Introducing: A New Affordable Brand From The Gronefeld Brothers, And The Debut Gr?ne Manueel One

November 07, 2024

Here's a surprise I never saw coming: the Dutch horological brothers Tim and Bart Gronefeld have just announced not just a new watch, but an entirely new entry-level brand called Gr?ne, which takes much of the Gronefeld design language and brings it to an affordable price C 2,150. The debut model, called Manueel One, features a salmon tremblage center dial surrounded by a two-step, brushed, rhodium-plated exterior dial with diamond-cut edges, blued hands, and a blue printed exterior track. The case, in 316L stainless steel, measures 38.5mm by 10mm thick (9mm without the scratch-resistant sapphire crystal), with a 20mm lug width and a 46mm lug-to-lug. Gr?ne calls the case shape an evolution of the 1941 case design. The bezel is domed between the lugs and concave on the side of the case. The crown is also like Gronefeld designs, with a conical shape for more comfortable winding. And yes, the movement is a SW-210 manually-wind with 42 hours of power reserve. Gr?ne has tweaked the movement for better torque according to the brothers' personal tactile preferences. The Manueel One will go on sale on November 19, 2024, with deliveries starting December 2024. It's limited to 388 pieces and, as previously mentioned, costs 2,150. What We Think There's a push and pull between the things I like to review and write about. The aspirational brands and "grails" are so fascinating for me because they're almost always going to be out of reach. Even a Gronefeld 1941 Principia C at their lower secondary market prices C is a bit out of my price range. But to see Bart and Tim Gronefeld do a new affordable line of watches feels like it's speaking directly to someone like me. It's the same reason that the M.A.D.1. has been so successful for fans of MB&F that will never afford an LM101. At approximately $2,350, it's much more affordable, though a bit on the high side for a SW-210 movement. As a community-building piece and storytelling device, there's a lot to love. The nickname for the new Manueel One is "Sjef's One" for Bart and Tim's father Sjef Gronefeld. My grandfather, who got me into watches, had Dutch heritage, so this hits home. The watch also highlights the brand's Dutch roots with the words "Oldenzaal" (for the home base of Gronefeld and Gr?ne) and the word "Netherlands" on the dial. The caseback has an engraving with the outline of Oldenzaal and the Dutch proverb "Zoals het klokje thuis tikt, tikt het nergens" which translates to "there's no place like home." All this adds up to a watch I'm definitely going to try to buy. Playing devil's advocate for a minute, I will be curious to hear how Gronefeld owners will feel about a new affordable brand from the brothers. A common concern for early collectors of any brand is when that brand starts branching out, producing more watches, or drifting away from the core of what they had done (and how it might impact the value of their early pieces). We've seen that it hasn't had any major impact on MB&F prices, so I'm hoping that this might open the door for other brands to target a different bracket of customers. The Basics Brand: Gr?neModel: Manueel OneDiameter: 38.5mmThickness: 10mm (9mm without the glass)Case Material: 316L stainless steelDial Color: Tremblage salmon dial surrounded by a two-step brushed rhodium-plated diamond-cut dialIndexes: Individually hand-applied high-polished diamond-cut baton hour markers, partially overhanging the salmon dialLume: NoneWater Resistance: 50mStrap/Bracelet: Calf leather The Movement Caliber: Sellita SW210Functions: Hours, minutes, central secondsDiameter: 25.6mmThickness: 3.35mmPower Reserve: 42 hoursWinding: Manual, adjusted for torque for a more tactile sensationFrequency: 28,800 vphJewels: 19Chronometer Certified: No Pricing & Availability Price: 2,150Availability: Available for order on November 19, 2024; deliveries start December 2024Limited Edition: Yes, 388 piecesFor more, click here.