Gronefeld Watches

Gronefeld Exclusive Timepieces is a relatively new independent watchmaker’s brand from the Netherlands. Raised in a Dutch watchmaking family and educated at some of the best facilities in Switzerland, brothers Bart and Tim Gronefeld decided to design and develop their own complicated timepieces after years of repair and restoration work for other brands.

A few years ago, Gronefeld Exclusive Timepieces introduced a watch featuring a minute repeater and tourbillon called the GM-T06. Now they have introduced a new timepiece -- with a different complication -- called the One Hertz.

One Hertz refers to the second hand that ticks like a quartz watch but is driven by an ingenious mechanical movement. This complication, often referred to as "dead beat" or secondes mortes (to the French), has been used in pocket watches since the 19th century. The dead-beat complication never made it to wristwatches until now, as watch manufacturers were probably afraid that people might think their watches had a quartz movement. Gronefeld Exclusive Timepieces put this complex feature back on the horological map.
We were invited over to a small picturesque village called Oldenzaal to have a look at the Gronefeld watches and workshop.