Recently I connected with one of my friends from University. His name is Christopher Green (http://www.christophergreenartist.uk) and he is an exceptionally talented painter. It has been nearly twenty years since I last saw him and I was very intrigued to find out how his life had unfolded. Amazingly as well as being a father of six he has also had a very fulfilling career. In fact he has worked for companies like Harrods Fortnum and Mason and the Walt Disney Corporation. His artwork seems to have come full circle and is he is now mostly concentrating on personal projects. Interestingly I am finding that a lot of small independent watchmakers (that previously have worked for larger brands) have also adopted this attitude.
A few months ago I was the first watch blog to feature a wonderful Alaskan brand called Timemachinist. The creative force behind this operation is a brilliant designer called Cal Giordana. I instantly developed a strong rapport with Cal because we actually have very similar tastes in watches. This is why I have sent him links to many reviews (I wrote) of exclusive timepieces like the Tri-Axial Tourbillon (Girard Perregaux), Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane Grand Voyage II (Zenith) and the Opera (Manufacture Royale). Prior to Baselworld I could have only dreamed of testing these exquisite watches. Although I tested a lot of fantastic creations at the show a few did slip through the net. One of these is a wonderful mechanical automatic timepiece called the Nethuns by Strom Watches.
Although I met the owner of Strom Watches Daniel Strom very briefly at Baselworld I didn’t get the chance to test any of his creations. Generally I have been aware of his timepieces and on the whole like his designs. However I feel the Nethuns is a level above anything he has produced before. This watch exudes muscular proportions and measures a whopping 61mm x 56mm x 19mm (including the lugs). Obviously a timepiece of this size won’t appeal to everyone and maybe it wouldn’t be practical for every day usage. Saying that Daniel has ergonomically shaped the case to fit the wrist so it might feel more comfortable than it appears. Hopefully next year I’ll be able to wear this watch and judge for myself.
Visually the Nethuns has a really bold and distinctive façade. I absolutely love Steampunke inspired watches like the Nemo Captain (Thomas Prescher) and Polyphemos (Angular Momentum). This is why a timepiece like the Nethuns really appeals to me. Features like the robust Corinthium Aes (alloy of copper, gold and silver) case is inspired by ships of the 19th century. I love the rivet detailing, which gives the watch a strong structural appearance. Other interesting features include a black dial (with contrasting white numerals), central second/minute hands and jumping hour indication (located at 6 o’clock). The timepiece is also water resistant to a depth of 300 metres.
The Nethuns will be limited to only 99 pieces and has a durable black rubber strap with matching Corinthium Aes buckle.