In March 2015 I attended Baselword and I had the opportunity to speak with many of my watchmaking heroes. Many were using different carbon composites and achieving some very positive results. This material was becoming increasingly popular because of its texture and lightweight qualities. After the show had ended I visited a manufacturing company in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland to discuss a unique project. I had just created my own bespoke timepiece and had aspirations to develop a second. This company specialises in carbon watches and were experimenting with luminous technology. However, to produce a prototype was going they quoted around $15,000, which simply wasn’t viable. Fast forward a few years and I finally achieved my goal of creating the ‘Pure Carbon’.
The reason I have included this personal background is to illustrate the challenges micro brands experience when trying to create a bespoke timepiece. Over the last few years, I have followed the progress of Ricardo Zamora Rojas and his boutique watch label RzR. There seems to be a symmetry in our methodology and our interest in experimenting with different materials. That is why I was fascinated to hear that he’s developed a really exciting timepiece called the Tecorón.
When I visited Baselword in 2015 predominantly high-end brand like Hublot, HYT, Tag Heuer was experimenting with carbon fibre. However, within the last few years, this amazing material has filtered down to smaller microbrands. Ultimately this means that buyers can get the opportunity to an amazing carbon watch at a reasonable price. Certainly, a great case in point is the phenomenal Tecorón from RzR. This superb timepiece will be available on the popular crowdfunding website Kickstarter, at the beginning of October below the €1,000 ($1,115) threshold.
Most of the carbon timepieces (if not all) I have ever reviewed are bold, oversized and radically designed (including my own ‘Pure Carbon’). Normally carbon fibre is associated with high-performance cars, boats, motorcycles etc. That is why I am intrigued by Ricardo Zamora Rojas’s strategy to essentially make a 42.9 mm x 10.9mm hexagonal dress watch from this material. However, I absolutely love his logic because the aesthetic of Tecorón is very elegant indeed. Buyers will have the choice of a solid grey colour dial (with contrasting steel numerals) or open-heart version. Personally, I would choose the latter because of it exposures mechanical elements of the refined Miyota 90s5 movement.
As a perfect finishing touch the Tecorón is presented with a leather strap or hyper trendy carbon fibre bracelet (my selection). This brings the weight of the watch almost into Richard Mille territory at a range of 40 – 44 grams respectively.
To purchase this amazing watch on Kickstarter follow this link
