Backes & Strauss x About Timepieces W1 Anthracite (Diamond Bezel)

About Timepieces has joined forces with the world’s oldest diamond company, Backes & Strauss,  to unveil the W1: a refined evolution of the original W1 design, reinterpreted with new dial colour and subtle edits to the dial itself.

Co-developed from the ground up, the project marks a rare moment where collector instinct has shaped manufacture. The revised index layout (replacing the traditional “XII” and “VI” with “II” and “I” respectively), was a deliberate choice by About Timepieces, challenging the conventions of dial design while maintaining symmetry and balance. The previously unreleased anthracite dial colour was also a pantone selected by About Timepieces, chosen for its understated classic finish and quiet depth under changing light.

That base is paired with polished, applied indices, the About Timepieces icon at 6 o’clock and sword-shaped hands with lumed centres — subtle enough to stay refined, but just enough to catch the eye when needed.

Inside, the W1 houses a hand-wound Franck Muller movement, hand-engraved and visible through a sapphire exhibition caseback — a rare mechanical touchpoint at this level of finishing.

Only 10 individually numbered watches will be produced:

• 5 in polished stainless steel (Numbered X/5)
• 4 in black PVD-coated steel (Numbered X/4)
• 1 in stainless steel with a diamond-set bezel (Unique Piece)

Each piece is assembled and finished in Switzerland, combining Backes & Strauss’ generational mastery of diamond-setting with About Timepieces’ collector-driven vision and aesthetic instinct. This truly is a statement for those who just know.

Size: 40mm
Movement: Mechanical, case back open, decorated movement
Case: Stainless Steel brushed case or Black PVD case, 8mm with polished steel lugs, non-set or encrusted with 128 diamonds, 2.92cts. 30m water resistance
Dial: Anthracite dial with the Roman hand-polished hour markers
Bracelet: Brushed Stainless Steel or Black PVD bracelet with polished steel links
Crown: The Jewel in the Crown, 0.06cts