Bruno Söhnle Taranis Automatic Review – Distinctive German Minimalism

Tags: Review | Bruno Söhnle | Men's | Classic | Traditional

23.11.2021 | 4 MIN

Whenever I see Glashütte written on the dial of any watch, I immediately start to focus, my senses sharpen as I watch in awe, as if I were a hunter waiting for its pray... That's how I felt about the watch we're talking about today, Bruno Söhnle Taranis Men Automatic.

There has already been a lot published and written on the topic of this small town in Saxony (in the watchmaking industry, it's definitely THE town). By the way, I would definitely recommend visiting this area in the German part of the Ore Mountains to every watch enthusiast. For example, a tour of Deutsches Uhrenmuseum Glashütte is really worth the €7 per ticket. After all, it's only about a 20-minut car ride from the border with the Czech Republic.

But back to the Bruno Söhnle watch and Taranis that we were talking about. My immediate first impression? Oh yeaaah, pretty nice watch. When I looked at the bottom side of this little German thing, I knew that this was a jackpot. Spot on.

To analyse what made me interested in this particular model now that some time has passed, I would say that the main reason for my subconscious decision was the placement of the logo. The vast majority of brand logos are placed under the '12' index on the dial. Yes, there are models on which we can find the brand logo on the right side of the dial, maybe on the level of the '3' index with the date. I can think of some TAG Heurer Calibre, Carrera collection, for comparison. Even so, you don't see the logo being put so asymmetrically to the '2' index very often.

The whole design of the Bruno Söhnle UHRENATELIER GLASHUTTE/SA seems rather minimalistic. But, oh, the off-centre design... Let me point out again that we're dealing with German style. So the style would be described as minimalistic, conservative, maybe even too simple. However, it's always functional, perfectionistic, and made with an eye for detail. That's why I think that this small disproportion, this misalignment of the logo, is truly magnificent.

There are two colour versions of Taranis. There is one version with a snow-white dial and one with equally elegant grey dial. For this review, I tried the model 17-12165-241 with white dial, shining brightly from the case made of stainless steel. The diameter of the case is 43 mm, the height 13 mm. You don't really notice this detail at first, but after taking a closer look, you can see engraved details. This subtle rhombus pattern only emphasises the great taste and the details.

What is also worth noting is the small detail of many centred circles in the subdial, covering the whole area from the centre to the inner edge. If we also add the proud marking MADE IN GERMANY and AUTOMATIK in matte black, and we've created a smaller watch inside a bigger watch.

Thanks to the bright silver watch hands, which are pointy at the end and have luminescent elements in their upper parts, you can use the watch even when it's getting dark.

The date inside a silver frame under the '12' index, highlights the strict functionality of the watch. This beauty is protected by a sapphire glass with anti-reflective coating inside. The crown, with 'BS' on it, seems a bit more robust than you might expect from a piece like this. It's very easy to use to adjust time, and clicking it shut doesn't take much of an effort. I was surprised by the slightly bigger space between the crown from the case, too, but trust me... you will get used to that in no time.

So, I'm getting to the part of a review where I catch myself wanting to wear some models of watches upside down. (Well, if I'm not wearing a skeleton watch.) Generally, if we put all of the above into the category of German simplicity, which is many times on the verge of being boring, then after turning this Automatik upside down, you can clearly see that the Bruno Söhnle designers let their imagination and creativity go somewhat wild.

The movement of the Bruno Söhnle Taranis Men Automatic model is a customized, so-called atelier calibre, base movement based on the Swiss Sellita SW260. It's basically a ticking symphony. Inside, there is an atelier-made watch rotor, of course signed 'BS'.  We can see the 'perlage' decorative pattern, the wheels are yellowish gold. The deeply blue colour of screws is not the result of chemical staining − at Bruno Söhnle, they quench them to achieve the blue shade.

When looking at the mechanism through the display caseback attached to the case with six massive screws, I feel as if the time around me has, simply put, stopped.

The black strap made from quality calfskin, which is sewn through on the edged with white thread, give the watch an unique look pleasing to the eye. Of course, the signature black 'BS' is not missing, we can find it on a silver 4 mm base, which is a oval stud. The shiny silver folding clasp is, too, embellished with the company's signature. Pins the standard size of 22 mm are quite alright, I would say.

I cannot say for sure for whom the Bruno Söhnle Taranis Men Automatic are designed. However, I can say for sure whom they are not for. If you want to shock and dazzle people with well-known brands, you probably should not purchase Bruno Söhnle.

Are you introverted and want to stand out from the crown? Do you love elegant things, but not lavish things? You're in the right place.

So, if you wish to own a watch signed Glashütte but you don't want to spend a good half of your mortgage on a baby with the signature A. Lange and Söhne under the '12' index, then buying a Bruno Söhnle watch is a suitable alternative for you.

You could also like: