Defakto is something of a sleeper in the niche of German watches. They make watches in a minimalist style that are somewhat similar to a more well known German brand that we cover here frequently, but have an even more arch sense of humor and sly approach to watch design as a whole. Their latest watch, an update to their Kinetic model, is very much in the same vein as the Transit (reviewed here) but with a few small twists.
The Kinetic is really a watch for those of us who enjoy complex geometrical patterns. The dial design incorporates minute and hour markers that are precisely aligned to be enclosed entirely by the rectangular, skeletonized minute and hour hands as they pass over them. The minute and hour hands themselves are cut to “fit” inside one another, like a Russian doll, as they pass over each other, minute hand inside of the hour hand, seconds hand (in red) inside of the minute hand. This kind of nesting of the hands and hour markers happens on a lot of watches, of course, and Instagram is filled with images of stacked handsets showing off the the unique visual patterns created at various times of day, but it’s rarely the starting point of the design conceit behind a watch as it is with the Kinetic, with such careful attention being paid to the relationship between hands and markers.
The Kinetic 2.0, as it is known, is available in three case variants, all with the same black dial. The “Standard” is the simple stainless steel variant, the “Modular” is the bronze version, and the “Inkognito” is, you guessed it, coated in black PVD. All are 39mm in diameter and utilize a three-piece case construction. You’ll recall from our previous coverage of Defakto that the brand was founded by Raphael Ickler in 2009, a member of the same family behind the Ickler case manufacturer, so high quality case construction is in the company DNA.
Powering the Kinetic is the ETA 2824-2, which can be seen through the exhibition case back. The watch is water resistant to 50 meters, which should be plenty for casual day to day wear, and it sports a sapphire crystal for enhanced durability. An upgrade to the new version of the Kinetic over the earlier version is the addition of lume on the hands, providing an extra bit of legibility in low light scenarios. The Kinetic 2.0 is certainly very deliberately design forward, but there’s some practicality built in as well if you’re simply looking for a stylish timekeeper that’s also reliable in all of the important, measurable ways.
The Kinetic 2.0 is available to order now from Defakto, and starts at about $785 after currency conversion. Defakto
Latest Review
