Iron Man Robert Downey Jnr’s favourite indie watch and 4 other brands to check out now
From the classic to the quirky, independent watchmakers are known to be able to flexing their creative muscles without the burden and constraints that a comes with designing for an established watch brand. Here, we take a look at five independent watchmakers and the vastly different designs they have to offer.
1. Urwerk Both as himself and as Iron Man, Robert Downey Jnr is a fan of Urwerk watches. The super futuristic models display time through a rotating module in lieu of hands, which all started with the UR-101 model. The silhouette is reminiscent of a spacecraft and the case comes in various alloys. Today, the watchmaker has expanded its collection to include pocket watches as well heavily engraved designs.
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2. F.P. Journe Famed for its elegant complication timepieces such as the Octa Lune with its unique, multi-subdial layout, the indie watchmaker turned heads with its latest offering, the Elegante, a thin, time-only quartz watch. Founded by François-Paul Journe in 1999, the brand continues to run its boutique manufacturer in Geneva.
3. Kari Voutilainen Its small seconds layout and guilloche dials are instantly recognisable to those who are in the know. Kari Voutilainen has made a name for himself in the Swiss-dominated industry as a Finnish designer. His timepieces, including the most recognisable Vingt-8 model, are made in Môtiers, Switzerland. The watchmaker’s namesake brand dates back to 2002 and his watches are created in extremely limited runs.
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4. Konstantin Chaykin Konstantin Chaykin’s timepieces might not be the most expensive or functionally complicated, but they’re certainly up there when it comes to fun and whimsy. The Joker watch has become his signature hit; the hours and minutes are indicated on two separate “dials” that double as the eyes of the joker, while its moon phase indication is revealed behind its mouth. The Russian design has been a hit on social media and among a younger generation of watch geeks.
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5. Christophe Claret Perhaps the one of the best-known names among indie watchmakers, Christophe Claret has been making highly creative and mechanically imaginative timepieces for decades. While his designs are mainstream in terms of name recognition, his watches are anything but. Pieces are created in extremely limited numbers and his most successful designs are those that incorporate playful, non-timekeeping functions. In the case of the 21 Blackjack, the wearer has the option to play a hand of blackjack against the watch by triggering the buttons next to the crown.
One of the few independent maestros that has made watches specifically for women, Christophe Claret’s Forget Me Not is fitted with a mechanism that allows its owner to pick petals off of a daisy on the dial in random order, creating a game of chance mimicking the childhood game of the same name.
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Independent watchmakers like Urwerk, F.P. Journe and Konstantin Chaykin are creating wristwatches that appeal to both celebrities and those who just love a good timepiece