For the last two decades, Meistersinger has been producing watches that tell time in the most fundamental and accessible way - using a single hand that indicates time without even the most basic complications like minute or second hands. Although Meistersinger's concept is deliberately simple, its execution allows for unexpectedly easy and accurate time reading (provided you're not overly concerned with pinpointing the exact second). To celebrate the 20th anniversary of creating unique and instantly recognizable German watches, Meistersinger has returned to the classic style of the Perigraph line, but with a colorful twist on the dial, resulting in a watch perfectly suited for celebrating 20 years in watchmaking. If you're going to celebrate a milestone, you might as well go all out - as the brand's founder Manfred Brassler says: "And when we do something, we do it right!"
It seems many agree with Mr. Brassler's sentiment. Over the years, Meistersinger has won numerous awards, receiving design accolades from Red Dot, iF, GOOD DESIGN, and others. Clearly, the relaxed approach to time reading emphasized in Meistersinger's single-hand watches resonates with many. Perhaps when we moved away from single-hand watches in the mid-17th century and started adding additional hands, we lost something that inherently appeals to our senses when tracking time with one hand.
Dubbed Mellow Yellow, this latest limited edition model from Meistersinger is one of a kind in the brand's lineup. The Mellow Yellow Perigraph features a steel blue dial accentuated by a yellow minute hand and date disc. On this vibrant background, white Arabic hour markers and a large single hour hand with a red tip stand out. Red accents scattered across the dial add extra expressiveness to the watch. It's hard not to smile when looking at these bright, summery hues.
The Perigraph is housed in a 43mm polished stainless steel case with a slim profile of 11.5mm. The large case and wide dial allow easy time reading, despite the single hand. Instead of a typical minute track running around the dial's periphery, each marker denotes a five-minute interval. Spend a day with the watch, and your brain will quickly adapt to the changes - determining time with a single hand will start to feel like a more organic process, as one hand tracks the linear passage of time. If you're aiming to simplify your life, focusing on the moment rather than the seconds will be a welcome change.
Against the minimalism of the single-hand design, a fully open date ring is indicated by a red marker under the "12 o'clock" position. To keep clutter to a minimum, only odd numbers are displayed on the date ring, while even dates are replaced with red hashes. The yellow date ring set against deep blue tones creates a distinctive, unmatched dial.
The Perigraph is powered by the time-tested Swiss-made Sellita SW 200-1 automatic movement. It features 25 jewels, a 38-hour power reserve, and operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour. Meistersinger complements it with a rotor visible through a sapphire case back. While some brands add complications, Meistersinger removes them, eliminating the minute and second hands to create the foundation for its signature single-hand design.
The Mellow Yellow Perigraph comes on a leather strap with minimal stitching, complementing the yellow hue of the dial. However, this is a watch you'll surely want to try on various straps - put it on a Perlon or textile strap for a casual look, or add some sportiness with a Milanese mesh.
Meistersinger releases the Perigraph Mellow Yellow as a celebratory watch - if you want to mark a big or small event, the colorful dial and laid-back approach of the single-hand watch are hard to beat.
The Meistersinger Perigraph Mellow Yellow is released in a limited edition of 200 pieces priced at 1,790 euros.