Latest Review
There are some interesting watches coming to a close soon on Kickstarter from a combination of old and new names. A few brands that have launched are continuing to use Kickstarter as the platform to launch each consecutive watch and of course some new brands are trying to get things going. Here are a few that end in October (and one extra from early November) that might catch your eye.
Helgray is a brand that we have seen before on worn&wound with their military inspired watches, the Silverstone and an interview with the brands founder. Well Helgray is back on Kickstarter with the Hornet, an “all around badass watch with dual time zone” according to the Kickstarter campaign. From the looks of it the watch may just live up to that badass claim. The quartz watch is housed in a 42mm x 47mm cushion style case with a dual crown set-up. The top crown rotates the inner bezel to track a second timezone (in a 12 hour scale) and the lower crown to adjsut the time. The case comes in stainless or PVD and can be picked up for $249 USD. The project closes October 16 (2015) and has already met their funding goal of $20,000.
Manchester Watch Works Westminster, Monarch and Vergennes
Another familiar name, Manchester Watch Works has three watches available in one Kickstarter campaign. The designs draw inspiration from trench watches and attempt to replicate the look with modern materials and design. The watches are essentially the same base materials with different dial and hand sets in each. The case is 40mm in diameter and 11mm thick with 20mm lugs. Standard spring bars are used for the lugs but the illusion of wire lugs looks pretty convincing. Inside is the Citizen Miyota 8245 automatic movement. The dial designs do look to take cues from vintage trench watches as can be seen from the examples posted on the Kickstarter page. They are just over their funding goal with the campaign ending October 16th. Plegde prices start at $189 USD.
Akrone is a new brand, based out of France, launching their first piece, the K-01 on Kickstarter. The selling point for the K-01 is the ceramic case. The team of three friends started the brand after wanting a quality, affordable mechanical watch with some roots in France. The three decided upon the name Akrone by taking the French word achrone, meaning timeless, and replacing the “c” with “k” from their last names, which all apparently start with “k”. The K-01 has a 40mm ceramic case that is 10.4mm in height, 45.4mm from lug to lug and has 20mm lugs. There are three variations of the dial each with different accent colors: red lava, mint and yellow. Inside is the Miyota 9015 automatic movement which can be seen via a display case back. Akrone was looking for $33,858 USD and has recieve more than double that amount. The campaign ends October 18 with pledge prices starting at $450 USD.
Tusenö is another new hopeful that is launching their first watch on Kickstarter. The First 42 derives its name from the 42mm diameter case used for the watch. The dial and alpha hands lend to a classy, dressy look for this chronograph. Inside is the Seiko VK64 Mechaquartz movement. The running seconds sub-dial has been removed leaving the chronograph counter and 24 hour sub-dial. The case will be available in either polished stainless steel or rose gold plated steel with the dial in either black or white. So far the team wants to move from this humble beginning to an established watch brand in the next decade. They have achieved their funding goal ($35,000 USD) with the campaign ending October 18th. Prices for the First 42 start at $308 USD during the funding run.
Mercer Watch Company Privateer and Voyager
Mercer Watch Company is another brand that we have covered before with the release of their Brigadier last year. The brand is back with a one-two punch in their latest Kickstarter featuring two water inspired watches with the Privateer and the Voyager. The Privateer is the brand’s take on the marine-chronometer style set into a 42mm case. The watch has a sapphire crystal, display case back and comes in a blue or white dial. The movement providing the offset seconds is the Miyota 8245.
The Voyager is the brand’s 300M dive watch offering. Again a 42mm case and sapphire cystal with either a rubber strap or steel bracelet. The movement in this one is the Miyota 9015. The color options are white dial with red bezel, black on black or white with a blue bezel. For these two watches the brand needs to raise at least $50,000 by November 1 (which they’ve actually already met). You can pick up either a Privateer or Voyager for $269 USD or one of each for $499 USD while the campaign is live.
