Hailing from Germany and named after its capital, Lilienthal Berlin is a fairly new watchmaker that prides themselves on their contemporary take on what is a very traditional and non-conformist industry. Their latest piece is the Zeitgeist Automatic, and we had the privilege of spending some hands-on time with it recently. Good or bad? Hit or miss? Read on to check it out!
I tend to like (or not like) a watch pretty quickly, and thus it took me barely any time at all to appreciate Lilienthal Berlin sending me this piece to review. There’s a very natural, very flowing look to the Zeitgeist Automatik that sits really well with me. Too often do I see manufacturers playing with the dial too much. Adding too many lines of script. Adding one too many textural components. Lilienthal Berlin have got the Zeitgeist Automatik’s dial just right.
The metallic galvanized dial has been treated to a matte-blast, providing the Zeitgeist Automatik with some minor yet altogether pleasing aesthetic cues. There’s a distinct Bauhaus look to the dial as well, with bold and thinned hour numerals, a small date window and minimal text throughout. The dial is clean, but not boring. There’s enough happening to both appreciate its scarcity and its details. The hour and minute hands are filled with Superluminova, while the seconds hand is a delightfully light blue, contrasting perfectly with the darkness of the case.
The Zeitgeist Automatik is available in two case variations, one in silver and the other in black, both of course over a stainless-steel base. I spent some time with the black case variant, and I absolutely loved its architecture. At 42.50mm in diameter and 10mm in thickness, the Zeitgeist Automatik’s dimensions sits nice and comfortably in that Goldilocks’ zone of comfort, relevance and wearability. The pie-shaped case and super fine lugs are an odd combination, but it does seem to play well to the Zeitgeist Automatik’s dynamic.
Liliential Berlin’s limited-edition piece is powered by the automatic SW200, which features a ruthenium galvanized rotor, a power reserve of 38-hours and the reliability of a genuine Swiss movement. The piece is also available in a variety of strap options, too. Rest assured, variance and individuality is key with the Zeitgeist Automatik.
The Zeitgeist Automatik is available in two variations as I mentioned above, and each is available in a limited run of 500-pieces. Affordable contemporary watchmaking never looked this good, and I can’t wait to see what Lilenthial Berlin will come up with next.
The Zeitgeist Automatik in black costs $649, while the silver version costs $599. (All indicative prices are in USD).
Find out more here.
Ratings:
Movement: 3/5
Aesthetics: 4/5
Wearability: 4/5
Affordability: 5/5