In early April 2026, Kudoke unveiled the Tremblage versions of its esteemed Kudoke 1 and 2 models, both belonging to the distinguished Handwerk collection. These timepieces now feature dials meticulously adorned with traditional, centuries-old hand-engraving techniques, elevating the brand’s flagship models to new heights of artisanal craftsmanship.
The defining characteristic of the tremblage technique, setting it apart from other engraving methods, lies in the burin’s creation of a texture that is simultaneously uniform and chaotic. Unlike engravings that produce clearly structured imagery—ranging from the figurative motifs of classical techniques to the precise geometric ornaments of guilloché—tremblage results in a uniquely tactile and visually dynamic surface. To achieve this signature chaotic yet consistent texture, the engraver repeatedly traverses each section of the surface in various directions with an oscillating burin. This demanding process is both the technique’s allure and its challenge; the creation of this seemingly modest texture requires exceptional skill from the engraver and a significant investment of time.
This demanding nature means that only a select few watchmaking brands venture into practicing this intricate decoration. A. Lange & Söhne is credited with reintroducing the tremblage technique to modern haute horlogerie, employing it to adorn the dials of select models within their Handwerkskunst line, which are produced in extremely limited quantities. The pioneering timepiece to feature tremblage was the Richard Lange Tourbillon “Pour le Mérite” Handwerkskunst Ref. 761.050, introduced in 2011, with a total production run of just 15 pieces.
The "Tremblage Club" of distinguished watchmakers who embrace this art form has seen notable additions over the years. Moritz Grossmann, a neighbor to A. Lange & Söhne in Glashütte, launched its Tremblage series in 2021. These watches feature dials crafted from nickel silver, where the tremblage engraving creates unpredictable color shifts as the characteristic patina of the material develops over time. Since its inception, Moritz Grossmann’s Tremblage line has expanded to encompass at least four additional core designs: the Backpage Tremblage, the Tourbillon Tremblage, the Tremblage Gold (which surprisingly includes a platinum model), and the Tremblage Green. This sustained focus on the technique has proven fruitful, with Moritz Grossmann’s Tremblage models now appearing more frequently in online marketplaces than those from the pioneering A. Lange & Söhne.
The tradition of tremblage continued to grow. In 2024, Grönefeld’s sub-brand, Manueel One, joined the esteemed ranks with its own take on the technique. This was followed in 2025 by Armin Strom, with the introduction of the Armin Strom ‘Revolution Dual Time GMT Resonance “Tremblage”’ watch, reportedly limited to a mere five pieces. Most recently, in 2026, Stefan Kudoke added his distinctive touch with tremblage versions of his Kudoke 1 and Kudoke 2 models.
Stefan Kudoke’s Ingenious Approach to Tremblage
Stefan Kudoke, the mastermind behind Kudoke watches, has demonstrated a remarkable ability to offer collector-grade timepieces at accessible price points. His approach to the tremblage technique is a testament to his ingenuity, allowing him to deliver the sought-after texture at a fraction of the cost typically associated with such elaborate decorations. Kudoke has strategically implemented three key elements to achieve this efficiency without compromising on the artistic integrity of the finish.
Firstly, Kudoke utilizes brass plates as the base for his dials, opting for this material over solid gold or German silver. This choice provides a stable and workable foundation for the engraving process. Secondly, the design philosophy centers on a flat plate construction. Once engraved, these plates are electroplated and subsequently fitted with appliqués. This approach significantly simplifies the engraving process, as the areas adjacent to the appliqués do not require meticulous finishing right up to the edge. The margins of the engraved sections are effectively concealed beneath the applied elements. Finally, Kudoke employs a serrated burin for the engraving. This specific tool allows him to achieve a consistent tremblage texture much more rapidly than traditional methods.
In crafting his tremblage dials, Stefan Kudoke prioritizes maximizing the visual impact of the texture, ensuring that it remains the central decorative feature. The Kudoke 1 model showcases the main tremblage dial section alongside a small seconds subdial positioned at the 9 o’clock marker. The Kudoke 2 model integrates the tremblage dial with a sophisticated day/night indicator.
A Distinctive Aesthetic: Austere Elegance and Military Undertones
The uniform, chaotic texture of tremblage imparts a unique aesthetic to these timepieces, elevating them beyond the conventional expectations of decorative watches. The matte finish produced by this technique lends these watches a visual character that borders on military style. This is not a saccharine interpretation of decorative artistry, but rather an offshoot that embodies a blend of austerity and a subtle military edge.
Stefan Kudoke offers this distinctive finish across three versions of the Kudoke 1 Tremblage: one with a gold-plated dial, another with a rhodium-plated dial, and a third with a black rhodium-plated dial. All three variations are compelling, though the author’s personal preference leans towards the versions featuring blued hands. These blued hands introduce an additional, fittingly archaic note, largely attributable to their well-chosen spade-and-whip shapes. These hand styles, coincidentally or not, first appeared in the late 18th century. John Arnold, a prominent watchmaker of the 1770s, was one of the first to regularly incorporate such hands into his timepieces.
The double-ended hour hand, designed by Stefan Kudoke to evoke the infinity symbol (a horizontal figure eight), also appears to be a subtle nod to the double-spade hour hand, a hallmark of traditional half-hunter pocket watches. The author suggests that the Kudoke 1 wristwatch would be further enhanced by the addition of a half-hunter front case cover, an opinion offered in passing.
The Heart of the Matter: Kudoke’s Kaliber 1 Movement
When acquiring a timepiece from a small, independent, and creatively driven brand, a natural inclination is to examine the movement visible through the sapphire caseback. It is often a delightful surprise to discover a special caliber that distinguishes the watch from those employing more common movements. This trend offers an alternative to ubiquitous options like the ETA 2892/Sellita SW200/300, ETA/Unitas 6497/6498, and other highly capable movements that enable watchmakers to avoid the substantial effort, time, and expense of developing entirely bespoke calibers. The current flagship Handwerk collection from Kudoke, an independent brand, is built around precisely this type of specialized caliber, aptly named Kaliber 1. This movement shares no commonality with industrial, mass-produced options.
At first glance, the Kaliber 1 is intriguing. Its design is undeniably unique. Stefan Kudoke himself acknowledges that its origins can be traced back to an antique English pocket watch caliber from the 19th century that he acquired. The design principles of this caliber type emerged in the final quarter of the 18th century. During this era, certain English watchmakers, including luminaries like John Arnold and Thomas Earnshaw, who retained the innovative spirit characteristic of their nation’s horological prowess in the 17th and 18th centuries, began to move away from the ornate Baroque balance cock. Instead, they embraced the aesthetics of the Industrial Revolution, equipping movements with a symmetrically positioned, simply shaped, stepped trapezoidal balance cock.
The central balance cock of Stefan Kudoke’s Kaliber 1 movement, positioned slightly above the symmetrical baseplate and flanked by the crown wheel and ratchet wheel, immediately captures attention, making its historical lineage difficult to discern without specific context. It is through diligent research and exploration of horological archives that one can uncover the unusual history of this distinctive caliber.
The Legacy of the Valjoux 7750: A Foundation for Innovation
The narrative of the Kaliber 1’s development is intertwined with a challenge faced by many independent watchmakers and brands in the early 2000s. This challenge was largely instigated by Nicolas Hayek Sr.’s strategic decision in 2002 to cease supplying ébauches (base movements) to companies outside the Swatch Group’s corporate umbrella. In response, Austrian independent watchmaker Richard Habring, who had gained a reputation for adapting the robust ETA/Valjoux 7750 chronograph caliber for various complications, sought to secure his brand’s future by developing his own caliber. This caliber was essentially a base movement derived from the 7750, a safe endeavor as the intellectual property rights to the 7750 had long expired, having been originally developed in 1972.
Technically, this approach involves utilizing the core kinematics of the base movement – the essential components that remain after stripping away the chronograph and self-winding mechanisms for which the 7750 was originally designed in the early 1970s. In 2011, Richard Habring successfully developed the A11 caliber, his own interpretation of the fundamental architecture of the 7750 movement, envisioned as it could have been but was not produced in that simplified form since the 1970s.
Richard Habring was not the sole watchmaker to conceive of this strategy. Naoya Hida, a Japanese entrepreneur who founded his eponymous brand in 2018 and launched its inaugural watch in early 2019, also relies on a stripped-down 7750 caliber as the foundation for the movements he produces for his collection. Around the same period, in 2018, Stefan Kudoke began a collaboration with Richard Habring, adapting the Habring A11 caliber to his own design specifications, incorporating a symmetrical layout and a central balance cock.
Mr. Habring, Mr. Hida, and Mr. Kudoke are commendable for their strategic decision to leverage the "preserved gold remnant" of the 7750. By the early 1970s, Swiss watchmakers had achieved a high degree of refinement in the creation of simple manual-winding calibers with minimal functionality – typically two or three hands, with a small seconds subdial adding no significant kinematic complexity to a basic two-hand movement. It is worth noting, however, that in contrast to contemporary perspectives, automatic winding systems were considered an advanced feature in the early 1970s. When combined with a chronograph, it represented an avant-garde technical development. To fully appreciate the evolution of self-winding chronographs, it is relevant to recall that the first automatic Rolex Daytona was introduced in 1988, a full 16 years after the Valjoux 7750 made its debut.
Panerai also warrants mention in this context. It is reported that Soprod stripped down the 7750 movement to create Panerai’s three-hand OP III self-winding caliber in the late 1990s. The rationale behind Panerai’s adoption of this caliber during the early and mid-Richemont era is straightforward: the brand capitalized on an inherent characteristic of the caliber – the small seconds subdial positioned at 9 o’clock (technically classified as a Lepine-type caliber). This arrangement enabled Panerai to authentically recreate a rugged interpretation of the military style established, according to the brand’s official history, in 1956 with the Egiziano models featuring the 8-day Angelus cal. SF240 movement, which also featured the small seconds at precisely the same position. This feature was instrumental in supporting the brand’s rugged military image. As a tangential note, Panerai extensively utilized the OP III in models from its decidedly less severe, but rather highly decorative, Sealand line (originally Black Seal), launched in 2002 and continuing almost unnoticed by the public until around 2011.
Kudoke’s Unique Position in the Tremblage Landscape
Among the relatively select group of watches featuring tremblage finishing, Kudoke timepieces distinguish themselves through their uniquely distinctive style, arguably one of their most significant attributes. Stefan Kudoke presents his own vision of decorative watches, one that avoids the overwhelming ornamentation seen in many contemporary pieces within this genre.
The Kudoke 1 Tremblage is available in three versions, each featuring the characteristic tremblage dial. The Kudoke 2 Tremblage also showcases the signature dial, with its subtle texture serving as a sophisticated backdrop to the brand’s distinctive day/night indicator.
All photos, unless otherwise noted, are courtesy of Kudoke.
