In just five years, Norqain has established a unique identity as an independent Swiss watchmaker with a special focus on ruggedness and sustainability. With models named “Independence”, “Adventure”, and “Freedom”, Norqain represents individualism with a sense of responsibility. Now for the third time they have partnered with animal sanctuary founder Dean Schneider to create a limited edition watch: The Wild ONE Hakuna Mipaka in brown.
Young Swiss financier-turned-conservationist Dean Schneider has managed the Hakuna Mipaka (Swahili for “No Limits”) wildlife sanctuary in South Africa since 2017. The 400-hectare haven has become a refuge for animals like King Dexter, a lion whose upbringing has been well-documented on social media. It is also home to thousands of animals such as giraffes, zebras, and various reptiles. Hakuna Mipaka is not open to the public and therefore relies on donations and other forms of support.
Like the most recent collaboration with Dean Schneider, this new watch is part of the Independence Wild ONE collection. Production of this line is entirely animal-free, a north star for Norqain and the rest of its products. The case (42mm x 12.3mm x 49.4mm) is made of NORTEQ, a custom carbon composite that sandwiches a rubber shock absorber integrated with sand from Schneider’s North African oasis. Inside is the manufacture caliber NN20/1 (manufactured by Kenissi) housed in a titanium enclosure. On the sapphire caseback is a special engraving with the Hakuna Mipaka logo and Dean’s mission statement regarding animals: “We need to learn to love them exactly the way they are and not the way we wish them to be!”
The vegan tan strap and dark brown dial are both decorated with a special pattern resembling a lion’s fur (shout-out to King Dexter), while the skeleton hands and hour indexes are finished in red gold to evoke the evening sunset across the oasis. On the bottom half of the dial is the spear-and-shield Hakuna Mipaka logo. The left flank of the case features the NORQAIN plate, which can be engraved according to the owner’s wishes.
The watch is priced at $5,590 and is limited to 300 pieces. Ten percent of the proceeds from the sale of this new limited Norqain Wild ONE will benefit the Hakuna Mipaka sanctuary. For more on the watch, visit NORQAIN. To learn more about Dean Schneider and his efforts, visit Dean Schneider.
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