The Panthevm Roma Watch pays tribute to the Roman Architecture of the Pantheon Dome

Posted on 09/11/2023 by Sarang Sheth

If you aren’t one of the many American men on TikTok who think about the Roman Empire on a daily basis, the Panthevm Roma definitely will get you there. Inspired by the timeless design of the Pantheon dome, the Roma watch comes with a gorgeous 3D dial featuring the radial design seen on the underside of the dome that was constructed back in 125 AD.

Designer: Panthevm

The Pantheon in Rome, Italy has a dome that is 142 feet (43.30 meters) in diameter and 71 feet (22 meters) high. It was the world’s largest dome for 1,300 years and still remains the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome. The trick lies in the fact that it was made in a staggered manner, with heavier materials like travertine used at the base of the dome, and lighter ones like porous volcanic rock on the top. A signature element of the dome remains its oculus, a 27-foot-wide hole on the top that lets a shaft of light in, illuminating the entire chamber naturally, along with the different pockets in the dome’s radial inner concavity. It’s these pockets that find themselves on the Panthevm Roma’s dial, with the oculus being where the watch hands emanate from.

The Roma collection features a classic design that goes well with the timeless nature of the Italian aesthetic. In short, it’s got a bit of history and modern times imbued in it, much like how Italian architecture and automobiles co-exist and complement each other on the streets of the bustling city of Rome.

The Roma watch comes with a body crafted from 316L Stainless Steel, with that 3D dial in the middle surrounded by linear markings lined with Superluminova (along with the hour and minute hands). There’s a date window at the 3 o’clock position that unfortunately doesn’t line up with the 3D Pantheon dome design on the dial and it’s making my eyelid twitch but that might be the only glaring OCD-triggering part of this otherwise elegant timepiece. Finally, a sapphire crystal sits on the top of the watch, offering a clear view of the dial while also rendering the Roma 20ATM water-resistant.

Although the watch is rather unapologetically Roman, with the Pantheon detail, Roman numerals around the bezel, and the word Panthevm written in the Latin style, its heart is Japanese. Underneath the surface lies the Panthevm Roma’s Seiko Automatic movement, a 24-jewel movement with a 41-hour power reserve.

The watch debuted on Kickstarter and Indiegogo back in 2020, unveiled in 5 different colored variants. Patrons can also choose between metal, leather, or rubber straps to customize their timepiece.

Early editions of the watch were marked with a serial number counting down from 753 B.C. – the year Rome was founded.

The post The Panthevm Roma Watch pays tribute to the Roman Architecture of the Pantheon Dome first appeared on Yanko Design.

“World’s Lightest Mechanical Watch” clocks in at a Stunning 8.8 Grams in Weight

Posted on 30/10/2023 by Sarang Sheth

Billed as the world’s lightest mechanical watch, the MING LW.01 boasts an impressive weight of just 8.8 grams (0.31 ounces) for the manual variant and 10 grams (0.35 ounces) for the automatic variant. For reference, that’s lighter than one AirTag… or about as much as two AirPods WITHOUT the case.

The LW.01 takes the idea of minimalism a little bit further by going beyond just the visual sense of the word. “We wanted to push the envelope further than we – or any other brand – has ever done,” the folks at MING said. This includes some brilliant design hacks, the use of novel materials, and basically removing everything non-essential. In short, the folks at MING Marie Kondo-ed the hell out of this watch… and the result definitely sparks joy.

Designer: MING

The watch itself is a work of art, featuring a dial that’s as minimal to look at as its bill of materials. In fact, there isn’t a dial at all. The LW.01’s minute hand sits on a disc that obscures the movement, while the central portion comes with a gradient print that hides the skeletal view of the watch, while also having the watch’s minimal markings on its periphery. Every part of the watch is art and engineering combined to its nth degree, creating something that really stands at the intersection of great design and immaculate engineering.

“We set ourselves some ‘conventional’ constraints, though: the watch had to be a wearable size, and retain certain tactile qualities such as the texture and thermal transfer of metal,” MING’s team mentioned. “More importantly, it would have to be practically wearable and not technically compromised purely for the sake of lightness. As it turns out, it would take us a couple of years longer than expected and an exhaustive amount of metallurgy and testing.”

Those constraints, however, don’t in any way diminish the end product. The watch has a spectacular body that’s crafted from a special metal alloy that’s lighter than carbon but has the premium feel of metal. The lugs are turned into bars that allow the strap to through without any additional elements (which would add to its weight), and the face isn’t layered with sapphire crystal. Instead, it opts for equally resistant Corning Gorilla Glass – similar to the slim glass sheet found in smartphones, but with a separate hardening treatment done by UK-based Knight Optical.

“We explored a wide range of ultralight materials including carbon fiber derivatives and hollow-core 3D printing, but ultimately found that AZ31 Magnesium-Aluminium-Zinc-Manganese alloy from Smiths High Performance was both lighter than carbon (1.77g/cc, vs ~2g/cc density), more consistent to produce than hollow 3D printing, and more importantly retained the feel of metal,” MING mentioned. “It is further surface treated by plasmaelectrolytic oxidation by Keronite for corrosion resistance and biocompatibility, with a further composite protective layer.”

Every element of the watch, including the screws made of PEEK composite, the hollowed bezel, and the angled case buttressing, was meticulously optimized to achieve the perfect balance between durability and weight. The crown, crafted from anodized aluminum, ensures durability and smooth threading. To ensure overall torsional rigidity, finite element simulation was employed to assess the watch case. The fixed integral bars, machined from the same billet as the case, not only enhance rigidity but also weigh less than traditional steel spring bars.

As a result, the watch boasts an impressively lightweight head, weighing just 8.8 grams with manual winding, 10.8 grams with automatic winding, along with an additional 0.6 grams for the matching AZ31 buckle and 1.2 grams for the ‘record’ spec Alcantara strap. This translates to a total weight of 10.6 grams or 12.6 grams for a fully assembled, ready-to-wear timepiece… but don’t expect all that innovation to come cheap. The “World’s Lightest Watch” may be lighter than an AirTag, but it’s half the cost of a Tesla Model Y. With a brain-imploding asking price of 19500 Swiss Francs ($21,623 USD), you’re kind of better off buying a Patek Philippe instead.

The post “World’s Lightest Mechanical Watch” clocks in at a Stunning 8.8 Grams in Weight first appeared on Yanko Design.

In a League of Its Own: The Unconventionally Classy Wolkov W22 Wristwatch

Posted on 28/09/2023 by Sarang Sheth

A watch so unique to look at, Ed Sheeran’s probably in love with the shape of it…

Even as a kid, William Volcoff was an ardent watch-enthusiast, looking for different watch designs that would capture his fancy. Sadly though, there are just a handful of companies that really try to build unique watches. Most high-end watchmakers capitalize on their brand and their craftsmanship rather than on allowing their designers to go wild… but Volcoff realized that if he had to come across a watch that was TRULY different, he had to build it on his own. The W22 is the result of that realization, with a design that questions every aspect of a watch’s design, from its shape, its lug-positioning, and even the layout of its dial.

Designer: William Volcoff

W22 with Cowhide Leather Pilot Strap

The Wolcov W22 sports a Carre-shaped watch body, and ditches the conventional lug placement by positioning them on the sides of the watch instead. The lugs are connected to the watch strap via metal arms that accentuate the W22’s Carre shape, and the watch crown gets moved to the 12 o’clock position, creating an incredibly unique appeal that makes the timepiece recognizable from a mile away.

W22 with Stingray Leather Strap

W22 with Python Leather Strap

This unique arrangement opens the Wolcov W22 up to a variety of explorations that accentuate its novel silhouette. The watch itself comes in three styles – Neige, Fumée and Onyx. The W22 Neige stands out with its fresh and neutral color tones, creating a striking appearance. The dial’s tone-on-tone design adds a touch of elegance without overwhelming with excessive technical details. The W22 Fumée, on the other hand, is Wolcov’s take on the classic blue fume dial. With its multi-layered design and captivating sunburst finish, this dial is sure to spark engaging conversations. For people looking for a balance between eye-catching and minimal, the W22 Onyx is a fine pick, offering a discreet dial design that’s finished in matte black.

W22 with Stingray Leather Strap

W22 with Crocodile Leather Pilot Strap

The straps are perhaps the watch’s most defining feature with the way they embrace the watch body from all sides. The W22 features regular and pilot-style straps across a variety of materials that allow you to customize your watch to fit your mood, style, and occasion. The straps snap on rather easily and are available in polyamide as well as different types of leather including cowhide, monitor lizard, crocodile, stingray, and even python. Each strap attaches to the watch using a pair of metal arms that outline its shape beautifully, reinforcing the W22’s unconventionally charming design.

W22 with Monitor Lizard Leather Strap

W22 with Stingray Leather Strap

The watch itself features an automatic Sellita SW200 movement encased within an incredibly glossy 316L Stainless Steel body. The front is capped with a sapphire crystal that’s coated with an anti-reflection film, while the watch’s back features an exhibition window, covered with red-tinted mineral glass, making it look unusually interesting no matter which angle you look at it from! The W22 is water-resistant up to 3ATM (although those fancy leather straps aren’t) and you can choose multiple straps with each watch, allowing you to build your own timepiece for every occasion!

W22 with Polyamide Strap

The post In a League of Its Own: The Unconventionally Classy Wolkov W22 Wristwatch first appeared on Yanko Design.

This built-to-order vintage-inspired deep diver watch is designed to travel over 600 feet underwater

Posted on 21/04/2021 by Sarang Sheth

Kickstarter has played an incredibly important role in keeping small businesses alive during the past year. In a year where retail shops have seen closures, offices have been shuttered, and the logistics of international shipping has dwindled drastically, Kickstarter has still been an absolute boon for small-time creators looking to connect directly with passionate customers and patrons. If anything, it’s helped the independent watchmaker reach a larger audience without having to jump through the hoops that the luxury watchmaking industry has set up precisely to keep outsiders out. Just ask UK-based independent watch-design and watchmaking studio WT Author, who is taking to Kickstarter to release its 8th watch since the company’s inception in 2013.

The Nº 1973 is the latest in WT Author’s watch series, which has been looking to chronologize watch design over the years. In September 2013, they launched the Nº 1905, a modern reinterpretation of a vintage classic pre-war men’s watch. With each subsequent watch, WT Author’s aimed at capturing how watches have evolved with time, and the Nº 1973 pays tribute to the birth of the NATO strap and the spawning of the diving watch. With a distinct watch-face covered with large, legible, high-contrast symbols, the Nº 1973 feels like your classic diver’s watch… but with a contemporary spin.

The Nº 1973’s vibrant design takes the eye on a journey. You’re bound to notice the watch itself, but also the energetic orange NATO strap. Move your eyes back to the watch itself and you notice its use of eye-catching imagery and colors, as well as its prominent knurled crown at the 4 o’clock position. The watch features a unidirectional rotating bezel around the outside, within which sits the brightly colored watch face – available in chrome yellow, neon green, blazing orange, navy blue, and classic black. The watch face comes populated with high-contrast diver-style indices that are further coated with a layer of Super-LumiNova, making them as clearly visible under the water as above it… and even in pitch darkness. The multi-colored hands come with the SuperLuminova coating too, as does the hand on the 24-hour subdial at the 10 o’clock position. On the opposite side of the subdial sits a date window at the 4 o’clock position, creating an asymmetric-yet-balanced design that’s difficult to ignore!

Flip the Nº 1973 over and you’re treated to an exhibition back that showcases the watch’s Miyota Calibre Nº 8217 mechanical movement with its hand-assembled balance wheel. The movement is manufactured by Citizen and comes with a 40+ hour power reserve. It sits sandwiched between sapphire crystal displays, on both the front and the back, encased within a 316L Stainless Steel casing. True to its origin, the Nº 1973 is every bit a diving watch, and is built to be water-resistant up to 20ATM or 200 meters. The Nº 1973 watch comes in 5 face colors, with production limited to 100 units of each color. The watch’s exhibition back features its serial number, reminding you of how unique your timepiece is. Each wristwatch even ships with two interchangeable G10 NATO straps in bright orange as well as a more classic black. You can additionally upgrade your purchase to include a 22mm solid stainless steel jubilee strap (although the NATO straps definitely help showcase the Nº 1973’s true diver character). The box also includes signed and numbered sketch-prints, watch blueprints, and watch assembly photographs… plus a 24-month warranty against any manufacturing defects seals the deal!

Designer: WT Author

Click Here to Buy Now: $489 ~~$695~~ (30% off). Hurry, only 46/70 left!

Nº 1973 – Built-to-order Automatic Watch

Named after the year the iconic G10 NATO strap was issued by the British Ministry of Defence, the Nº 1973 is a built-to-order automatic and hand wound mechanical wristwatch with a quick date setting, 24 hour subdial display, unidirectional rotating bezel and exhibition back.

Built by WT Author, is an independent designer and watchmaker that builds limited edition, handmade watches from their workshop in Shropshire, UK. They collaborate with talented CNC toolmakers, leather artisans and sustainable print studios to assemble bespoke products full of character, meaning and originality.

The Mechanical Movement

In 1959, Citizen Watch established a movement manufacturing factory in the town of Miyota, Japan. The calibre Nº 8217 is both an automatic and hand wound mechanical movement, assembled using only parts manufactured at Japanese plants.

The balance wheel is produced by human hands. Adjusting the eccentricity and horizontality of the balance spring is the most difficult procedure and cannot be expressed in numerical form by machinery.

The movement is precise and durable with high impact resistance. It is valued for its craftsmanship, artistry and beauty; all major parts are made of metal to enhance color and texture.

The Stainless Steel Watch Head

The Nº 1973 watch harks back to the golden age of diving from the 1970s. They have taken every essential aspect of this legendary style and modernised it from top-to-bottom within our own expertly engineered unique components.

The watch head securely houses the intricacies of the delicately assembled mechanical movement, displaying its complexity through the uninterrupted solid sapphire crystal rear lens. It has been designed to fit perfectly on the wrist within a robust and solid watch head that has been assembled to be put through its paces. The result is a timepiece with a 45mm diameter, a length of 49.5mm (lug-to-lug), all contained within a depth of 14.45mm (including lugs).

Brushed and highly polished surfaces that meet to create a clean aesthetic with incredibly strong properties. The knurled watch head wall brings a dynamic style to catch the light at any given opportunity whilst offering a fantastically machined aesthetic.

Unidirectional Watch Bezel

The bold unidirectional rotating bezel offers quick functionality through substantial grip areas on the edge of the component. The high contrast aesthetic presented through the black, ion plated surface and silver-tone markers is enhanced further by a strong combination of matt and highly polished finishes.

The bezels original function serves to record the elapsed time for a diver’s descent. The 12 o’clock marker, containing Super-LumiNova, is aligned to the prominent minute hand to record up to 60 minutes of elapsed time. The unidirectional ratcheting mechanism stops any accidental movement to the bezel thus avoiding any chance of less time being recorded on a descent. As standard, the point of a diver’s return is clearly indicated from the 20 minute marker end point on the bezel.

Screw Down Exhibition Back

The intricately machined screw down exhibition back includes deep, tooled recesses to reflect their established signature “poker chip” aesthetic. The component includes a robust gasket to create a powerful seal that ensures water resistance tested to 200m / 20 ATM.

The exhibition back is fitted with a solid sapphire crystal lens to ensure the watch retains its maximum water resistance whilst offering an uninterrupted presentation of the mechanical movement’s inner workings.

The stable construction with precisely defined architecture has been designed and machined to be as beautiful as every other component on the watch. The rear lens is finished with our intricately printed mark and serial code to indicate its allotted number in the limited edition collection.

Screw Down Crown

The custom-machined, screw down crown enhances the water resistance. To defend the component from accidental knocks or other interactions, it is housed within a substantial crown guard that flows directly from the lines of the lug straight into the side of the watch head.

The crown is deliberately placed at the 4 o’clock position with lugs that fall tightly to the watch head, avoiding any discomfort to your wrist.

Solid Sapphire Crystal Lens

The solid sapphire crystal lens is constructed in extremely high temperatures and made up of crystalline aluminium oxide. Each item is precisely cut with diamond saws that are then grinded & polished into shape for the finished product.

It offers significantly more scratch resistance vs. traditional glass, plastic or acrylic crystal as well as being extremely strong and shatter resistant. The solid sapphire crystal lens has an identical hardness to natural sapphire.

The Watch Dial

The Nº 1973 watch comes in five different color options: Blue, Green, Black, Orange and Yellow. Each one carries a specific correlation of meticulously designed hour, minute and second indices. The hour markers utilize a correlation of our signature “tuning fork” indices applied securely to the dial, all with a Super-LumiNova infill to compliment the thick matt painted WT Author mark at the 12 position.

Thick gloss painted inner and outer minute tracks surround the dial, allowing details like the date window and model information at the 6 o’clock position to be picked up through a palette of contrasting colours. The result is a timepiece that’s rugged, reliable and legible.

The Super-luminova Details

Super-LumiNova is based on a non-toxic formula consisting of strontium aluminate. This is one of several powerful luminous pigments available in the watch industry today. The team have opted for a light green lume for the Nº 1973 watch.

The Colors

Click Here to Buy Now: $489 ~~$695~~ (30% off). Hurry, only 46/70 left!

Pompeak’s stunning Sub-Aquatic automatic dive watch can be submerged up to 200 meters underwater!

Posted on 06/04/2021 by Sarang Sheth

I’ve come to associate the Pompeak brand with the 3 Ds – Dapper Design, and Diversity. Founded by brother-duo David & Noah Pomphrey, Pompeak has managed to, in a limited span of time, surprise and stun the watch aficionado community with incredibly designed, precisely manufactured, dapper-looking watches, without sporting that premium price tag. With their latest watch, the Sub-Aquatic, Pompeak hopes to add a little diversity to their lineup by building a watch centered around performance… specifically, performance underwater.

Meet the Sub-Aquatic, a timepiece that combines the best that British design has to offer with the best that Swiss engineering has to offer. Classy on the outside, capable on the inside, the Sub-Aquatic is a 40mm dive watch that’s been designed, tested, and perfected over the last 12 months. With a body made out of brushed and highly polished 904L Stainless Steel, a ceramic rotating bezel, incredibly powerful Super-LumiNova markings, and a sapphire crystal display capping it all, the Sub-Aquatic looks stunning out in the open, but it really shines when you venture into the waters. Equipped with 200M water-resistance, the Sub-Aquatic is a watch that isn’t afraid of being thrown into the deep end.

The Sub-Aquatic is a pretty serious flex from Pompeak, and propels them as a watch brand to be reckoned with. The 904L Steel is an upgrade from the default 316L Steel, but it’s in every way a premium, luxury metal and comes with more chromium in the alloy that gives it an unmistakable polished appearance and unbeatable corrosion resistance. Given the circumstances under which the Sub-Aquatic watch is meant to be used, the timepiece comes with high-visibility BGW9 Swiss Super-LumiNova markings on the rotating bezel as well as on the watch face, allowing the numbers to be visible even at the depths of the ocean. The visibility of the numbers is increased further by the presence of a double-domed Sapphire crystal on the top, complete with multiple Anti-Reflective (AR) coatings to give the watch-face utmost clarity. The watch face itself is simple and sophisticated, prioritizing minimalist cleanliness more than anything. The face sports a dark-ish blue gradient hue that sets the perfect contrast for the white, LumiNova coated numbers… and a date window at the 3 o’clock position gives you all the information you need at a mere glance. On the inside, a self-winding Sellita SW200-1 movement gives the watch its life, lending its signature Swiss-backed accuracy to the timepiece.

Pompeak’s dive-watch (its first one so far) manages to pull it all off while still sticking to its ethos of being honestly priced. With a Kickstarter launch price of just £389 ($530), the watch matches up to (and surpasses) other luxury brands with its use of high-end materials like sapphire crystal and 904L Steel, and its stunning water-resistance of 20ATM (200 meters). The watch comes in two variants (a textured face versus a flat gradient face) with a choice between a classic stainless steel link bracelet and a more durable matte rubber strap. Along with its Dapper Design and Diversity, Pompeak adds Durability to the Sub-Aquatic too, giving you a 2-year warranty on the timepiece.

Designers: Pompeak Watches

Click Here to Buy Now: $539 ~~$860~~ (37% off). Hurry, only 1/50 left!

Pompeak Sub-Aquatic: British Design Meets Swiss Movement

Pompeak is back with their third collection and their first-ever dive watch. The Sub-Aquatic is a fusion of British design, high quality materials and Swiss automatic movements, with a price point to contrast the premium features.

Swiss Automatic Movement

The Sellita SW200-1 is recognized as one of the best work horse movements around. Often found in watches costing thousands, features include: hacking, hand winding and a quick set date function. A truly outstanding display of horology.

SW200-1 Specs:

– Self-Winding Mechanism
– 28,800 Vibrations per hour
– 26 Jewels
– 38 Hour Power Reserve
– Automatic/self-winding watches are often chosen as the perfect combination of character and heritage of the mechanical watch, without the need to manually wind the movement each day.

Dial Option 1: 3D Textured Dial

With bold hands and applied indices contrasting the 3D textured dial, the designers have added depth to what is traditionally a very generic watch face.

Dial Option 2: Gradient Dial

For the stunning yet clean look, the team has introduced a deep blue/black gradient dial.

Super-LumiNova

Dive down (or switch the off lights) and the watch really shines thanks to the Swiss Super-LumiNova (BGW9) filled hands, indices and bezel. BGW9 Lume has a long lasting, blue glow at night, with a clean white look in the day.

The Case

The inspirations for this case may be clear, 40mm of highly polished and brushed 904L Stainless steel, topped with a 120 click, uni-directional ceramic bezel. Historically 904L has been reserved for a select few watches costing big bucks, largely due to the increased complications in sourcing and processing, however as the technology and machinery becomes more widely available, the cost associated also comes down.

904L is often referred to as a corrosion-resistant superalloy due to its exceptional, almost perfect, aging properties, even in the harshest of environments.

Water Resistance

Frequent Scuba Divers use a digital dive computer as their main life saving tool, but who doesn’t want a watch that can survive just about anywhere they can? That’s why the team have doubled the minimum water resistance required for a “divers” watch with 20ATM – Up to 200m.

The Bezel

The elapsed time bezel is used to measure total dive time and decompression stops – a crucial addition to any dive watch. With a 120 click uni-directional bezel and ceramic insert, the timepiece combines precise timing with an almost scratch proof material, complete with a refined and elegant shine. The uni-directional feature means the bezel will only rotate counter-clockwise and any accidental knocks will only “add” to the elapsed time.

The Glass

Sapphire Crystal is the most scratch resistant you can get, with a hardness only inferior to diamond. The double domed, solid sapphire crystal is no different, with added Anti-Reflective (AR) coatings ensuring crystal clear readability in all conditions.

The Straps

Choose between a classic stainless steel link bracelet with highly polished center links, complete with a sliding micro adjust clasp or an extremely durable rubber strap complete with quick release pins for easy, yet secure, on/off.

Technical Dimensions

Click Here to Buy Now: $539 ~~$860~~ (37% off). Hurry, only 1/50 left!

The Pompeak gentleman’s automatic watch comes with an absolutely eye-catching open-heart movement

Posted on 19/04/2020 by Sarang Sheth

When Apple first conceived the smartwatch, news broke that they hired the ex CEO of Yves Saint-Laurent to lead the division. Why would a fashion executive be called to head product development at a tech company? Tim Cook knew early on that the watch, as functional as it was, was first and foremost a fashion accessory. People wear watches not just to look at the time, but also to look dapper… and that precise adjective is something all watches endeavor to chase. The ability to speak to its wearer and convey style, class, allure… while obviously telling the time too.

The Pompeak Gentleman’s Collection was designed purely because its creators Dave and Noah never really found an accessible watch that embodied that dapper spirit. So Dave and Noah decided to create their ultimate watch instead of settling for the next best thing. The British-designed timepiece comes with a series of eye-catching details assembled together in a watch that’s designed to last, but most importantly, it connects with its user on a visceral level, by baring its open-heart to you. That exposed movement is visible right through the front of the watch, becoming its defining feature and exuding mechanical power, accuracy, and efficiency.

The Pompeak watch’s aesthetic is greater than the sum of its parts. The 40mm, 316L stainless steel body comes with sapphire crystal glass that sits atop the watch’s radial-knurled body that comes in black and navy-blue variants. The knurled texture gives the watch its depth by creating a series of highlights and shadows on the dial, sporting a sweeping subdial that counts seconds, sitting right beside the watch’s open balance wheel heart. The balance wheel is an integral part of the chosen Miyota 82S5 automatic movement, boasting of a 42-hour power reserve when not worn. What’s more is that it’ll practically run for a lifetime without needing to be wound, thanks to the watch’s ability to capture your movements and translate it into stored energy. The watch’s back sports a second exhibition window that lets you admire the Japanese-made movement from all angles, and is covered with a sapphire glass too, giving the Pompeak watch its sheer durability. Each Gentlemen’s collection timepiece is water-resistant up to a stunning 100 meters, and Super LumiNova markings on the dial and hands allow you to read the time at night as well as underwater in low light conditions. Paired with straps to complement the watch’s design, the Pompeak comes with a choice of stainless steel link bands for people who want their bands to match the watch’s body, as well as full-grain leather straps for those who want something more ‘il classico’.

Together, these details make up the aesthetic that The Coolector refers to as ‘devilishly dapper’… but the Pompeak doesn’t stop right there. It embraces Kickstarter’s disruptive ‘Designer To Consumer’ business model, bringing the watches directly to its patrons while escaping the watch industry’s notorious brand markups, luxury taxes, and showroom prices. With a price tag that’s just below £200, Pompeak manages to deliver on an aesthetic that surely embodies an ethos of style, class, and allure… because it was designed by passionate creators and watch-lovers with that very intent.

Designers: David & Noah Pomphrey of Pompeak

Click Here to Buy Now: $287 ~~$410~~ (30% off). Hurry, less than 72 hours left!

Pompeak – British Open-heart Automatic Watches Under $300

Pompeak is an independent, British company born out of frustration with the poor offerings of the affordable watch market. They design the watches they want to wear, and work to make them as affordable as possible. Removing all the unnecessary mark ups and ensuring they keep to their founding belief of high quality at a fair price.

The Gentlemen’s Collection

Their latest timepieces subtly showcase a stunning Japanese automatic movement behind each beautifully detailed dial, with a price point to contrast the premium features.

At a glance, each watch in the collection includes:

– British design
– 40mm diameter case
– Self winding, Japanese automatic movement
– 10 ATM water resistance (up to 100 meters)
– Five rowed 316L stainless steel linked bracelet or full grain leather straps
– Scratch resistance sapphire glass
– Swiss Super-LumiNova coatings

Self Winding Mechanical Movement

Automatic/self-winding watches are often chosen as the perfect combination of character and heritage of the mechanical watch, without the need to manually wind the movement each day. Their chosen Japanese movement is no different. A truly stunning display of horology. Crafted with precision while avoiding the mark-up that comes with the Swiss label.

MIYOTA 82S5

– Japanese Mechanical Automatic Movement
– Hours / Minutes / Seconds
– Self-winding mechanism
– Power reserve (if not worn) 42 hours
– 21,600 vibrations per hour
– 21 Jewels

Water Resistance

With a screw down crown and pressure seal rated to 10 atmospheres (10ATM/up to 100m water resistance) for that added peace of mind.

316L Stainless Steel

The 40mm subtly detailed timepiece is designed from scratch, in-house in the UK. Utilizing perfect combination of premium materials, each chosen for their impressive unique properties, ensuring your next watch not only looks good, but lasts.

The case and metallic bands are both crafted from 316L stainless steel, chosen over other material variants for its impressive strength and corrosion resistance, even in salt water environments (You’ll find 316L is often used in diving equipment for the same reasons).

Full Grain Genuine Leather

Full grain leather is the bee’s knee’s. The best you can get when it comes to leather. Contrary to the name, full grain leather is not grainy in appearance or feel, but has a smooth richness that is only achievable with a cut of full, unaltered hide in its natural form.

You’ll often see “genuine leather” stamped on products, but know that this term covers anything that is technically leather, no matter how processed and altered it is. Full grain is the real deal.

Scratch Resistance

The nightmare for any watch owner is having a scratch across the glass. That’s why they are using sapphire crystal glass on all of their watches. Famed for its superior scratch resistance and with a hardness rating just less than that of diamond.

Super-LumiNova

Ensuring all day and all night usability with Swiss Super-LumiNova coatings. Their chosen BGW9 lume is transparent in daylight with a long lasting blue night glow.

They tested a number of different coatings and found that C1, for example, just didn’t perform as well as they had hoped. C3 lume on the other hand, performed well in the glow test but they didn’t think the yellow tint the C3 lume has in day light matched the Gentlemen’s clean look.

The Swiss BGW9 has the best of both worlds, a lovely and long lasting blue glow at night without the yellow-ish look in the day.

Strap Variations

A watch, no matter how elegant, cannot be great without a strap to match, and they have gone all out. Butterfly deployment clasps compliment either the five tiered stainless steel bracelet or a choice of full grain leather straps.

Click Here to Buy Now: $287 ~~$410~~ (30% off). Hurry, less than 72 hours left!

If Aliens and Humans Designed Timepieces Together

Posted on 07/01/2019 by Sarang Sheth

The Aision AN-S01 watch comes just at the right time to usher us into the space age. For a species that will, in roughly a decade, populate another planet, Aision’s watch is time-appropriate. Designed using the vast bank of science fiction as its inspiration source, the AN-S01 models itself on the design of a UFO, with a style that’s more futuristic than traditional… perfectly fitting for a species that will soon be interstellar!

The AN-S01 deviates from the regular watch-face design, opting for concentric rotating discs that align to tell the time. This formation is punctuated by a metal frame that sits in front of the watch, almost like an exoskeleton, giving the watch its aggressively future-forward appeal. A circular case-design does a hat-tip to the most popular perception of a circular UFO, and a highly curved Hesalite glass gives the watch an incredible amount of depth, while also accentuating the UFO-esque shape of the overall body, making the AN-S01 look like it was co-designed by humans and extraterrestrials alike.

Sitting underneath the Hesalite glass, the stainless steel exoskeleton, and the rotating lume-coated dials is a Miyota caliber 82S0 movement, a part of the 8215/821A family, with a 21-jewel movement that beats at 21,600 vibrations per hour. Encased in a 316L steel case with a watertight construction, the watch’s insides are waterproof up to 30 meters. The watch also sports leather straps, but in keeping with its theme of space, comes with a white stripe running down the center of each strap… a detail that, when wrapped around your hand, almost looks like the teleporter beam shooting out from under the UFO-shaped watch!

Designer: Lee Cheuk Chung

Click Here to Buy Now: $319 ~~$449~~ (30% off). Hurry, only 3 left!

The Aision AN-S01 automatic watches are inspired by space and UFO. It deviates from the regular watch-face design, opting for concentric rotating discs that align to tell the time.

“SPACE” is the theme of design and the designer has skillfully added a hemisphere – dome-shaped – glass to greatly enhance the design of the dial.

Lume on the dial makes the time easy to read in the dark.

There are two main parts to the dial – the first one is the metal skeleton, which is inspired by the streamline of the wheel. The second part is the disc hands.

The team has designed custom fonts for the dial.

The Miyota caliber 82S0 is from the 8215/821A family but offers a skeletonized dial design. Miyota claims that the caliber 82S0 offers accuracy of -20 ~ +40 seconds per day. This is measured within 10-60 minutes from a full wind via the crown.

There is also a gilt (gold tone) version available.

The watch straps are made from genuine leather and there are two options.

Genuine Leather – Black & White

Genuine Leather – Black Crazy Horse

Aision AN-S01 Silver Watch

Aision AN-S01 Gun & Silver Watch

Aision AN-S01 Black & Rose Gold Watch

Click Here to Buy Now: $319 ~~$449~~ (30% off). Hurry, only 3 watches left!

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