Massena LAB x Habring² Erwin LAB03

One of the best kept secrets in independent watchmaking, Habring² is the brainchild of husband and wife duo Richard and Maria Habring. They are renowned amongst seasoned enthusiasts for combining complicated watches with simple aesthetics like few else can.

While their regular (if you could call them that) line of watches is absolutely spectacular in their own right, for us they are at their very best when collaborating up with some of the most well-known figures in the watch industry. And amongst these collaborations, those made in conjunction with William Massena.

Originally combining forces for two special edition watches for the 20th and 21st anniversaries of the Timezone forums, the resulting pieces known as the TZ20 and TZ21 are some of the most highly desired Habrings to date. When William set up his own company, Massena LAB, in 2019 his first collaboration was with Habring and was known as the LAB01. In 2020, they followed up this spectacular piece with the LAB02, and then again in 2022 with the LAB03 - the watch we have here today.

The LAB03 goes a couple of steps further on the collaboration front, and along with Habring, Massena LAB also teamed up with Joshua Shapiro, famed for his amazing engine turning, and the Horological Society of New York (HSNY) for chronometer certification, to create one of their most desirable watches to date in our opinion.

Featuring a svelte 38.5mm steel case, it houses a 3-hand dial designed by Massena and hand-crafted by Josh in his LA studio. Shapiro used an 80-year old straight-line guilloché machine to create the spectacular basket weave pattern in the centre of the dial. The outer ring of the dial is then grained using Water of Ayr stone, something rarely seen today. Markers are in a deep blue, as are the Breguet-style hands, and matches to the Italian Deer Skin strap. Hand-crafting of this level is not usually seen in watches at such a price point, and it is truly spectacular in person.

Powering it is the manually wound in-house A11S calibre with jumping second complication and a 48 hour power reserve. It also features a special finish with a layer of rhodium, followed by a second layer of 5N rose gold, and is then stamped with the HSNY logo to indicate it has met it's testing standards, and is the first watch to be given such a stamp. Collabs don't come much cooler, or more thorough, than this.

This particular piece was delivered in 2022, and presents in TZ Good condition. Bezel shows a scrape near 8 and another near 12, with a few small dings around it's outer edges. Case shows some small scratches from regular wear, as does the case back. Strap remains in excellent condition. Please see images for full condition details.

All functions operating as they should, and keeping COSC time.

Comes with wooden box, spare hands, spare spring bars, gaskets, crown and buckle, warranty booklet/instruction manual, COSC timing slip and Watch Vault cleaning cloth.

Limited to just 66 pieces, and highly sought-after.

Brand: Habring² x Massena LAB

Model #: Erwin LAB03

Year: 2022

Case Material: Steel

Case details: 38.5mm x 10.5mm

Movement: Habring² A11S Manual Wind Jump Seconds

Dial: Bronze Guilloche with Salmon tone

Paraphernalia: Wooden box, spare hands, spare spring bars, gaskets, crown and buckle, warranty booklet/instruction manual, COSC timing slip and Watch Vault cleaning cloth

TZ Grading: Good