Introducing the anOrdain Model 2

anOrdain is back with the highly anticipated follow up to their much loved (and currently sold out) Model 1. The Model 2 is the brand’s take on the classic field watch, and while it has a very different initial impression than the Model 1, the Anordain DNA is still very much present.

anOrdain Model 2

• Case Material: Stainless steel
• Dial: Moss Green, Torr Blue, Grey, Midnight Green, White, Purple
• Dimensions: 36mm
• Crystal: Sapphire 
• Crown: Push pull 
• Movement: Sellita SW-210-1
• Strap/bracelet: Leather strap or mesh bracelet
• Price: Starting at $1,147
• Expected Release: Available now

For many of us, it was the dial work in anOrdain’s first release that got our blood flowing. The brand uses traditional techniques to create gorgeous enamel dials in a series of unique colors that give each variant a dramatically different look and feel.

The Model 2 continues the tradition, and the dials here, at first glance, seem to have all the depth and intrinsic drama that was present on the Model 1. The enameling process takes a long time and requires a great deal of skill — one mistake and a whole batch needs to be trashed — so understanding the labor and craft associated with the creation of each dial is a huge piece of enjoying a watch like this. In a given week, for example, anOrdain’s team averages about 8 finished dials. This is true old-world craftsmanship, and the result is a dial with a richness and sheen that is glass-like, that will never degrade, and is wholly unlike a dial made from any other material. 

The case of the Model 2 contrasts the Model 1’s sharp lines with gentle curves, rounded lugs, and a smooth and contoured bezel. This design makes sense for a field watch. It’s small (only 36mm in diameter) and rugged, and won’t get in the way. We often associate modern, oversized watches with durability and ruggedness, but anOrdain understands that it’s not size, but design, that makes a watch appropriate for the field. There’s nothing delicate about the Model 2 — you can imagine it simply existing on your wrist unobtrusively until it’s called upon.

But back to those dials, because there’s really a lot more to unpack once you start noticing the little details. anOrdain used an in-house typographer for the Model 1’s numeral design, and they’ve done the same with the Model 2. The numerals on the Model 2 are slightly sportier than those of its predecessor, and inspired by 1950s industrial equipment. It’s no small feat to create an attractive typeface from scratch. There’s an undeniable vintage vibe here, but it’s also, literally, something entirely new. 

A close look at the handset of the Model 2 reveals even more design Easter eggs. At first glance, you’d be forgiven for mistaking these as typical vintage inspired syringe hands. Lots of brands, from Sinn all the way up to Patek Philippe incorporate this traditional aviation-inspired design. anOrdain has done something just a little different, and more challenging. The tips of the hands are separate components, hand painted in luminous material, and cradled by the skeletonized syringe hand in a slot that’s the width of a human hair. Like the enamel dials, this is a design element where there’s a clear benefit in understanding the labor intensive process that goes into creating it. 

anOrdain’s Model 2 comes in six striking dial variants on a number of strap and bracelet options. They are available now, but because of the laborious production methods that anOrdain has employed they are currently quoting a six week wait time for orders to be fulfilled. anOrdain