18 minute read
MICROBRAND CORNER
THE SPECS
• 40mm blasted titanium case with 300m water resistance • Miyota 9015 automatic movement • $500 USD (approx. £360) on a limited pre-order basis • arken.uk
The latest and greatest from the ever-creative world of independent microbrands
edited by: THOR SVABOE
Arken
Instrumentum This battle-ready tool is a proper box-ticker, and what looks large is in fact rather svelte at 40mm with an 11.5mm thickness. The strong debut of UK-based Arken Watch Company is exactly what you need if you desire modern tool-tastic minimalism, rather than flashy vintage. With an integrated bracelet hinting at a VC Overseas after a testing stay at boot camp, Arken takes an impressive step up from so-so end links and tacked on bracelets, leaving us to wonder what their next chapter will entail. With a broad and glove-grippable diver’s bezel and two different pops of Swiss lume, this might just be the best value titanium bracelet 300m tool watch available this autumn.
arken.uk
Brew
Metric
Disco-flash seventies with colours on the vibrant end of the scale, what’s not to love?. The US brand Brew understands our desire for pop with their new Metric, and for the wrist-shy there’s a crisp monochrome silver version with quiet touches of blue. The black dial chronograph is where it’s at though, with its groovy green and yellow minute track setting the tone for a mad dial of offset and irreverently placed colours and registers that shouldn’t, but do work. Fitted into a delightful square-cular cushion case on a groovy bracelet, this is the funkiest 36mm micro of the year. brew-watches.com
THE SPECS
• 36mm stainless steel case with 50m water resistance • Seiko VK 68 mecha-quartz movement • $395 USD (approx. £290) • brew-watches.com
Jaques Bianchi
JB 200
With a smooth turtle shell of a case, the rubber strapped Jaques Bianchi cannot be mistaken for anything but a vintage-inpired monochrome tool. For those unaccustomed to the wave of diver’s watches washing over us in 2021, there’s a large drawing of a SCUBA diver on the crisp dial. This is one of many quirky French touches, in what is more than just another desk diver’s tool. This is not nouveau retro, but rather the resurfacing (pun intended) of the eighties JB200, as used by the French Navy. This project is overseen by the octogenarian Jaques Bianchi himself, a Marseilles legend. Pedigree box properly ticked. jaquesbianchi.com
THE SPECS • 42mm stainless steel case with 200m water resistance • Seiko NH35 automatic movement • €594 (approx. £510) on a soft tropic rubber strap • jaquesbianchi.com
Feynman
Fjord
Feynman’s been making some damn interesting watches of late. In 2020, there was the Cove with its intriguing lumed detailing; then there was the Coalesce with its peacocks and peonies, offering dive and dress sensibilities respectively. Now the Singaporean brand’s taking on the explorer’s watch, using the same rugged silhouette as the Cove, now with the addition of an inner compass bezel. Add in a few icy colourways inspired by their namesake natural phenomena and the Fjord becomes the kind of off-kilter, colourful approach to watchmaking that’s made Feynman’s name. feynman.watch
THE SPECS
• 40mm stainlesss teel case with 200m water resistance • ETA2895-2 calibre automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve • PRICE TBC • feynman.watch
THE SPECS
• 42.10mm grade 2 titanium case with 50m water resistance • Self-charging smartwatch movement with standby of 2 years • From £296 currently on indiegogo.com • sequentworld.com
Sequent
Elektron
It’s not often you come across a micro smartwatch; the tech investments are generally too high for a small, agile, entrepreneurial brand. Yet here we are, with the Elektron, a self-charging, hybrid smartwatch. It has all the smartwatch loveliness that gets fitness junkies hot under the collar, housed in a case that’ll intrigue even the most willful luddites among watch lovers – and in titanium no less. Somehow the Elektron has only eight parts and no screws, yet still uses a rotor to charge its already substantial battery life. I doubt it’ll convert any Apple die-hards to something a little more aesthetically horological, but for those of us looking for a smart watch in both looks and tech, this could be it. sequentworld.com
J. Ciro
Series III Chronograph
If you’re looking for a little colour in your life then you’ve come to the right place. The latest collection from cufflink and watch designer J. Ciro has that in spades, all wrapped up in a distinctly sporty chronograph. The third run of the brand’s stopwatch timepieces, the newest iterations are sleeker, more modern and in some incredibly eye-catching colour combinations.
While the more performance minded among you might opt for the racing red or yellow with black DLC cases and matching straps, you can’t go wrong with the classic white, particularly when it’s on a sky blue strap. Or you know, you could get them both. At $275, the meca-quartz equipped watches are nothing if not accessible.
jcirowatches.com
THE SPECS • 42mm stainless steel case with 50m water resistance • Seiko VK67 Meca-Quartz movement • $275 (approx. £200) • jcirowatches.com
THE SPECS
• 40mm bead blasted stainless steel case with 200m water resistance • Seiko SII NE15 automatic movement • $845 USD (approx. £620) • tornek-rayville.us
Tornek-
Rayville One from the history books produced by the well known Mk II Watches, and for good reasons TR-660, an icon resurrected recognisably Fifty Fathoms-esque. Just like the Speedmaster won the US government gauntlet for Space-worthiness, the Fifty Fathoms was deemed best suited for the subsea world, beating a certain submariner in the process. Meant to survive Vietnam war missions on the wrists of Navy divers and demolition teams (now known as SEALs), put through its paces the Blancpain was the sole survivor. But, the Buy American act, meant ordering a batch of Blancpains was out of the question, and importer Allen V.Tornek cheekily circumvented the regulations with the relabelled Tornek-Rayville TR-900, Rayville being Blancpain’s Villeret home twisted as a phonetic anagram. Most of the approximate 1,000 TRs were destroyed after missions due to the radioactive lume, and so the myth was born (go Google it). Bill Yao of Mk II acquired the name some years back, and this is their crisp recreation of the Tornek-Rayville, the reimagined TR-660. A pure fifties skindiver with nothing but pure function and legibility, and of such a balance in proportions it seems to straddle the invisible line between vintage tough and a function-focused modern minimalism. Pure monochrome and silky matte of case, its bead blasted 40mm look is one of perfection simplified, and judging by the output of Mk II, will feel exactly as Leica-like as it looks on its thick Nato woven nylon strap. tornek-rayville.us
The Daytona is a legendary watch for relatively good reasons. It’s been the ultimate racing watch ever since Paul Newman turned it into an icon and has remained one of the single most in-demand timepieces in the world. Seriously, try getting hold of one.
And yet for many a collector, their appreciation of the Daytona doesn’t quite match it’s prestige. Sure, it’s a lovely chronograph, but it’s missing something, that little spark that turns it from a collectible into a grail piece. That’s where Skeleton Concept comes in.
Their name’s pretty self-explanatory. Skeleton Concept specialise in, well, skeletonising watches. In the case of their custom piece for legendary Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto’o, that watch was a stainless steel Daytona.
The studio did what they did best and the result was extraordinary: a colourful, openworked Daytona complete with a black carbon bezel, a high performance take on the racing watch that’s far more modern than anything produced by Rolex proper.
Yet for some collectors, even that wasn’t enough. I mean, if you’re going for a custom Rolex you may as well push the boat out as far as it’ll go. And so Skeleton Concept have now reinterpreted the Samuel Eto’o Daytona in this beautiful new gold version.
The dial is the same as the steel version, with subdial rings with green, red and yellow indexes – the flag colours of the Republic of Cameroon - floating above the fully visible Rolex 4130 calibre underneath. The forged carbon bezel is similar too, except that what was steel previously is now gold – and the difference it makes is extraordinary.
The precious metal transforms a previously understated (as these things go) watch into a luxury statement piece. It’s still as readable as ever, still a serious racing watch with a serious movement underneath. While Skeleton Concept have done their mandated work on that movement too, it’s lost none of the accuracy and reliability on which Rolex have built their crown.
This isn’t the only skeletonised Daytona out there of course; it’s one of the most popular ways to customise the racing watch. Yet few studios have actually managed to do it with the expertise of Skeleton Concept. After all, it’s their name.
A special striker deserves a special watch, so the gold Samuel Eto’o Daytona includes subdial rings in the colours of the Cameroon flag, a visible Rolex 4130 calibre, and an extraordinary gold forged carbon bezel
Words: Sam Kessler
Skeleton crew
A STUNNING CUSTOMISED DAYTONA IN HONOUR OF A LEGENDARY CAMEROONIAN STRIKER
To discover the Samuel Eto’o Gold Daytona Concept – alongside Skeleton Concept’s other impressive designs – visit skeletonconcept.com
Oracle RECOMMENDS
WHAT’S ON OUR SHOPPING LIST AND WHY
BAVARIAN WATCH – ROYAL BLUE BAVARIAN
Germany has a rich watchmaking history, especially around Glashütte, but Bavaria isn’t to be discounted from the conversation either. Bavarian Watch has been singing the watchmaking praises of the region since 2018 and create a variety of stylish dials and straps for their timepiece available through Kickstarter. The 40mm stainless steel watch stands out for its large lugs, which look great on powerful wrists without overwhelming thinner ones. We particularly like the Royal Bavarian Blue piece combined with Summer Sunset strap.
€160 (approx. £135), for more information visit kick.bavarian-watch.com
ARTEM STRAPS – SAILCLOTH STRAPS
It’s an old adage that if you can’t find the thing you’re looking for, build it yourself. This is the philosophy that led to the creation of Artem Straps when the founders were thwarted in their search for high quality sailcloth watch straps. Sailcloth, whether it’s made from genuine cloth or synthetic and leather alternatives, can be stiff and uncomfortable – making Artem’s focus for their straps flexibility and comfort, a mission they have more than succeeded at. Artem Sailcloth Watch strap $85 (approx. £60) from artemstraps.com
CuleM – Lights GMT Blue Everyone needs to play a part in protecting the environment and the watchmaker CuleM has already embraced their role – planting over 15,000 trees in Madagascar with a pledge to plant 100 more for every timepiece they sell. Their watches are designed to capture their global outlook, with all of them being GMT timers depicting a vision of the world. The Lights GMT reinforces our global community by depicting an image of the world which, at night, lights up with pinpoints of light signifying the major cities of the world.
CuleM Portal GMT Gold £995, available from culemwatches.com
CARAPAZ
Carapaz is a specialised Swiss leather design company based in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, the home of many top watchmakers. Their watch cases have helped to reinvent the way watches can be stored safely for travelling with the introduction of a unique rail system a few years ago, which holds the precious timepieces in place. The integrated rail technology and stand feature make them the ideal cases for travel, storage, or display, with models that can hold between one and eight watches. They’re available in a variety of colours in high-quality soft leather.
Three-Watch Case £240, available at carapaz.com and thewatchspy.net
Hermès Apple Watch Series 7 Straps
Hermès have been creating luxury straps for Apple Watches for a while now, using popular designs and motifs from their jewellery collections. Now the Parisian heritage brand is keeping up with the tech giant with a collection of new straps for the latest Series 7. They include the Circuit H in a trio of three cool colours and the Gourmette Double Tour, all in the exquisite leather that’s made Hermès a luxury giant. Who says the Apple Watch isn’t a luxury timepiece?
Launching later this year at hermes.com
Ross Oliver – Bridge-bit Loafers
Ross Oliver is a fresh name to the arena of luxury footwear, bringing a new vision to the UK scene. Their high quality Cactus leather loafers and boots are both stylish and sustainable, crafted by specialist artisans in the UK. They are also finalists at the renowned Draper awards in two categories, best new footwear brand and footwear designer of the year. Their superb Bridge-bit Loafers, available in multiple colours, took over a year to develop and feature a handmade brass buckle inspired by Clifton suspension bridge.
Bridge-bit Loafer in Navy £240, available at rossoliver.uk
Saint Laurent Rive Droite New Era Cap
The second collaboration between Saint Laurent and New Era, this 9Forty black cap combines the signature American baseball cap style headwear with a colourful Saint Laurent logo in a limited edition. New Era has been producing hats and headwear since the 1920s, and yet in that 100 year history they have always stayed relevant and their collaborations with top designers are testament to that. The Limited Edition hat is available in select YSL boutiques
VALENTINA KARELLAS – TILNEY BEANIE
It’s full steam ahead towards winter so refreshing your knitwear is a must. Valentina Karellas is an independent knitwear specialist handmaking products in London, the latest collection is called Neutral Fluid. It’s a gender neutral collection suitable for anyone and includes items like the cashmere Tilney Beanie Plus, a black beanie hat with upcycled silk linings in a variety of patterns and styles. There are also an assortment of jumpers, jackets, scarves and more.
£65, available from valentinakarellas.com
CONNOLLY 007 CAPSULE
Connolly have been producing luxury leather and driving equipment for over 140 years, making them well and truly a British icon. This autumn they’ve partnered up with another British icon in James Bond to release a capsule inspired by the superspy himself and his Aston Martin DB5. Spearheading the capsule are a Navy Blue Mixed Linen Giubbino Jacket and an Oatmeal Linen Shirt, both pieces are inspired by the new movie, No Time To Die. Navy Blue Mixed Linen Giubbino Jacket £490, available from connollyengland.com
RAY-BAN – RAY-BAN STORIES
In partnership with Facebook, Ray-Ban have developed their first pair of smart glasses, providing new ways to capture the world around you. Dual 5MP cameras are built into the frame, enabling hands free photos and video while inbuilt speakers allow you to listen to your music without needing separate earphones. There are six colour and lens combinations available from classy black to bold blue, in clear and sunglasses variants with the option to add a prescription.
Learn more at ray-ban.com
THE INKEY LIST PHA TONER
Skin blemishes and acne are two sure-fire ways to have your day ruined, but fortunately there are plenty of toners and cleansers out there that can help. The Inkey List is a cosmetics brand that are unpretentious and open about their products, there are no fancy names, just ingredients. The PHA Toner uses polyhydroxy acid (PHA) to help treat your skin in a gentle yet effective way to prevent blemishes, when used twice a day. £9.99, available from theinkeylist.com
WILD – NATURAL DEODORANT CASE
The cosmetics industry produces a lot of waste, just think about the amount of packaging that gets thrown away every time you run out of deodorant, toothpaste or anything else. To help reduce this quantity of waste, Wild has created a high quality aluminium deodorant tube that is refillable with their natural deodorant. Reinforcing the idea that it’s a long term product you can also personalise the case.
£12, available from wearewild.com
Herbivore – Lapis Tansy Face Oil
The Lapis Tansy Face Oil from Herbivore is an award winning natural skincare product named after the elegant blue stone that has been used in jewellery since the time of Ancient Egypt. The blue colouration comes from its key ingredient blue tansy, it also contains Azulene, which soothes irritated skin. While it is designed to help with sore or blemished skin, it also provides a helpful hydration boost.
£52.72, available from herbivorebotanicals.com
Battle Rhythm Beard Co. – Big Bastard Collection
Battle Rhythm Beard Co. are a bombastic and characterful brand delivering vegan and vegetarian-friendly grooming products for men, with a portion of each sale going to veteran and first responder charities. Not only will their beard butter and soap make you look good but they also have great names like Spitfire and M-72 and feeling cool is a big part of style. If your beard is particularly wild, they offer The Big Bastard collection that contains everything you need to get it under control. Big Bastard £65, available at battlerhythmbeardco.com
AMAFFI POWER SCEPTRE
In the complete image of true gentleman, he is never without a stick or cane, but in the modern world that’s somewhat an outdated notion. Instead, how about a power sceptre from the perfume masters at Amaffi, who produce a rose and patchouli scent packaged in a characterful bottle in the shape of a royal sceptre, after all, who is more gentlemanly than a royal?
£5,500, available from amaffi.com
DEKANTA – KYOYO WORLD BLENDED WHISKY
Kyoyo is the Japanese word for sharing and it is a philosophy of sharing resources and experience that has led to dekanta’s inaugural World Blended Whisky. The liquid is a blend of six different whiskies, three 26-year-old ones from Scotland and three young ones from Japan. While Japan has a rich history in whisky, Dekanta want to celebrate up and coming brewers and distillers, they are themselves celebrating their six year anniversary. Limited to 260 bottles, available at dekanta.com
Macallan – Double Cask 30 Year Old
The Double Cask 30 Year Old is the latest single malt whisky to join Macallan’s lauded double cask collection. To celebrate its release, they have collaborated with the American artist Erik Madigan Heck on a trio of images, symbolising the balance, richness and complexity of the liquid. On the nose, it has an aroma of sweet honeycomb, toffee and red apple, which transitions into the flavours of cinnamon, Madagascan vanilla and dried fruits. $4,000 (approx. £2,900) find out more at themacallan.com
COMTE DE GRASSE 44°N GIN
Located in the perfume capital of the world, Grasse, Comte de Grasse have access to a wide array of high quality aromatic ingredients for their botanical flavoured 44°N Gin. Rose centifolia, mimosa, jasmine and lavender all play their part in a unique distillation process that involves methods inspired by the perfume trade, including ultrasonic maceration and CO2 extraction. The result is a liquid that instantly evokes a sense of the sun drenched Mediterranean.
£70, available from 44gin.com
Pineau des Charentes
Pineau is typically a young wine, which is what makes this Pineau des Charentes from The Last Drop Distillers so extraordinary because it has been aged for 100 years. The story of how it was discovered is like a fairy-tale, as the cask was found hidden behind a rubble wall during house renovations in 2017. Miraculously, instead of spoiling in any capacity it has matured into a unique drink that retains its freshness. Only 382 bottles will be available.
£600, available from lastdropdistillers.com
JUSTERINI & BROOKS – THE ART OF COLLECTING RARE WHISKY
Earlier this year the trend for online lessons and experiences boomed due to the global lockdown and that trend is set to continue with amazing experiences on offer such as the Justerini & Brooks video course on The Art of Collecting Rare Whisky. Not only will you have access to a three-part video master class but also you’ll receive four sample whiskies from Mortlach, Talisker, Johnnie Walker and The Cally.
