Hands-On: The Armin Strom One Week Skeleton Titanium Is Stripped Back And Stepped Up
I remember the first time I saw the Armin Strom One Week. It was during Geneva Watch Days in 2023, and the setting couldn’t have been more memorable. While most brands hosted their meetings in the shaded, sepia-toned suites of the Beau Rivage, Armin Strom had something different in mind. I followed the address provided and found myself boarding a small boat. There, looking out across the famous Lac Léman, beer in hand and sitting across from co-founder Claude Greisler, I got my first hands-on experience with the One Week. It was superb and easily one of my top watches of the year. It left a lasting impression and earned a permanent spot on my grail list — until now, with the new Armin Strom One Week Skeleton Titanium.
That grail has just been replaced by a younger, bolder, and far more revealing model. Enter the One Week Skeleton Titanium. Armin Strom launched this model at Watches and Wonders earlier this year. I wasn’t there this time around, so I had to admire it from afar. But the moment I saw it, I reached out to the brand. I needed to see it in the metal, away from the buzz of Palexpo, somewhere I could truly get to know it a little better. Honestly, this watch looked good in photos, but I expected even more when getting up close and personal.
The same bones, just far less modest
The foundations are the same, but the Skeleton? It’s louder, leaner, and not afraid to show off. This isn’t a simple case of cutting out some bridges and calling it a day. Rather, it’s a complete rework of the ARM21 caliber. Plates and bridges have been reshaped, opened up, and rebalanced to create an entirely different character that demands attention instead of quietly impressing.
The layout still follows the same logic — twin vertically aligned barrels, offering seven full days of power, with the twin signature cone-style power reserve indicators. But everything now feels like it is floating in mid-air. There’s tension in the movement, almost like a suspension bridge pulled tight. It’s mechanical but theatrical too. The main bridges display an anthracite PVD coating (except for the two holding the twin barrels) and manual finishing, which gives them a stealthy contrast against the motion happening around them. In the right light, the polished bevels sparkle, and the inner geometry reveals itself. There’s depth everywhere.
One Week on the wrist
The case size hasn’t changed, and I’m glad. It’s still 41mm across and 10.6mm thick, which keeps the proportions near perfect. It wears flat enough to slip under a cuff while maintaining a presence that constantly reminds you it is there, in a good way. If I am totally honest, the watch looks a little bigger than the diameter may suggest. I’d say it looks more like 42mm, but that’s likely due to the large “dial” and lack of a proper bezel. That said, the very short, stubby lugs keep it fitting well on the wrist. It doesn’t wear big, even if it looks larger than its on-paper measurements.
The One Week Skeleton Titanium is super comfortable to wear, as you’d expect with its lightweight alloy. The lugs curve gently, the strap integration is seamless, and the folding clasp is secure without being bulky. Nothing gets in the way. There were moments when I caught myself doing nothing but staring at it and resting my wrist on a desk, watching the light shift ever so slightly over the barrels and polished accents. Don’t tell my boss, but this watch causes procrastination. The small seconds hand at 9 o’clock moves with a slow grace, a simple and steady counterweight to all the visual tension around it. For all its complexity, the watch remains readable. That is a tricky balance with skeleton watches, and Armin Strom nailed it.
One of the best H-link bracelets I’ve ever worn
The bracelet is Grade 5 titanium, just like the case, and it’s one of the best H-link styles I’ve worn. That might sound like faint praise, but genuinely, it’s excellent. The central links have a raised, folded ridge, almost like a soft-edged pyramid, which creates extra facets for the light to catch. This adds depth and visual interest to what’s usually a pretty flat and potentially boring design.
The surface finishing matches the soft matte tones of the case beautifully, which helps the whole package feel cohesive and properly integrated. That’s always an important detail and, unfortunately, not something every brand gets right. This is the kind of bracelet that quietly reinforces the watch’s price point, feeling solid, smooth, and designed with both comfort and aesthetic balance in mind. Titanium bracelets can be hit or miss. That lightweight feel can sometimes come off as rattly or cheap, which always puts me off. Thankfully, there is no such issue here.
The butterfly clasp is slim and sits just a touch above the link line, but it’s intentionally so. It integrates nicely and doesn’t break the flow. My only minor gripe is the lack of micro-adjustment. We’re seeing more butterfly clasps with some kind of on-the-fly adjustment these days, and I think it’s fair to expect that at this level. It’s not a dealbreaker, just something I’d love to see added down the line. I found myself sitting slightly between link sizes, so that micro-adjustment would have been the cherry on top.
Compared to the original
When I first tried the original One Week in 2023, I thought it was one of the most quietly confident watches I’d worn. It introduced me to the brand, and it did so with incredible poise. From the seven-day power reserve to the twin cone indicators and the beautifully layered architecture, it all felt fresh and different. This new version builds on that in a very different way. It takes the same idea and pulls it apart, revealing everything, exaggerating the lines and sharpening the contrast. The result is more aggressive, more expressive, and somehow even more wearable.
You could say the original is the choice for purists. It is restrained and serene. The Skeleton, on the other hand, is what happens when a brand stops holding back. Pleasingly, though, it does not feel like a gimmick. I thought it could be too much on the wrist, but it isn’t. It is just more alive.
The ARM21-S movement and execution
The ARM21-S, as it is now called, is a proper technical showcase. It is not just the ARM21 with the fat trimmed. The bridges have been redesigned to suit this open layout, with structure and tension in mind. From some angles, the whole thing looks like it is hanging on wires. From others, it feels carved out of a single piece of metal. Either way, it’s fun to explore.
The finishing is impressive, as it always is from Armin Strom. I feel the brand’s finishing is often overlooked and underappreciated; it’s flawless. The bevels are polished by hand. The black coating gives it a shadowy dimension, and the contrast between matte, brushed, and grained surfaces makes everything feel more layered. Nothing feels flat. Even the hidden parts have character. Technically, the performance remains the same. The twin barrels give you seven days of reserve, and the movement beats at 3.5Hz. It is accurate, smooth, and winds like a dream. Honestly, even winding this watch is satisfying. You feel the buttery smoothness of each turn, see the cones shift, and hear the soft click of engagement. These little touches stay with you.
Where Armin Strom is going
What I respect about Armin Strom is how focused the brand is. There is not a single filler model in the lineup. Every piece feels intentional. And when revisiting a concept, it is never for marketing noise. It is because Armin Strom has something more to say.
This Skeleton version feels like that — like the designers took a breath, looked at the One Week, and tried to see how far they could push it, not in a flashy or reckless way but in a methodical, engineered, horologically respectful way. And despite how exposed it looks, this is still a watch you can wear daily, as I did for a week. It’s not a safe queen, and it’s not a novelty; it’s a serious piece of watchmaking that also happens to be a little bit showy.
Final thoughts on the Armin Strom One Week Skeleton Titanium
There’s something special about when a brand reinterprets a great watch and somehow makes it even better. That’s what happened here. The One Week Skeleton Titanium takes what was already an excellent watch and pulls back the curtain. The result is more engaging, more interactive, and surprisingly more versatile. Sure, skeleton watches aren’t for everyone. And some people will always prefer the calm, full-plate elegance of the original. But this version pulled me in. It replaced a grail, and I don’t say that lightly.
The One Week Skeleton Titanium is not merely a visual update. It is a full-throated expression of what Armin Strom does best — mechanical depth, strong design, thoughtful engineering, and a complete lack of compromise. For me, someone who loved the original, the Armin Strom One Week Skeleton Titanium is one of the most compelling watches of the year.
