The Transfer Window Opens...

At ochs und junior.

Let's hop in the "WABAC" machine and hurtle back in time... to November 29th, 2019 -

Shamelessly borrowed from the worldwide infoweb

November 29th, 2019
Beat Weinmann, ochs und junior’s longtime CEO, has decided to leave the company. The Board of Directors would like to thank him for his strong contribution over the years and wish him much success in his new endeavors. Along with Kurt König and Ludwig Oechslin, Beat co-founded ochs und junior in 2006. He has been instrumental in elevating this company to where it is today. His dedication, commitment and expertise will be missed. Beat’s successor and the company’s new organization and products will be announced shortly. In the interim, Marc Bernhardt (oj@ochsundjunior.swiss) will act as a consultant for the company in order to ensure the continuity of operations and services. We would like to thank all of our customers, partners, and friends for their ongoing support.

-The Board of Directors

Then fast forward less than 120 days -

March 16th, 2020
After managing the affairs of ochs und junior for the last three months, we are pleased to announce that Marc Bernhardt has permanently joined ochs und junior as new managing director. His appointment coincides with our imminent move to the new premises in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

And then just this past Friday -

November 27th, 2020
Marc Bernhardt, director of ochs und junior since the beginning of the year has resigned from his post, effective November 30, 2020, to pursue other professional challenges. Marc was instrumental in facilitating the transition and move from Lucerne to La Chaux-de-Fonds. The Board would like to sincerely thank him for his work and dedication during this important period and wishes him all the best in his future career and professional activities.
We would also like to announce that we are pleased to welcome three new people to our ochs und junior team: Christian Gafner, Design / Design consultant, Violaine Baudouin, Marketing, and master watchmaker Masaki Kanazawa, who works for us on a part-time basis on Ludwig Oechslin’s special ochs und junior projects.
We wish all of our new colleagues a successful start and look forward to our collaboration.

Last but not least: We are intensively working on two new watch launches, coming soon this December. We will keep you informed on our website, Instagram and Facebook.

With kindest regards.
The board and team of ochs und junior

Okay, a lot of news there, but it left almost as many unanswered questions. First and foremost, it's not lost on this guy (and I am assuming some of you readers) that Mr. Bernhardt's departure is for all intents and purposes a year to the day that Beat Weinmann departed. One thing indeed may have absolutely nothing to do with the other, but it is curious nonetheless.  

So the question now becomes - who will steer the ship? 

Beat Weinmann moved on to Chronoswiss, where it seems he has adapted the idea of creating a personal relationship with the buyer - never a bad idea.  And there he is "under the wing" of Patrik Hoffmann who has the role of "Mentor" to (I assume) the ownership and one would assume not holding the warmest and fuzziest feelings for his former employer - Ulysse Nardin.

In listening to a podcast with Marc Bernhardt from earlier this year, he did actually say a lot of things that gave me some hope for the direction that ochs und junior might take.  One key thing he mentioned was increasing the turnover.  He said it much more politely than I would (and certainly more politely than I have previously). It does not take a world class economist to read and understand a balance sheet. But it does take a willingness to adjust to realities. And the one thing that I heard Mr. Bernhardt mention was the need to make ochs und junior more "knowable", more discoverable. And on that score he is right. Because with more awareness will come more sales, and with more sales will come more turnover. More turnover - well I think you get the idea.

Now whether or not he might have turned things in a more cashflow positive direction, we will never know.  And as of this writing, there was not any indication from the ochs und junior website as to who would replace him, or if he would be replaced at all. 

What had been clear previously (per the website) was that although ochs und junior was primarily owned by Ludwig Oechslin and family, it was financially backed by Ulysse Nardin. It is clear that this is what precipitated the move southward. But it is not clear what precipitated the departure of Beat Weinmann or later of Marc Bernhardt. And as with so many things, in the final analysis, it probably doesn't really matter. 

And that is what makes the curious case of ochs und junior even more curious. Because while there is discussion about new models and enthusiasm for a path forward, it remains a bit fuzzy as to what the future will fully hold.

So watch this space, and I will do my best to report.

The Squale 200 Meter

Courtesy of Squale

Now ordinarily I am not a proponent of the "Shopping Guide" / "Gift Idea for the Watchlover" schtick, because it is inevitably advertorial secured by outlets.  And beyond that, and maybe I am getting either old fashioned or just plain grumpy, but the majority of people out there (watch fans and otherwise) cannot really justify several hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for something like this. Let's be honest, despite what the Tweed Mafia will tell you, a several thousand dollar timekeeper is not a stocking stuffer.  I don't care how good Santa thinks you've been.

Now having said that, I also know from my experience working at DOXA that there are those "milestone" holidays where the watch recipient "to be" has been particularly good, or had a special achievement. Their partner, parent, significant other, boss or good friend wants to take this opportunity to do something special and a holiday gift feels like the right opportunity. And yes, even this Grinch gets that.  

Enter the Squale 200 Meter

So let's get back to today's topic - the Squale 200 Meter. It ticks a lot of boxes for watch fans. A brand with some history, a timeless diver, made of sturdy stuff and powered by an ETA 2824-2.

But most of all, as it pertains to reality - it is priced at a point that while a stretch for some folks, if planned for might be within the realms of possibility -

Just south of $595.00 US at the Squale USA site.

Here are the pertinents -

Movement: 

Swiss ETA 2824-2 Automatic (self-winding)

Case: 

Polished and brushed 316L stainless steel, 40mm x 12.1mm thick (13.5mm thick including dome crystal)

Back: 

Solid screw-in back

Crystal: 

Domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal

Band: 

SEL stainless steel bracelet with deployant closure, 20mm lug

Water Resistant: 

200 meters

Warranty: 

2 Year

Should You Ever Visit Japan

If memory serves me correctly, I first encountered Oceanus in the somewhat short-lived Men's Vogue (US Edition).  At the time I was sorta' pissed off because I had worked like the Devil to get DOXA included in the "Worn/Re-Worn" special section at the front of each issue.  For all of my effort, we got the one page and were grateful.  Had my boss not insisted on trying to jam 5000 factoids into that one page it might have had a bigger impact, but I digress.

Anyway, on the pages opposite, there was a flood of words and facts about a quartz watch with a goofy name - Oceanus!  I got an earful about how come they got so much "language" and we didn't, with instructions to make the people at Vogue (you know, the people who actually gave us the feature without demanding payment) aware of the displeasure my boss felt.  I opted to ignore those instructions. And in truth, I didn't give much of a second or third thought to Oceanus, and like Men's Vogue (US Edition) it was come and gone from these shores in fairly short order.

Fast forward 10 years and I was part of a press junket for G-Shock in which we were briefly introduced to the rest fo the Casio product family.  Fun fact - Casio is BIG in the overhead projector and desk top calculator worlds.  And there almost ignored were a few samples of the Oceanus model -

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide info-web

And for one Ohio retailer and myself, it was like when peanut-butter met jelly!  These are really good looking watches, and while they are quartz they prove the theory that there is nothing dumb about quartz.

This is the Casio Oceanus OCW-T200S-2AJF Bluetooth.  And before you scoff and say "Basic quartz with date", allow me to educate you.  Bluetooth is one of the key, operative words.  As I learned from the G-Shock I picked up on that trip 2 years ago, the Bluetooth function links to your cell phone, guaranteeing that your time is correct.  Change timezones?  So long as your phone is with you, it's no problem!  And solar!  So those frequent battery changes will be (for the most part) a thing of the past.

What I've learned during my time as a watch dog is that while mechanical is sexy, and haute is "haughty", it represents a very small portion of the market.  Mechanical watches were simply the result of the technology that was available at that time. Yes, many millions of dollars are invested in improving mechanical technology, and I am just as guilty of appreciating a mechanical movement. But if I am being honest with myself? I am more and more appreciating things that are well made that do not require so much effort. I love Apple products for this reason, my car has an automatic transmission, and I bought a K-Cup machine for my school because although it's not as sexy as some of the more expensive options that let you play "Kitchen Barista", I can honestly say after my tour of duty as a Starbucks manager, it's not something I dream of doing several times a day when I'm in a hurry.

Now unfortunately, as the aforementioned Ohio retailer and I discovered back in Japan, the Oceanus is not available here in the US. But there are outlets in Japan that sell and ship, and if you're looking for something that will look really good, be bang on perfect in time keeping, and not cost you several hundreds of dollars every few years for serving - I would highly recommend the Oceanus.

The Golden Bridge Rectangle 40th Anniversary

From Corum in yellow and white gold.  Today we're going to focus on the yellow gold model -

Courtesy of Corum

40 years in the making, this release honors the original and all that followed it.

Limited to 40 pieces, so if you are of a mind, don't dawdle!

Here are the pertinents -

MOVEMENT

Movement number:
CO 113

Winding system:
Manual

Functions:
Hour & Minute

Power reserve:
40 hours

Frequency:
4 Hz, 28'800 vph

Dimension:
14 3/4''' x 5'''

Rubies:
19

Movement finishes:
Bridges and plate in 18kt gold

CASE

Shape:
Rectangular

Dimension:
29.50 x 42.20

Thickness:
8.90 mm

Case material:
5N 18kt rose gold • Engraved "LE" inscription

Crown material:
5N 18kt rose gold

Crystal:
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment

Back type:
Screwed in open back cover in 5N 18kt rose gold with glare proof sapphire crystal

Water-resistance:
30 meters / 3 ATM

HANDS

Hour and minute:
Baton • Rhodium-coated • Faceted

BRACELET

Material:
Alligator leather

Colours:
Brown

Interhorn/Buckle:
22/18 mm

Buckle type:
Triple folding clasp

Buckle material:
5N 18kt rose gold

The Edition 95

 From Laco -

Courtesy of Laco

This is one of the annual editions that will mark each year as Laco approaches their 100th anniversary.

Courtesy of Laco

The case is of stainless steel and measures 42.5 mm in diameter.

Courtesy of Laco

The movement is the Unitas/ETA 6498.1

It is limited to 95 pieces, and available for pre-order now. 

Here are the pertinents, straight from the source -

MOVEMENT: 

handwinding movement Laco 98, bridges with Côtes de Genève, thermical blued screws, ratchet wheel and crown wheel with sun ray finish, ratchet wheel with engraved limited number, basic movement ETA 6498.1 (Elaboré), 17 jewels

CASE: 

stainless steel case with a polished and sandblasted finish, fluted bezel, flat and anti- reflective sapphire crystal, screwed case back with extra large sapphire crystal opening

FACE: 

Blue dial, arabic numerals with luminous material Superluminova C1 blue line, small second at 6 h

HANDS: 

thermally blued hands also filled with Superluminova C1 blue line

STRAP: 

Brown leather strap, stainless steel buckleBOX:Blue gift box with matching cardboard box 

EXTRAS:

Including limited edition collectors pin and certificate of authenticity

DIAMETER:

42.5 mmHEIGHT10.7 mm

LUG WIDTH:

22.0 mm

LUG TO LUG:

49.8 mm

WATERPROOF:

up to 10 ATM

WEIGHT:

80.5 g (incl. strap)

The Ring Is The Thing - Part the Second

"Invention is 93% perspiration 6% inspiration 3% perspiration and 2% butter scotch ripple."

Willy Wonka 

Courtesy of Black Badger

I have a lot of admiration for James Thompson's creative drive. And yes, he has partnered on plenty of nifty time machines. But when he is turned loose with just his imagination and some time, he comes up with some truly amazing things. 

You see before you the Fordite / Super Magnesium Showstopper -

Courtesy of Black Badger

What's Fordite? Good question, so I'll leave it to the folks who made this "one ring to rule them all", Black Badger, to explain it in their own words -

Fordite is the widely-accepted term for the paint that collects and builds up on work surfaces in the paint bays of industrial car factories. Hundreds of layers of totally random colors create geological effects within the material. 

Now most people would think gold, silver maybe ceramic, but paint?

Well, to quote David Letterman circa 1986 -

"It's a crazy idea, but it just might work!"

And it does!

Courtesy of Black Badger 

"You can't get a little bit pregnant, son." What Lou Mannheim Could Teach The Watch Fair Organizers

So...

The same folks who said that a portion of a brand's pre-paid fees for BaselWorld would shift to next year's fair, then changed that idea to a partial refund, then canceled next year's fair altogether, then hinted they would move to Lausanne with a new name (which also didn't come to fruition)... 

Then - SURPRISE!  They announced a new and improved "BaselWorld - the Revenge" fair under yet ANOTHER name, back in Basel!  Yes, still the same people, although now operating yet another banner.

And it appears to their way of thinking that the folks behind SIHH/ Watches and Wonders are a bunch of weenies. They see no reason that this fair won't happen. I mean, c'mon, it's WE TIME baby!

While it might indeed be "We Time" it is YOUR HEALTH, so you might want to put your faith in someone with some actual knowledge of public health and safety... 

I refer you to this reporting from Europa Star -

https://www.europastar.com/time-business/1004092384-houruniverse-we-re-on-track-for-2021.html

Ego is a curious thing, and it is more dangerous when coupled with a refusal to consider that maybe, just maybe, you will have to put your plans on hold for an additional 6 months for the sake of the public good.

I will leave you with the words of that other great commentator on the watch industry - Lou Mannheim as played by Hal Holbrook -

Wall Street, 1987 Directed by Oliver Stone. Charlie Sheen as Bud Fix (L) and Hal Holbrook as Lou Mannheim (R)

"The main thing about money, Bud, is that it makes you do things you don't want to do."

I strongly recommend travel insurance for next year. And remember - "You can't get a little bit pregnant, son."

Superman Is Self Quarantining - You're On Your Own

The latest numbers are in from the FH and the picture is no sunnier than it was last month or the month before.

Courtesy of the FH

Now October is traditionally a harbinger of holiday sales for many countries.  Now November might shock and amaze us all - including this cranky guy, but truthfully this serves to underscore the reality.  There are not likely to be any miracle cures, and for those of you waiting and hoping, I received this update:

Superman is self quarantining in the Fortress of Solitude -

Courtesy of DC Universe

The Seiko Beatmaker - Customize a Seiko 5 Sports

Okay, now before you get too excited - NO.  No, this does not enable you to customize and order your own version of a Seiko 5 Sports.  It does, however, get you to mix and match bezels, dials, hands and case finishes.

The top vote getter/getters might get made, so vote for Early Christmas!

Courtesy of Seiko - and Henki!

https://seiko5sportsbeatmaker.com/en/?id=IS2dPd

Feeling Black and Blue with Bell & Ross

So let's make one thing super clear right from Jump Street - I am a diehard Bell & Ross fan.  In saying that, I also accept and realize that I am not what would readily be considered as part of what might be the presumptive demographic.  I am not nor do I dream of being a pilot, I do not go diving into the briny deep, and I actually get excited by driving the speed limit.  But I will say that I truly appreciate their watches and as is often the case, I tend to gravitate towards the wallflowers.

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

It's curious to imagine, but there was a time when a simple, basic watch like the two you see above were the standard issue for people out in the field. But more importantly, they are good looking time machines that in many ways symbolize (at least to this fan) what makes Bell & Ross special.  Clean, legible and all business.

The case measures a respectable 38.5 mm in diameter providing hours, minutes, seconds and date.

Now don't get me wrong, I still have an eye for the bold and the beautiful and have an ongoing unrequited love affair with the Aeronvale -

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

But I need to stay on topic here ; )

So back to the BR V1-92 Black Steel and Blue Steel -

Movement: calibre BR-CAL.302. Automatic mechanical.

Functions: hours, minutes, central seconds and date.

Case: diameter 38.5 mm. Satin-polished steel.

Dial: matt black or blue Sunday  Numerals and indices coated in white Superluminova®. Metal skeletonised Superluminova®-filled hour and minute hands.

Crystal: ultra-curved sapphire with anti-reflective coating.

Water-resistance: 100 metres.

Strap: black calfskin.

Buckle: pin. Steel.

Diving Deep With Donald Duck

And Citizen -

Courtesy of Citizen

When you are a little kid, you tend to watch a lot of cartoons. And growing up in the 70s where in many homes the television frequently took on the role of babysitter/parent you watch even more.  When you spend so much time with friendly, cartoon characters they tend to take on special significance . And for this Northern Youth apart from Snoopy, my Guardo Camino was Donald Duck.  

Here's the thing, there's absolutely nothing wrong with Mickey Mouse. But to my way of thinking, Mickey was the popular kid who always had brand new school clothes, got straight As, popular with all the kids and was on student council.  Again, nothing wrong with that, but I just didn't personally identify. 

When I entered the University of Oregon as a transfer student in the late 80s, I did not realize that my path and Donald's would inextricably merge.

FILE: The Oregon Duck lies on the ground during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Eugene, Ore. Ahead of the 2014 college football season, The Associated Press asked its panel of Top 25 voters, who are known for ranking the nation's top teams each week, to weigh in on which school had the best mascot. Oregon's costumed Duck came in fifth place. (Ryan Kang/AP)

What most of us at the U did not know, was the real reason why the mascot bore (at times) such a striking resemblance to Donald Duck himself.  Well, gentle reader, allow me to offer some background.

The UofO had sports teams since the turn of the century, but the mascot name shifted back and forth quite a bit.  For a time the teams were known as "Webfeet" and the students occasionally as "Webfoot".  

Paul Caputo's 2014 article on sportslogos.net sheds some light on the Duck's arrival at the U of O -

The University of Oregon has gone by the name Ducks since around World War II—though not officially until 1978. It’s a name that traces back to the late 1800s—though not officially adopted by the university until 1926—when the team was called the Webfoots—or Webfeet, or Webfooters—which derives from a nickname for people from coastal Massachusetts, or possibly from a derogatory term that Californian miners called western Oregonian miners. And Oregon’s mascot is (kind of exactly) Walt Disney’s Donald Duck because of a handshake agreement from 1947 that was not put in writing until 1973.

Yes, that's right, Oregon represented one of the early Disney character partnerships.  

Leo Harris (second from right, holding Puddles) and Walt Disney (far right) in 1947. University of Oregon Special Collections and University Archives.

The informal use of Ducks lasted until 1947, when the school’s athletic director Leo Harris made a handshake deal with a close friend of his, some guy named Walt Disney, to allow the use of a likeness of Donald Duck as the school’s mascot. However, because nothing is simple in this story, even this relationship wasn’t made official for several decades. According to an article on GoDucks.com:

The unique deal stood for 20 years, with Walt Disney Productions providing several versions of the duck for Oregon’s use, until the cartoonist’s death in 1966. That’s when both parties realized no formal contract existed granting the University the right to Donald’s image. The best evidence Harris could offer was a photograph taken two decades earlier showing the late Mr. Disney in an Oregon letterman’s jacket with the Oregon Duck clearly visible on the front. Disney representatives agreed to negotiate the first written contract in 1973 for the athletic department’s continued use of Donald.

Courtesy of the University Oregon/Disney

So being what coach Bowerman referred to as a Man of Oregon, my attachment to Ducks in general, and Donald in particular is even stronger than most ; )

But finally, and this is going to sound a little goofy, so stay with me - the nephews.

Courtesy of Disney/wikipedia

The backstory of how the nephews - Huey, Dewey and Louie came to live with Donald.  Long story short, the parents sent them to live with uncle Donald owing to a medical emergency - they had played a rather disastrous practical joke on their father who was sent to the hospital, forcing their mother to drop them off for what was meant to be a short-term stay.  Having been through something somewhat similar (no practical jokes were involved), my sisters and I were sent to live with aunts - me to Columbus, Ohio and my sisters to Kentucky. I was only a year or so old, but those are my earliest memories. It stuck with me, and to this day there is a bond I have with these two aunts that is, apart from my wife, the strongest and deepest relationship that I have ever had. 

Now I know (or suspect I know) what you are thinking - "Dude, you're a grown-assed man, get a grip!"  Well, to that I would say this - a watch can be much more than something to tell time, and when it speaks to you on a personal level, it can touch you in ways that surprise you. For me this is one of those watches.

Okay, so enough sentimentality!  Here are the pertinents -

Courtesy of Citizen

The case measures 44 mm in diameter, is reputed water resistant to 333 feet, and is powered by the Eco Drive movement - meaning it will re-charge itself making battery changes a thing of the past.

Available direct from Citizen for $295

FEATURES

BAND

Strap

 

DIAL

Blue

 

CASE SIZE (MM)

44

CASE MATERIAL

Silver-Tone, Stainless Steel, Blue Ion-Plated Bezel

 

WATER-RESISTANCE

WR100/10Bar/333ft [Swimming, Showering & Snorkeling]

 

CRYSTAL

Domed Mineral Crystal

FUNCTIONS

J800, 3 Hand, Day / Date

 

MODEL

AW0075-06W Disney Classic

Introduced on: 9/16/2020

Klassik 42 Doctor's Watch with Pulsometer

From Archimede -

Courtesy of Archimede

Here are the pertinents -

The case is of stainless steel and measures 42 mm in diameter. The dial is a good looking sand color with the pulsometer scale writ large.

Available direct form Archimedes for EUR 621,84 (without VAT)

A Few Minutes with Anders Brandt

Okay, in fairness, some of you might be scratching your heads and saying something Henki-esque like, "A few minutes with who?" 

Courtesy of Arcanaut

Well, gentle reader, I'm glad you asked! Because while Watch Town keeps churning out endless numbers of divers, fliegers and "not-so-smart" watches, there are a handful of folks out there designing, creating and assembling some truly beautiful, unique and beguiling time machines that are absolutely not just like everything else out there. Here's the thing, it takes something special to be willing to sack up and invest in your own vision, and see it through rather than take the easy path out. And if you are really lucky (in addition to being really talented)? People will respond! And in the case of Arcanaut's first series (now sold out in fairly short order), that is just what has happened.

So without further delay, a few minutes with one of the men behind the new darling of small batch watch making, Anders Brandt -


James Henderson - Tell us about Arcanaut? What was the inspiration to create a new watch collection?

Anders Brandt - Arcanaut started when I met Simon, ­­­my co-founder, at a bar in Copenhagen. We kinda just stumbled into each other one evening when I overheard him bragging about his Breitling Navitimer, to which I jokingly shouted across the room something like: "But you cannot see what the freaking time is!" And from there we spiraled into a very spirited discussion about watches and design that lasted until the sun came up. During this conversation we fell in love with this idea of creating a truly Nordic watch, not just visually but also in having this authentic approach to what a Scandinavian watch should feel like.

The concept of Arcanaut comes from this straightforward idea, or question, that Simon and I asked ourselves when we started out: "How would a truly Nordic watch look and feel?"

Courtesy of Arcanaut

For the next edition we are really taking this approach up a notch with almost every part of the watch being manufactured in Scandinavian countries, and assembled in Copenhagen. It’s easy to paste a Scandinavian label on something, but we’ve found out we can often do things smarter if we’re close to the manufacturers of the parts.

Anders Brandt and James Thompson

The inspiration for the next design is going be centered around light and contrast. Light has always influenced Scandinavian art and design. It’s probably because our part of the world are plunged into darkness every fall and winter. We cherish every little ray of light we get, and have a special relationship with contrasts that’s apparent in the way we design things.


JH - Denmark is well known and admired around the world for the design originating there. I would imagine that this could be both a spur and a bridle - so I realize it is a cheezy question, but what are some of the Danish Design Codes in the Arcanaut?

AB - When people think about Danish or Scandinavian design, most will think about that sleek minimalist look – but that’s too lazy. Anyone can make something minimalistic if form trumps function at every step. The truth is that making something "minimalistic" is not what makes something Nordic. In my mind, Scandinavian design is all about creating your own rules, with a very functionalist approach in mind. You have to think about what the role this "thing" you are trying to design has, and how it interacts with people; what gives it purpose? When you look at a watch from this perspective, it was really very simple to us:

The watch needs to tell time effectively, be comfortable to wear, and look nice but not be intrusive – to me that’s really Scandinavian.                    

JH - Tell us about the "Twin Triangles". 

AB - The Twin Triangles are a simplified version of a rune called the “Valknut”, which is often connected to knowledge and the old Norse god Odin. Arcanaut means “travelers into knowledge”, which is just a nice way to say “nerds”. When I first designed our logo I knew I wanted some kind of modernized rune as a symbol – Not just to subtly tap into Nordic heritage, but because I wanted something so simple that you would be able to carve it on a piece of wood in 3-4 cuts like our far Viking ancestors did. That I thought would be truly iconic. 

And after many hours and days of drawing runes over and over again, I suddenly had these two triangles on the paper – and immediately I knew this was going to be our logo.

We’re not unique in trying to harken back to our Danish or Scandinavian heritage, but we’re not in this to make some cheap pastiche or slap a Scandinavian brand over some piece of junk. We go Scandinavian all the way, not just as a gimmick. And that included serious writing cramps when I worked on the runes!

Courtesy of Arcanaut

JH - Tell us about the square crown? What was the inspiration?

AB - We knew from the beginning that we wanted to do something different with the crown, as it almost always seems like an afterthought in watch designs. You have this beautifully shaped case, and then there’s this ugly bump on the side. Also every watch geek knows about those red marks you get on your left wrist from watch crowns burrowing down into your skin. So I started sketching this idea of an integrated square crown in the design, which would fit with the curves and shape of the watch case. We got told by almost every manufacturer that it would be extremely difficult to actually make, but by trial and error we finally managed to get it right – and Voilá the square crown was born. 

And let me just add here: I’m not an artist. I draw because my mind is filled with ideas, both visual and otherwise. And most of them are pretty bad – it’s a lot easier to find out if they’re worth anything if you get them out of your head.


JH - So contrary to what some people might think, Arcanaut is not exactly a "new" brand, at least for the founders. It would seem that this is something you have been working on for quite some time. When did you start out on this adventure?

AB - Yep! You could almost say that we have 5 years of experience fucking up watch brands. 

We actually started back in 2015 on an entirely different watch brand, and then two years ago released our first watch the ARC 1. 

Something you need to know about Arcanaut is that we design and pay for everything ourselves – so if something goes wrong, there's nobody else to blame, or solve our problems. My day job used to be helping people with designing processes where problems become apparent immediately and people get to work solving them instead of everything going through six layers of committee at every step – and the watch is designed the same way.

Also, I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so things take a lot of time – also because I tend to choose the path of most, not least, resistance, because I want to try every option out there to make sure we make the right choices. The usual outcome of taking the hardest path is that other improvements tend to show up on the way. 


JH - What have been some of the biggest challengers?

AB - One of the major problems we have been trying to solve since we launched the ARC 1, was that all the Swiss manufacturers wanted us to order hundreds of parts before wanting to work further with us. Swiss watchmaking is mostly a numbers game, and most manufacturers don't really want to bother with little gnats like us. The whole system is built around making large quantities of the same watch over and over again, which is just not what we want to do. 

So, that really only left us with two options: Either try to get a large investment to pay the Swiss, also running the risk of compromising our own vision for the brand, or try to come up with ways in which we could make everything in small quantities back home in Denmark. We chose the latter, which has turned out to pay off.


JH - What have been some of the nicest surprises?

AB - It’s been a long and not entirely cheap process during these five years, but it’s been a very effective way to weed out every bad idea we started out with. And the nicest and most fulfilling experience has been to realize the true value of good craftsmanship – you can say that before I was an astronomer who had the whole universe figured out, but now I’m training to be an astronaut and actually seeing things up close. I mean, we were two twentysomethings who thought we knew all about watches and just needed one shot to make the perfect watch. We still have much to learn, but now I cherish every cock-up because it means the next version will be even better.

Lately I’ve been really positively surprised that every part of a watch which can be manufactured in Switzerland (except for maybe the movement) can be manufactured just as well or even better in Denmark or other Nordic countries; you just have to be very creative about how you design and plan out your production process. It’s a hard exercise in design and manufacturing, but man, it pays off.

Take the hands-on our next watch for example; instead of the usual method of stamping the hands out of brass, which requires a large initial investment, we found a way to cut the hands out of steel in two parts: One standard and one custom part, and then fuse them together later when we need to. This method would be a very costly method if we needed to make thousands of watches each year, but the fact of the matter is that we would rather make small quantities and always have the opportunity to come up with new designs: Flexibility is key for us. 

And I’m sure there are loads of nice surprises waiting for us out there. In fact, whenever I find out something new about watches and watchmaking I just get even more excited about the whole affair.