“Now, try saying that line three times faster…”
What else are you going to do during the lockdown, right? It’s either coming up with new tongue twisters or if you fancy something more productive, kick-starting the Peren Hintz. The Perez Hilt-what? No, not him. It’s Peren Hintz and the story behind this timepiece goes like this. Based in the Romanian city of Făgăraș, which is situated in the historical region of Transylvania, the Peren Hintz is the latest introduction from the brand and is said to be “inspired by the pocket watch received from a Swiss manufacturer by one of the first Transylvanian watchmaker, Eugen Hintz.”
See? Transylvania has more than just vampires, guys. #educateyourself
Back in the day (give or take a century ago), Mr. Hintz was one of the top names in Transylvanian watchmaking. He had forged partnerships with companies such as Tellus, Wyler and Junghans to commission parts for his own watches and it was only a matter of time before Hintz was on a first-name basis with these brands. True enough, the aforementioned pocket watch was put together by none other than Paul Wyler & Cie (Fabrique des Montres Wyler SA).
“So, the Peren Hintz. What about it, then?”
For starters, I find it’s one of the nicer watches to have emerged from the flurry of microbrands in recent memory. Granted, I am a sucker for time-only pieces so this was already a win for me at first sight. According to Peren, the Hintz’s aesthetic direction was meant to reflect a “neo-vintage design code while incorporating elements of art-deco composition.” Whatever it is, there’s no doubt that the stand-out feature of this watch is the rotating disc at the 6 o’clock position.
The disc is inspired by the Andesite Sun. The what? The Andesite Sun, located at the ancient site of Sarmizegetusa Regia in Transylvania, is one of the first solar-cycle measurement tools. You know what’s another cool fact? The Andesite Sun disc also served as an altar for the Solar Cult. Allow me to drone on a bit about the Andesite disc, alright? Historians believe that this disc was an accessory of the cult’s temple. A cult which, obviously, worships the Sun.
The solar sign was represented by “two concentrically circles joined by means of ten solar rays.” The arc of the circle is believed to have had a symbolic sense that indicated when the solar cults took place. Additionally, it was also used to chart when the Sun phenomena (solar-cycle) occurred.
“Fascinating history lesson there… Now, for the tech specs?”
Ah yes, and just like that we’re back to modern times. The Swiss-made Peren Hintz comes in a “hand-polished” 316L stainless steel case measuring 42.5 mm. The case features both a polished and brushed finish with a lug-to-lug measurement of 50 mm and a height of 11.2 mm. A rather contemporary size, I reckon. Elsewhere, an exhibition caseback is to be found with potential owners getting a view of the ETA Unitas 6498-1 hand-wound calibre that lies within. Power reserve is rated at a healthy 50 hours with water resistance quoted at 100 m.
The Peren Hintz comes with a domed sapphire crystal with 3 layers of AR coating to shield the off-white dial with embossed Arabic numerals within. No date complication here, guys. The rotating aluminium disc at 6 o’clock replaces the traditional small seconds counter instead. There is, however, a sprinkling of SuperLuminova on both the hour and minute hands. Speaking of said hands, they’re diamond-cut, brass units. As for strap choices, you get two. It’s between a brown leather strap or a mesh steel bracelet. Lug width stands at 22 mm.
“How much is the Peren Hintz gonna’ cost me?”
Before I drop that figure, let me just state that the Peren Hintz is a limited edition timepiece. How limited, you ask? Only 300 pieces are set for production. With that out of the way, there are actually two sets of figures. For CHF396 (RM1,762), you get the variant with the ETA Unitas 6498-1 ‘Standard’ calibre. Shelling out CHF496 (RM2,207) nets you the ETA Unitas 6498-1 ‘Elabore’ movement instead. However, do take note that these figures are for the Kickstarter pre-order season. After it launches in the summer of 2020, the expected retail price is CHF796 (RM3,543)! Interested? Best swing by Peren’s site here to secure your slot.
