Ceramic Meets Mountaineering in Earthen Company’s New Summit Collection

The idea of a “restomod” is nothing new in the world of cars, but it’s not a term that’s often tossed around with watches. A combination of “restoration” and “modification”, restomods exist to reimagine a classic design with modern materials and sensibilities. It’s not how Earthen Company officially labels its new Summit Collection, but the concept is relevant. As an ode to yesteryear’s enduring alpine and pilot watches, the Summit trio – Overcast, Whiteout, and Blue Bird – are everything you love about those old school designs with the added benefits of contemporary watchmaking and material science.

Johnathan Chan, Earthen Company co-founder, views the Summit collection as a love letter to alpine adventure from the perspective of “collectors and designers first”, not just watchmakers. As such, the models maintain the mid-century sizing (38mm cases) and design cues – oversized crowns, brushed case backs – that one would expect from a mountain climber’s or pilot’s tool watch. But the special calling card of the Summit collection is what they’re made of. Ceramic is Earthen’s secret weapon, and its properties, both aesthetically and structurally, play a central role in these watches.

Ceramic’s lightweight nature and resistance to heat and scratches make it a sensible choice for an alpine watch of today. The Whiteout makes use of classic white ceramic and pairs it with a black dial for extra legibility and contrast, while Blue Bird goes all-out white. Overcast takes a dark turn and its black ceramic case is paired with a matching matte black dial. All three models are paired with NATO straps that complement the watch’s color scheme. They also all come standard with an additional sailcloth rubber strap. Inside is the automatically-winding Miyota 9039 movement, which hacks, can be hand wound, and is known for its dependability and serviceability.

The Summit collection watches are priced at $899 and made in a limited batch of 100 to start, though Earthen says they will be restocked eventually. As modestly-proportioned watches with excellent attention to detail and a case material that is thoroughly modern, these timepieces are certainly welcome additions that don’t simply put style over substance. Learn more about the new Summit watches and Earthen Company at http://www.earthen-co.com/.