Angelus / Tinkler 1958

Key Highlights

• Reissue of the 1958 Tinkler quarter-repeater as limited gold and steel editions.
• Self-winding Angelus A600 calibre with 70-hour power reserve and refined finishing.
• 38 mm case with a pusher at 9 o’clock activating a quarter repeater for hours and quarters.
• White domed sunburst dial with distinctive markers and a modernist 12.
• Expresses Angelus’ heritage in speciality striking watches.

A Quarter Turn Back to 1958

The Tinkler 1958 revisits Angelus’ 1958 Tinkler wristwatch repeater, derived from a patent for a striking wristwatch and recognised among self-winding quarter-repeaters. It returns as a limited series of 15 pieces in 18-carat yellow gold (3N) and 25 in stainless steel.

The 38.00 mm case is 12.03 mm thick and carries a pusher at 9 o’clock that mirrors the crown and activates the quarter repeater. A screw-down back in matching metal with the Angelus “A” monogram, 3 bar water resistance and a box sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment underscore its vintage-inspired yet practical profile.

Sound at the Heart of Angelus

Angelus has been linked to chiming mechanisms since 1891, when its name recalled the bell that marked the passage of time in towns and villages. On 15 April 1896, Albert and Gustav Stolz filed a patent for “a silent strike governor for repeater mechanisms”, confirming repeaters as a core competence for the manufacture.

The brand later produced Braille-repeating watches for soldiers blinded during the First World War and expanded into other complications, including the Chronodate in 1942. By the 1950s it had returned to wristwatch repeaters, leading to the 1958 patent for a striking wristwatch and the original Tinkler, direct ancestor of the current Tinkler 1958.

The Angelus A600 Calibre

At the core of the Tinkler 1958 is the Angelus A600 calibre, a self-winding movement created for this quarter-repeater configuration. It beats at 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour), delivers a 70-hour power reserve and measures 28 mm in diameter with a height of 7.35 mm.

Pressing the pusher at 9 o’clock triggers the striking sequence: single strikes mark the hours, followed by double strikes on two gongs to indicate each elapsed quarter hour for up to three quarters after the last full hour. Finishing includes snail finishing on the main plate, palladium-plated bridges with Côtes de Genève, polished bevels, rimmed wheels, blued screws and a tungsten oscillating weight with sunburst decoration.

Design, Dial and Straps

The Tinkler 1958 features a domed white sunburst dial that recalls the vintage model, with faceted hour markers in 3N gold and a modernist numeral 12. The 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions carry exclamation-shaped appliqués linked to the quarter-repeater layout.

Gold hands echo the markers on the 18-carat version and provide contrast on the steel reference. Alligator flank leather straps underline each model: the gold version is paired with an ink blue strap, while the steel reference comes on saddle brown, both secured by pin buckles in matching 18-carat yellow gold (3N) or stainless steel.

A Tradition of Specialities

The Tinkler 1958 aligns with the Angelus philosophy of speciality watchmaking in the La Fabrique line, where functions are tailored to specific activities and echo historic chronographs for motor racing, medical timing and telemeter readings. Reviving the Tinkler as a contemporary quarter repeater extends this approach into chiming complications, with both editions conceived as focused, limited pieces for connoisseurs of Swiss striking mechanisms and Angelus heritage.

Why It Matters

For collectors in the GCC, the Tinkler 1958 unites compact proportions, a mechanical quarter repeater and documented Angelus heritage in both gold and steel. The A600 calibre, considered finishing and vintage-inspired design give this watch strong appeal to enthusiasts who prize traditional Swiss striking mechanisms.

Those following Angelus’ speciality complications will recognise the Tinkler 1958 as a concise expression of the brand’s historical strengths within the La Fabrique family of focused, limited creations.