here, but what the brand clearly champions for is good ol’ watchmaking as they did in 18th- and 19th-century Saxonia. 

Their designs are a nod to the classics, which feature clean and highly legible dial designs consisting elegant hour markers, slender hands, and small seconds — most of which are encased in precious metals. In christening them, their timepieces are named after distinguished Saxon electors and kings from the House of Wettin. The latest Platinum Jubilee Edition for Sincere Fine Watches is no different, taking its name after 15th century Prince-elector Friedrich III.

A remontoir with a special dial combination

In part five of Sincere Fine Watches’ 70th anniversary celebrations, Lang & Heyne presents the Friedrich III Remontoir Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition. This marks the third collaborative project between the German brand and the Singapore retailer. Prior to this, the aforementioned Georg timepiece was the first collaboration that made up the inaugural SHH Editions at the opening of Sincere Haute Horlogerie in Singapore in 2022. It was followed by the Georg SHH Edition II, a Bordeaux-colored number that commemorated the grand opening of SHH in Kuala Lumpur.

This special Friedrich III Remontoir bears all the classic Saxonian characteristics so we’ll jump into the most distinctive feature, and that’s the striking dial. Unlike other conventional solid silver dials, this edition features a ceramic dial with a sand-blasted royal blue solid silver decorative plate at the center.

The Roman numerals, script, and minute track are engraved into the ceramic dial and filled with black lacquer, making it highly legible. Against the clean white surface, the addition of Cathedral hands lends a dramatic flair without overwhelming the overall look. There is something of a sleight of hand about the craftsmanship here, in that the seconds subdial is ever so recessed, partially cutting through the periphery and the frosted givrée-finished blue center for added depth.

Granted, this stylized combination has been executed before, as seen in the first Georg SHH Edition. However, it should still be noted that the production process of a ceramic dial requires scrupulous finesse to accomplish. These ceramic dials, known for their high pressure-resistance and low specific density, require to be first engraved and cut (with lasers), then finely finished to ensure pristine edges.

The Friedrich III Remontoir is powered by the Caliber VI-I movement that’s designed with the remontoir complication. This mechanism, positioned beside the escape wheel, results in deadbeat-seconds while effectively regulating and controlling the mainspring, which in turn ensures a consistent transfer of energy across the entire power reserve. This layout is cleanly displayed through the sapphire crystal caseback, featuring sandblasted gold bridges. “One of 7” is engraved towards 6 o’clock, with Sincere’s 70th-anniversary logo elegantly engraved on the sapphire glass.

The 7-piece limited Lang & Heyne Friedrich III Remontoir Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition will be available at all Sincere Fine Watches Boutiques, with a retail price of S$99,690 (including GST). 

Tech Specs: Lang & Heyne Friedrich III Remontoir Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition

Movement: Manual-winding Calibre VI-1; 42-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; small seconds
Case: 39.2mm × 10.7mm; 18K white gold; water-resistant to 30m
Dial: Royal blue silver decorative plate with white ceramic
Strap: Dark blue alligator leather
Price: SGD 99,690
Availability: Limited to 7 pieces