For new watch enthusiasts, one of the great discoveries of the hobby is the incredible value available in German made watches. The idea of a ?finely made Swiss watch? is beaten into our brains well before we even strap that first timepiece to our wrists, so it?s easy to come to the hobby with an assumption that Swiss and expensive watches represent some aspirational high point that all collectors are striving for. Once you understand that Germany has its own slice of watchmaking history, and that they excel in certain things that the Swiss don?t emphasize as strongly, and that often (for a whole host of reasons) German watches are far less expensive than their Swiss equivalents, a bunch of new possibilities open up. Sinn, Nomos, and Damasko are often starting points when it comes to an education in German watches, but Archimede should not be ignored. They?ve just released a new watch, the Klassik 200, which appears to be a great summation of all the quality and value that German watches have to offer. 
For the uninitiated, a bit of background on Archimede, as understanding the brand is important to understanding the value of their watches and some of their unique characteristics. Archimede?s parent company, Ickler, has been around since the 1920s, and is well known throughout the watch industry for their case making abilities. Over the years they?ve supplied many top brands with watch cases, and have developed a reputation for quality. Archimede can be thought of...