Recently one of my favourite shows has returned to Australia. The programme is Grand Designs, which is hosted by the very enigmatic British presenter Kevin McCloud. In this special series they are trying to find the house of the year. Every episode features some extraordinary properties that are divided into different categories like urban, city and rural. Even though most of these architect designed residences are exceptionally exclusive not all of them are ridiculously expensive. Ultimately it proves that great design sometimes can be affordable. Certainly this is also evident in the watch industry and a great example is Swiss brand Klokers.
I first became aware of Klokers when I was contacted by co founder Richard Piras to inform me of their Kickstarter campaign. This wonderful crowdfunding platform has enabled many brands to launch products that otherwise may not reach the market. Previously companies would have to secure finances via third parties, which often stifles creativity. Fortunately, this isn’t the case for Klokers and they successfully were able to launch their KLOK-01.
Aesthetically the KLOK-01 has a wonderful appearance that is normally only reserved for really Avant-Garde high end watches. Sure it isn’t powered by a complicated mechanical Swiss movement or constructed from lightweight alloys or carbon composites. However, for a price of €399.00 (approximately $435) you are getting a phenomenally good looking timepiece for the money. Certainly if you are restricted by budget then this superb watch has to be a serious consideration.
Interestingly, hours, minutes and seconds are displayed on three concentric rings (rotating at different speeds) with a central vertical line indicator. As well as being visually pretty dazzling it is an enjoyable experience telling the time on the KLOK-01. Another cool feature is that there are a huge variety of colour combinations available so the dial can be customized to the user’s precise specifications. My personal favourite is the yellow head colour with matching yellow leather strap.
