Horage is Back with New Entries in the Autark Line

New for 2021, Horage has announced new versions of their unique sports watch, the Autark. We reviewed the Autark way back in 2015, and in the years since Horage has made adjustments in a subtle but still meaningful way, often incorporating feedback from fans and customers. The resulting watches don’t reinvent anything that came before, but hold on to the things that have always made the Autark stand out (namely the distinctive case shape and in-house movement) while improving it incrementally. Let’s take a look at the new generation of Autarks. 

First up is the Autark Hv. The Hv here stands for “hardness value,” a fitting designation for a watch with a hardened titanium case. The use of titanium and a hardening agent here immediately put this watch in a rough and tumble tool watch mode, and the angular tonneau style case helps in this regard as well. The notched bezel is an Horage signature, and gives the watch an aggressive appearance. At 39mm in diameter and just 10mm thick, the Autark has dimensions that make it extremely wearable. 

This rendition of the Autark has vertically brushed blue dial, with a display that makes it clear the movement powering the watch is like nothing else on the market. The big date at 3:00, power reserve at 6:00, and running seconds at 9:00 is an unusual but surprisingly useful combination, and highlights Horage’s achievement in designing a movement completely in-house, which is quite uncommon for a brand of their size. The K1 caliber has a 65 hour power reserve, utilizes a silicon escapement, and runs at 25,200 VPH. It was developed by Horage, along with their partners, to be an alternative to ETA supplied movements, and was designed specifically to accept modules for complications without dramatically increasing the overall height of the caliber (be sure to check out our in-depth coverage of the K1 caliber right here).

Horage is also introducing the Autark T5 alongside the Hv. This version of the Autark is a bit more refined – it’s still cast in titanium, (not hardened), but is finished with a mix of brushed and polished surfaces, and loses the notched bezel. The dimensions are exactly the same as the Hv, though the T5 is mounted to a bracelet, which is sure to leave a different impression compared to the integrated leather strap of the Hv. The T5 is available with a brushed green dial, or a crisp white option. 

On their surface, these watches appear very similar to the earlier Autark, but as mentioned at the top, small changes have been made. The Hv has what Horage describes as an improved sapphire crystal that results in greater clarity and anti-reflective qualities, and the bezel geometry has been adjusted ever so slightly to give the watch a sportier feel. The T5 reflects changes that have been requested by Horage’s dedicated community of owners and supporters, particularly in the mix of finishing techniques. The T5 and Hv also feature applied wordmarks that have been polished on three sides, a new feature in these versions of the Autark. 

The new Autarks will be available for pre-order in February, and are priced at CHF 3500. Delivery is expected to begin in April. Horage