Presenting The Handcrafted S3 Timepiece
Following the success of the S1 and S2 models, Garrick continues its ascent ever upwards into the rarefied world of high horology, releasing its latest timepiece, the Garrick S3. This new watch showcases the British brand’s vast expertise and penchant for hand craftsmanship. The S3 features an openworked dial revealing a myriad of components usually hidden from view. Moreover, the new movement, the UT-GO4 calibre, encompasses chatons and peerless finishing, including time-consuming black polishing.
When Garrick unveiled its S1 model in 2018, it announced to the watch collecting community that the British brand was capable of producing fine watches, rich in technical virtue and hand craftsmanship.
Building on the success of previous models, Garrick has now created the S3, the company’s most technical watch to date.
The S1 model featured an openworked dial which exposed a series of gears and pinions, positioned atop the mainplate. The S3 is different. The S3’s mainplate is a new design featuring a number of recesses which accommodate the aforementioned parts. These parts sit flush with the upper mainplate surfaces, providing a neater appearance. This specification detail meant Garrick’s watchmakers had to revisit each movement component and, in many cases, relocate parts in order to ensure functionality and augment the model’s aesthetic allure. Ultimately, these various changes led to the creation of the new UT-GO4 calibre.
Consistent with previous models, the S3 features Garrick’s Maritime hour and minute hands, crafted in-house and heat blued. The hour track incorporates Roman numerals and, once again, is made in-house and thermally blued. A small seconds display and power-reserve indicator complete the inventory of functions.
As per the S1, clients can select a discreet nameplate or choose to eschew dial side branding.
The balance is positioned front of house, in the lower portion of the dial. A prominent bridge spans the balance wheel and is enriched with straight graining and black polishing. The movement is endowed with a Trinity free-sprung balance made of Sircumet, a non-magnetic alloy exclusive to Garrick. A free-sprung balance enhances isochronism and mitigates positional influence on the rate, surpassing the ubiquitous index-adjusted balance. The timing screws affixed to the balance wheel are set in-board, reducing air turbulence and, by default, augmenting precision.
The gears and a plethora of other components are made in-house using traditional watchmaking machines such as jig borers and lathes. Numerous grey-toned parts are, once again, made of Sircumet and subject to black polishing. This latter type of finish necessitates polishing parts on a tin plate in conjunction with diamantine paste, flattening the surface and delivering a brilliant, mirror-like appearance. The rhodium-plated movement is hand-frosted and features chatons, while the case is offered in stainless steel or 18-carat gold.
By virtue of its exalted, no-compromise creation, the making of the Garrick S3 is restricted to just five pieces per annum. This latest watch, crafted by hand in Norfolk, showcases the talents of Garrick’s skilled staff and demonstrates that British watchmaking is very much alive and well.