Category: Wearables

Key Takeaways

1. Armin Strom, founded in 1967, became a true manufacture under Serge Michel and Claude Greisler in 2009, focusing on in-house calibres like the Equal Force barrel.
2. The new Gravity Equal Force Ultimate Sapphire Blue features an open-dial design, a 41 mm stainless-steel case, and is water-resistant up to 3 ATM.
3. Each watch is hand-finished in Biel, with a glacial blue PVD-coated mainplate, guilloché engraving by Kari Voutilainen, and rhodium-plated hands filled with Super-LumiNova for visibility.
4. The watch is powered by the in-house automatic calibre ASB19, featuring a micro-rotor and patented Equal Force barrel, ensuring consistent torque over a 72-hour power reserve.
5. Limited to 25 pieces per year, the Ultimate Sapphire Blue is priced at CHF 27,500 (approximately $34,413).

Founded in 1967 by the skilled skeletonizer Armin Strom, this independent brand based in Biel has dedicated many years to making its watch movements the star of the show. After Serge Michel and Claude Greisler took over management in 2009, the company transformed into a true manufacture. They began creating in-house calibres, like the Equal Force barrel that characterizes its System 78 line. This history sets the stage for the latest offering, especially for those who are just discovering Armin Strom.

New Design Features

The latest model, the Gravity Equal Force Ultimate Sapphire Blue, adds a refreshing, icy twist to the System 78 collection with its open-dial design. It features a 41 mm stainless-steel case that encases a clear sapphire dial plate, showcasing three horizontal finger bridges along with the underlying gear train. The watch measures 12.65 mm in height, has a lug-to-lug length of 48.09 mm, and is water-resistant up to 3 ATM.

Handcrafted Excellence

Every part of this timepiece is hand-finished right in Biel. The mainplate is coated with PVD in a glacial blue shade and is guilloché-engraved by the talented independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen. For better visibility, the hands are rhodium-plated and filled with Super-LumiNova. The watch is secured with a blue nubuck leather strap adorned with ice-blue stitching, fastened by a stainless-steel folding clasp.

Innovative Mechanism

Powering this beautiful watch is the in-house automatic calibre ASB19. It features a micro-rotor that winds a patented Equal Force barrel, which employs stop-work declutching. This clever mechanism enhances the consistency of torque from the mainspring to the movement, ensuring that the torque remains steady throughout its 72-hour power reserve. Operating at 25,200 vibrations per hour, the 202-part movement, which has 28 jewels, goes through two assembly processes—one for functionality and another for decoration—to uphold the brand’s high finishing standards.

Limited to just 25 pieces each year, the Ultimate Sapphire Blue is currently available from Armin Strom as well as authorized retailers for a list price of CHF 27,500, which is about $34,413.

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Key Takeaways

1. SmartAttack Method: A new cyberattack method called SmartAttack can exploit smartwatches to extract sensitive data from air-gapped computers using ultrasonic signals.

2. Inaudible Sound Waves: The attack uses sound waves between 18 to 22 kilohertz to encode data, which smartwatches can pick up and transmit via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

3. Smartwatch Vulnerability: Smartwatches are often allowed in secure areas while smartphones are not, making them a unique target for hidden data extraction.

4. Distance and Speed: Tests show that data can be transmitted from over six meters away at rates of up to fifty bits per second, posing risks in high-security environments.

5. Urgent Security Awareness: The research highlights the need for increased attention to wearable technology in secure areas, as compromised smartwatches could threaten even the most isolated systems.

A new method of cyberattack called SmartAttack has uncovered a serious flaw in the usage of smartwatches within secure areas. This research was published on June 10, 2025, by Dr. Mordechai Guri from Ben-Gurion University, showing how malware on a computer that is air-gapped can send sensitive information using ultrasonic signals to a nearby smartwatch, all without any clear signs of a breach.

How It Works

The attack utilizes inaudible sound waves ranging from 18 to 22 kilohertz. The infected computer encodes the data, which the smartwatch’s microphone picks up. After decoding, the smartwatch transmits the information via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, effectively evading standard security measures.

Vulnerability of Smartwatches

In secure locations, smartphones are usually prohibited, but smartwatches often stay on users’ wrists and face less strict regulations in many situations. Their ongoing presence and the design of their microphones make them particularly effective for this type of hidden operation.

Tests have shown that data can be successfully transferred from distances greater than six meters, achieving bitrates of up to fifty bits per second. This creates significant risks for high-security environments that depend on physical isolation to protect sensitive information.

Serious Implications

Although this attack necessitates both system compromise and close range, the potential effects are alarming. Cybersecurity journalist Davey Winder remarked in Forbes that “just because something is unlikely to happen does not mean it will not or cannot.” He points out that any compromised smartwatch “could execute the same method” to extract data from even the most secure air-gapped systems.

While applying this in the real world is quite difficult, the findings highlight an urgent need to pay more attention to wearable technology in secure environments.