Embarking on a number of projects to highlight their independence, Horage is putting their best foot forward as the youngest movement manufacture in Switzerland. Mission Independence represents the brand’s next step in establishing their position in the rarefied world of luxury watches, with three distinct projects that place Horage squarely in the realm of a sustainable watch manufacture. As part of Mission Independence, the new Yi Diamond Watch is Horage at its most luxurious, but with as much thought given to the origin of its gem-set case, as well as its manufacture movement. 

Nature provides the luxury industry with gold, iron, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, pearls and diamonds for the maisons to produce their exceptional creations. However, mining for these materials can cause significant damage to the environment, with large pit mines pockmarking the landscape. Lab-grown diamonds represent a way to enjoy these gemstones, without the geological damage that comes with it. Horage made their discovery of lab-grown diamonds when they were searching for a company to diamond-coat their movement components, which landed them at the Nano Energy Technology Centre (NETZ in the local German parlance).

Not only was Horage able to work with NETZ in creating a hard-wearing component with a diamond coating, but they were also able to create a gem-quality diamond through Chemical Vapour Deposition. Structurally identical to diamond with its Carbon-based cubic lattice atomic layout, lab-grown diamonds were ruled as real diamonds by the FTC in 2018 – Cubic Zirconias (CZs) differ from these as they use Zirconium Dioxide in the crystalline structure of the stone, making them chemically different. 

The lab-grown diamonds used in the Yi are graded in the same way as naturally-occurring stones, with 17.48 carats of diamonds used, falling within the D-G colour grades, and IF-VVS clarity gradings. In total, 100 of these stones are used, and are invisibly set into a square 18k white gold case. Measuring in at 36mm x 35mm, the square is an unusual choice, but to highlight the baguette cut diamonds, it works for this watch.

The diamond setting also extends down to the lugs, giving the watch an air of Art Deco. 

The dial features applied Arabic numerals and white gold hands that are also set with diamonds 6 diamonds – two for the hour hand, and four for the minutes hand. It also features a nano-rainbow dial accentuated with a vertically brushed finish. The watch is delivered on an interchangeable eel leather strap – another unusual choice for the watch, but one that is rooted in the pursuit of sustainability.

Housed within the diamond and white gold case is the K1 movement, which has been mainstay of the Horage collections since its introduction in 2015. Made visible through the sapphire crystal caseback, the movement has been kept simple in its display – while the K1 movement is capable of 18 different configurations with different combinations of complications, the Yi only displays hours and minutes.

The K1 beats at 3.5 Hz, has a 65 hour power reserve, and houses a silicon escapement for a prolonged service interval and increased reliability of the movement. Its rotor is decorated with the molecular structure of diamond, along with a humpback whale, signifying Horage’s commitment to sustainability. The caseback ring is engraved with the message “With our love, we could save the world.” – fitting for a watch that is aimed at changing the way that watch enthusiasts perceive luxury.

For a watch named after the Chinese Book of Changes, the Yi is certainly a watch that encourages watch enthusiasts to rethink the way they think about luxury watches – from the origin of its gemstones, down to the components of the movement. Whilst unconventional in its presentation, the Yi does signify that Horage has its heart in the right place – to do good whilst creating watches according to their codes and the path they set for themselves as a manufacture. Horage now joins a rarefied stratosphere of brands that have truly put their money where their mouth is in the realm of sustainability by making the jump to lab-grown diamonds with the Yi, which also goes to show where the thoughts of the management team at Horage is at. It’s clear that Horage has the makings of a brand with transparency in mind, and the Yi is certainly a watch that displays this philosophy to the watch community – we hope to see more of this accountability by the brands in the not-so-distant future.

Technical Specifications:

Case: Invisible fancy baguette diamond setting on 18k White Gold

Dimensions: Diameter of 35mm x 36mm

Crown: 18K white gold

Crystal: Domed and beveled sapphire with multiple anti-reflective coatings

Case Back: Sapphire crystal with multiple anti-reflective coatings, printed with „With our love, we could save the world.“

Dial: Vertically brushed with nano-rainbow printing with applied Arabic numerals

Hands: White gold diamond inlay hour and minute hands 

Bracelet/Strap: Interchangeable eel bangle or leather strap with buckle

Movement: K1 automatic, 3.5 Hz / 25,200 VPH, silicon escapement, 65-hour power reserve, 22 Jewels, chronometer accuracy (-4/+6 seconds per day) 

Rotor: Gold rotor finished with a laser design of a diamond‘s molecular structure, oceans and the earth

Water resistance: 3ATM (30 meters)

As you know, Horage is one of the very few brands that actually engineers and produces the movements that they make, which is surprising considering that they are a small company that produces only about 1,000 watches a year. Despite this however, they have released two in-house movements, the highly modular K1 calibre, the K-Tou with tourbillon, with one more, the micro-rotor equipped K2 on the way, with the spectacular Supersede. 

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Horage is a brand that you should pay attention to right now. Afterall, most watch brands are, to put it bluntly, merely “watch assemblers” instead of “watchmakers”. If everyone were more accurate in the use of the word “watchmaker”, then Horage would stand out as one of the few that actually deserves that label. 

But enough of the fluff, let’s take a look at my photographic tour of Horage, located in Biel/ Bienne in Switzerland, and see through my camera what they do.

After a multi-hour flight and landing in Zurich, I make my way to the train station below the airport, and wait for the train traveling west towards Geneva. Horage is located in the town of Biel/ Bienne which is about halfway between Zurich and Geneva, making it an easy place to visit.

Biel/Bienne lies on the language boundary between the French-speaking and German-speaking parts of Switzerland, and is bilingual throughout. Biel is the German name for the town; Bienne its French counterpart. The town is often referred to in both languages simultaneously. Biel/Bienne is home to some famous watch brands, such as Rolex and Omega. Shown here is the Omega Museum that you can also visit if you happen to be in town picking up your Horage watch .

It is also possible to visit Lake Biel, one of the three large lakes in the Jura region of Switzerland. Shown here with a prototype of the Horage Supersede that I was allowed to test during the duration of my visit – I asked nicely.

The Horage Manufacture is located on one of the floors of this building, located at the entrance to the Taubenloch, a beautiful gorge in Biel/Bienne that we will explore a little together later.

This is the main engineering and production area of Horage, with conference rooms on the side, and storage at the back. Although I am told that the space has been enlarged since my visit, with the company occupying almost the entire floor.

The main competence of Horage is as a movement maker, and the above pictures illustrate this point. All these components are part of the balance wheel made by suppliers, but assembled and engineered by Horage. The ongoing goal of the brand is to have as much of the watch made in-house as possible, while respecting the limits of their abilities in relation to the abilities of outside suppliers who specialise in particular components. This commitment is exemplified by the CNC machines that they own that are used to make gears, movement plates, and movement bridges that while located at a suppliers’ facility, are entirely managed by Horage technicians.

Silvan D, Industrial Engineer, is in charge of movement development and here he is optimising the number of separate parts that go into all Horage movements. In particular, he is looking to see if any of the parts in the existing K1 and K-Tou movements can be shared with the upcoming K2 movement. By increasing the number of shared components between movements, inventory management and the assembly process of the movements is made simpler.

Aside from engineering on the computer, all engineers must get hands on with the movements they develop since it is only through the assembly process that issues or areas of improvement are found. Silvan jumps from the drawing board and final series production on a daily basis, and it is this hands on approach that has enabled Horage to quickly optimise and scale incredibly quickly.

This is the Horage K2 calibre, a brand new movement that will debut in the upcoming Supersede GMT. The most obvious feature of the movement is the micro-rotor, which allows the benefit of automatic winding to the watch, as well as allowing owners a few of the finishing of the movement.

Parts that come from suppliers to Horage have to pass Silvan’s inspection before making their way down the assembly process. Here he is shown, visually inspecting ratchet wheels for quality. Given that he is the one who designs and engineers the components on the computer before they are made, he probably knows what to look for.

This is a part of watchmaking that plenty of other brands without their own in-house movements do not need to do, and that is classifying the balance wheels and balance springs. Lenny, a watchmaker in charge of regulation and building, is shown here classifying the balance wheels springs into different categories, with the purpose of matching each one to an appropriate balance wheel. I tried to get him to explain what he is looking for in each balance spring and how he matches it up to a balance wheel, but it was too complicated for me to understand. Let me know if you want more detail on this for a future article though and I’ll ask further. Long story short though – Horage and a handful of other movement makers do this step. Most watch brands don’t because they get it all done from an outside supplier. That is what makes the difference.

Based on Lenny’s classification, the balance wheels and balance springs are placed in these containers, ready for the next step in the assembly process.

Watchmaker Leon shows us the day to day reality of the watch production process which has multiple complex steps that can be done concurrently. Here he is multitasking, monitoring the regulation process of the assembled tourbillon movements, assembling a batch of tourbillon cages at the same time, while listening to music.

The first Horage Tourbillon 1 came with a COSC option which 50% of customers took up, which explains the regulation process in-house before being sent out to be officially certified.

Not all watch movements can be COSC certified – it depends on the quality of the design and the engineering. The fact that Horage was able to offer a COSC certified Tourbillon does speak to the brand’s engineering chops, which possibly explains why the new K2 equipped Supersede will be COSC certified as standard.

All of the watchmakers at Horage are very experienced, with many having previously worked in some of the bigger brands in the region. Laurent, the watchmaker shown here is one example, and he is the main guy who handles T2 watch assembly, which basically means that he cases up the assembled movement of the watch from a prepared parts kit as shown, adding the dial and hands and placing it in the case. Your Horage watch was most likely put together by him or any number of the engineers or watchmakers as everyone shares in the responsibility of final production.

If you had bought a Tourbillon 1 from Horage, you would have found a small Fuji Instax print of the watchmaker who assembled the watch inside. This step is done immediately with a red Leica Sofort camera after the watch is assembled.

One of the things that is most impressive about Horage is the way that the brand has built up their fan-base through regular communications through their website, social media, as well as live video presentations. I happened to catch one during my time there given by Andi Felsl, Founder of Horage and Landon Sirling, Marketing Director. 

Andi also introduced me to this “Wurst-Kasesalat” or “Sausage cheese salad” bought at Migros, that is made up of cheese, sausage, pickles and a vinegar based dressing. It will be part of my meals to come in Switzerland.

I mentioned the Taubenloch, a beautiful gorge in Biel/ Bienne that you have to visit if you’re there. It’s an easy 45 min hike in and out. Incidentally, this is the place that inspired that dial colours of the Autark T5 shown below.

Here are more pictures of the Taubenloch for you to enjoy.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this little tour to Biel/Bienne and to the Horage manufacture. Let the guys know if you’re in the area and you’ll probably be able to see some of the things I saw myself there.

Heave a look at the links below for other Horage articles that you can enjoy.

The Lensman 1 was brought to life by watch and photography enthusiasts, some of whom are in the Horage team itself. Combining these worlds resulted in a piece that honours the creator of the tourbillon, Abraham-Louis Breguet, and the creator of the 35mm camera, Oskar Barnack. The watch itself is a modern classic design at first glance, but handling it reveals details that keep you searching for more. The 41mm case is 100m water resistant, and is executed in Grade 5 titanium, a material that allows for better case finishing than is typically seen in watches that feature Grade 2 titanium. Properties of this grade of titanium can be seen in the finishing of the lugs – polished on the top surface, and brushed on the side. Aesthetics of the case were derived from a traditional manual camera lens, with the bezel incorporating a design similar to the focus ring of a lens used for focusing the lens, and the case band is engraved with the markings of an f/0.95 aperture ring – one of the rarest type of lenses available to professionals and enthusiasts.

In fact, if you’re somewhat familiar with photography and with cameras, you would know very well the exact lens that the case band engraving is inspired by. And if you’re still clueless, just google the words Leica Noctilux” and you will get all your answers.

The dial of the watch appears blacked out, inspired by the original Barnack camera that featured near-entirely black furniture and engravings. On the Lensman 1, the black dial contrasts with the grey titanium case, with markers in black SuperLuminova, and the Horage branding subtly greyed out. The diamond cut hour and minute hands do provide legibility for the dial, contrasting with the blacked out aesthetic. At 6 o’clock, the aperture for the flying tourbillon can be found, and it is here that another curious camera-related design element can be found.

The tourbillon cage is magnified by a cyclops lens, enabling a greater view into the fascinating regulator. To avoid reflections, the sapphire crystal has undergone an anti-reflective treatment, receiving five layers of coatings to enable supreme clarity at all angles – with an added benefit of helping the watch to be very photogenic. Echoing the dial, the crown has an onyx set into it, continuing the black theme of the camera inspiration. On the reverse side of the watch, a sapphire crystal caseback enables the rest of the K-TOU movement to be seen. The watch is delivered on a calf leather strap, with the buyer’s choice of black or red stitching. A convenient deployant buckle is also included in the package.

The K-TOU movement housed within the Lensman 1 is very similar to that seen in the earlier Tourbillon 1 watch. The escapement components – the escape wheel and the pallet fork are crafted from silicon, as is the balance spring. This enables longer service intervals, and considerable protection from magnetic fields – this also represents an upgrade from the original movement, which utilised a conventional hairspring.

Curiously, the tourbillon cage is crafted from titanium, which is not usually seen in tourbillon watches from smaller brands and independents. The movement also delivers a 120 hour power reserve via single barrel, and is accurate to chronometer standards (-4/+6 seconds per day). Impressive value for a tourbillon watch.

With all of this considered, we would expect a Swiss made tourbillon watch to be almost unobtanium – the combination of labour and manufacturing being prohibitively expensive for the average watch collector. However, Horage has always had the customer in mind, and has designed this for pre-order at a price of CHF 8,390. Prior Horage customers that have spent more than CHF 1,000 with the brand can lock in a preferential rate of CHF 7,990 – a way to say thank you to its loyal fans. After the initial pre-order round ends, the Lensman 1 is available for order until February 28th 2023 at CHF 8,890. There is a cap of 500 pieces for this watch, and the first watches will be delivered in April 2023. Pre-orders will also receive a photography book that is individually numbered, limited and signed, and two straps – a black stitch and red stitched calf skin strap. 

Once again, Horage paves the way in affordability for watches that are produced in-house, and offers incredible value that is unmatched by even the largest watchmaking houses. Bringing the tourbillon to more people is an amazing feat of design, engineering and manufacturing, and at the very least, Horage should be on the radars of all watch collectors for its sheer value proposition.

Technical Specifications

Dimensions:

41mm diameter, 10.3mm thin, 49mm lug-to-lug, 22mm lug width.

Movement:

K-TOU hand-wound flying tourbillon, titanium cage at 0.29 grams and 3.4mm thin, anti-magnetic silicon escapement inclusive of anchor, escape wheel and hairspring, chronometer accuracy at -4/+6 seconds per day, 19 jewels, 3.5 Hz (25,200vph), 120+ hour power re- serve (5 days), blacked out aesthetic on movement main plate. Blued seconds indicator screw on tourbillon cage.

Case:

T5 titanium – hand polished and brushed, laser etched with camera lens aperture on side, fixed bezel inspired by camera lens focus ring.

Dial:

Black with black gold applied indices, black Super-Lumi- Nova® luminous inserts, flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock, 60 minute track.

Hands:

Diamond cut hour and minute hands with black Su- per-LumiNova® luminous inserts.

Crown:

Push/pull Grade 5 titanium with black onyx inset stone.

Dial Crystal:

Domed sapphire with multi-layer internal anti-reflective coatings, round cyclops magnifying lens over tourbillon aperture at 6 o’clock.

Case back:

Exhibition, double layer anti-reflective sapphire crystal, engraved with paraphrased quote by French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson.

Straps:

Black or red stitched hand/Swiss Made calf leather with camera body-inspired texture and Horage‘s proprietary deployant buckle.

Water resistance:

100 meters.

The criteria included: 

– 10mm or less in overall thickness

– Water resistance of 100-200m

– Movement with 70+ hours of power reserve and a micro-rotor

– Silicon movement components

With their latest update, Horage appear to have achieved this and more with the design of the watch, creating something compelling that offers exceptional value and functionality.

Firstly, with ongoing development comes refinement of the original exterior design. The original renderings had an orange-tipped seconds hand with luminescent material that gave all hands visibility in the dark. Horage have conceded that the seconds hand is too narrow for effective application of luminescent material, however, to fulfill pre-orders that are close to the original renderings, they have come up with a solution as follows:

– Horage will produce a run 250 pieces with a red tipped seconds hand, however this will not be luminescent. The hand in the Day/Night Indicator will match the seconds hand (red)

– Another run of 250 pieces will a seconds hand tipped with what Horage have termed as “Magic Orange” – a material which they hope will replicate the appearance of the original renderings, with a luminescent orange paint. The hand in the Day/Night Indicator will match the seconds hand (orange)

– If this does not work for the orange seconds hand, then three options will be presented to the community – a non luminescent orange seconds hand, a non luminescent red seconds hand and an all-orange seconds hand with a “lollipop” design and a luminescent fill for the “lollipop”

Horage will do its utmost for those who fell in love with the original design, however, even with this small setback, Horage involves the watch community in its decision making – a watch designed by those who will wear it.

On to the next point – water resistance. Horage is proud to confirm that the Supersede will have a 200m water resistance rating. At the time of announcement in September 2021, the 904L steel watch case was slated to have a minimum of 100m water resistance, and would try for 200m if possible. This new higher rating provides greater confidence to the wearer of its all-terrain nature, adding to its rugged charm. 

Further adding to this is the inclusion of a rubber strap with any full pre-order payment, as well as the choice between polished or brushed links for the bracelet. The bracelet comes with their specially designed clasp with 10 ratcheting points of 1mm each, and a profile of 5.6mm – a height that is only 1.25mm thicker than either side of the bracelet, giving optimum comfort. In the design process, the buckle was stress-tested with 5000 actuations, passing this test with flying colours and reinforcing its rough and tumble nature.

The K2 movement housed inside the Supersede remains virtually unchanged from the time of its announcement, although this does not make it any less impressive. A minimum power reserve of 72 hours, true GMT functionality, micro-rotor design and silicon components in the escapement and the balance spring would make this watch a real value proposition in comparison to those around it. 

The micro-rotor itself is a gold-plated tungsten weight – a material that has significant density to wind the watch despite its small size. Horage have decided to give the movement a luxurious touch with the option of a platinum micro-rotor at a significantly reduced cost when pre-ordered. Given the difficulty of working with Platinum, and its raw material cost, this upgrade will normally cost CHF 1200 on top of the retail price, however for the August 2022 pre-order, Horage have decided to offer it for CHF 390. Definitely something to consider when pre-ordering your Supersede, and something that will set your watch apart from the rest.

Pre-orders for the next run end on the 19th of August at 14:00 CET (Central European Time), so get in quick if you want to secure your Supersede for less than retail.

Parting Thoughts

Overall, we at ISOCHRONO think the watch is incredibly compelling in what it offers – 200m water resistance, true GMT functionality, a slim case profile for comfort, and an in-house micro-rotor movement. In terms of technical specifications, you will be hard pressed to find another watch with a similar set of features, and possibly sits at the top of Adi’s candidates as a one-watch collection. A watch like this requires research and knowledge of the industry at large to purchase, and it has most certainly had its engineering challenges, but also an amazing back story and an authentic mission to create a rugged dependable watch. The only thing it lacks is brand recognition – if you are the type to like people fawning over your watch, this one might not be for you. However, we are certain that with the work that Horage has done with this watch, its reputation is rapidly gaining traction amongst the community – we certainly can’t wait for this and other releases to come from the brand.

When I look at new watches as they are released, I consider them through the prism of their suitability for everyday use. Almost every brand has some version of a watch following this idea, where the specifications invariably include having an easy to wear case size, a date complication and perhaps good water resistance in case things get rough. 

The vast majority of watches that meet this criteria that you see available, even many of the entry level offerings from big brands however, have an Achilles heel, and that is an off-the-shelf movement usually made by ETA or Selitta if Swiss, or Miyota and Seiko if Japanese. Now, I’m not knocking the watches that run these movements, I have a few myself. However, respect for a watch company must be given when they take on the difficult task of making an in-house movement, because that really is what “watchmaking” is. 

Well, how about an everyday watch with a Swiss made in-house movement that showcases a unique aspect of its abilities through design? 

Enter the Array.  

One of the more uncommon features that isn’t really really talked about is the double digit big date complication seen on the Horage in-house K1 movement that the Array has. 

That is, in my opinion, a pity since it isn’t immediately obvious when looking at a Horage watch that the date complication is actually pretty unique. Whereas most watches with date complications have all their date numerals arranged in a ring from 1 to 31, the Array, courtesy of the K1 movement, makes up the current date with two wheels. A small one at the 3 o’clock position for 10’s digits (0,1 and 2 and 3) and another larger one for the 1’s (0 to 9), reproduced three times consecutively in a circle. It is because of this arrangement that the date as it appears can be bigger and easier to read than the more common way, which necessarily has to make the all the numerals smaller in order to fit into the circle of the case.

Think of the Outsized date in a Lange 1 for example, which uses a similar principle with their big date. That uses a 1’s wheel that is reproduced once only, which means the Big Date can be bigger than the one on the Array.  

This comparison of course does not diminish the Array in any way, since its arrangement is also very rare itself, and the best thing about this particular watch in the Horage collection is how it uses design to showcase it. The Array shows off this aspect of the K1 movement then by not having a dial at all to showcase the date works in all its glory.  

The result is a watch that has a playful feel with all the numerals of the date complication visible, giving it a quasi instrument look that seems exaggerated in some way by outsized elements such as the square lume plots that mark the hours in the chapter ring. It’s also a nice nod to the Horage logo as well, since the square is an element in its composition.

How do you know what date it is then? Well you look at the little rectangular box drawn under the sapphire crystal which is the point where the two wheels connect at the 3 o’clock position. Nice. 

It’s here that you get to see something interesting that happens at midnight, and that is the date wheels jumping instantaneously – all the better to make accurate determinations of what you will be doing in the morning more convenient.  (See video below)

The Array comes in a range of monochromatic colour options – black, grey and white themed with each having a bold contrasting seconds hand – (correspondingly) red, yellow and blue, and different strap types to choose from. The case size is an agreeable 39mm with a svelte 10.5mm thickness, which makes the Array the kind of watch that you can slip on and forget until you need the time, which is probably the best kind of everyday watch. 

Add to the fact that it is priced at an unexpectedly reasonable 2,300 CHF (shipping and duties included) and you’d be forgiven for not wondering how any of this could be real, especially when it has an in-house movement, with an interesting date complication to boot as well.

 I haven’t even got to the other, almost hidden complication on the dial – a power reserve indicator at 6 o’clock that uses a drawn circle on the underside of the sapphire crystal to denote its area of influence. You forget that it’s there most of the time since it blends into the movement behind it, but when you need it you know where to look for it. 

So really, it bears repeating since it will take some time for most people to get it – Horage is one of the few brands in the vast sea of brands of the watch industry that can proudly claim to have produced, to date, three in-house movements. Not many people know that and my intention for this article is to highlight this important fact for my fellow watch enthusiasts. More than that though, I also want you, the reader, to realise that Horage is a brand that makes in-house movements yes, but with a touch more intelligence and depth than you might initially expect. There is no better evidence of this than the Array, or the many other watches in the Horage portfolio.

So. Aren’t you sick and tired of your ETA and Sellita based powered watches already? Don’t you already have too many of them? Time to give the Array (Link Here), and perhaps the other watches in the Horage collection a try, you owe it to yourself to check them out.  

Technical Specifications:

Case: 316L Stainless Steel
Dimensions: Case 39mm, Lug to lug 46.1mm, Lug width 20mm
Functions: Centre three hands, big date, 65 hour power reserve indicator
Dial: Semi-Skeletonized Grey, Applied indexes, Swiss Super LumiNova®
Hands: Diamond Cut and filled with Swiss Super LumiNova®
Crystal: Sapphire with 5 layer anti-reflection
Case Back: Sapphire crystal
Crown: Stainless steel
Water resistance: 100m
Movement: K1 automatic,  65h power reserve, silicon escapement
Rotor: Matterhorn laser etched on tungsten
Strap: Grey calf leather and Yellow/black NATO strap
Buckle: Single fold , Stainless steel deployant buckle

The Solar Wind is to me, one of the most interesting watches from Horage. Its main feature is its meteorite dial, and we all love a good one. Aside from the Widmanstätten patterns that ensure that every dial is unique, the fact that meteorite is older than the earth we’re standing on, makes for a good reason to consider the philosophical ramifications of time with this watch worn on our wrist. All the more apt when one considers that it is installed in an item that is a keeper of time for our daily lives.   

Though, I have to say, after having spent some time with the Solar Wind, I have come to the conclusion that the meteorite dial is surprisingly, probably the least interesting aspect of this watch. 

Now, the Solar Wind is a watch that I’ve been curious about but had not got round to looking at closely since I’ve been largely enamoured and preoccupied by the other members of the Horage collection. However I’ve always been drawn to it because it does, in its materiality and presentation, vibrate with a special kind of energy. 

The Solar Wind is certainly unique in the aesthetics department with plenty of interesting details. It has a 42mm wide round case held to the strap by articulated lugs that are very much like an IWC Da Vinci in function, but beefier and more technical than baroque in appearance. These lugs span 52mm from lug to lug, but are a more manageable 47.1mm lug to lug when they are angled down on the wrist.  

The case itself has a rounded, almost pebble-like appearance in look and texture, which somehow feels organic and technical at the same time. 

Where the dial meets the stainless-steel case, we find deep notches and sidewalls that slope into the meteorite, reminding me, when the watch is set laid flat on the table, of the Coliseum when seen from above. 

These notches in the sidewalls are, according to Horage, meant to resemble the marks of a meteor’s impact crater.  The deeper ones are the 5 minute markers and their appearance is regular and complete (with all twelve) on the dial. The shallower ones between these however represent the minutes but their number and order seems random. 

Then we flip the watch over and find the sapphire caseback with a view of the brand’s in-house K1 movement, which has engraved around it, a quote from Christopher Columbus – “Following the light of the sun, we left the Old World”.

All in all, it’s a watch that has a space-y, technical feel about it. No question. But why was I feeling that something was off. The design was coherent but somehow it was trying to tell me something more.

Holding it in my hands – while trying to look deeper into the details to figure it out, I suddenly saw it – there it was – the smoking gun – those black shiny dots arranged in a semi spiral, and varying in size, that make up the power reserve indicator. 

Now bear with me folks, for I’m going to put on my tinfoil hat and regale you with a strange conspiracy that may be true or just something out of my demented imagination. 

Doesn’t that look like this? 

That my friends is a picture of the black goo from “Prometheus” – the fifth out of the “Alien” franchise, and the very same black goo that was the catalyst for the evolution of the human race in the movie. 

Sometimes it’s a little detail that is the key to understanding a hidden message, and in this case, the power reserve indicator is the one that unlocks the whole puzzle and begins to make every other part of the watch make sense. 

Now look at this watch again, and tell me that it wouldn’t look out of place on the wrist of one of the Alien “Engineers” from the movie. It definitely matches the interior of the Alien ship we see in “Prometheus”.

Am I crazy? Well consider the choice of meteorite for the dial, a material that has traveled through space to get to earth, then the polished crown with notches that look like some kind of engine turbine. Then we’ve got the smooth round case with lugs that angle down, sort of how a flying saucer might look like with its necessary landing gear when it touches down. 

What about the notches on the dial side walls? Could those be some kind of coded message given their random pattern?   

Then what about that quote by Christopher Columbus? Seen in the light of these realisations, the phrase “Following the light of the sun, we left the Old World”, could very well apply to a space faring explorer as well. 

Was this watch made by aliens? 

Here’s my theory – consider what you know of Horage as a brand. What is the most alien thing to do if you’ve come from a different planet and are making Earth your home? You want to integrate into the human race and start making things with your advanced technology as part of your cover. You decide to make watches, and because you are from an advanced civilisation, you make an in-house movement from scratch, but you decide to take 7 years because you don’t want to seem that advanced to the primitive humans around you. 

After all, what small brand would hazard to create an inhouse movement all by themselves? 

You make a bunch of other watches like the Autark and Tourbillon 1 that are more normal in appearance and function, so that you don’t raise suspicions when integrating into human society. But then, to honour your roots, you make one special watch – Solar Wind, and that, perhaps, for a special reason.

Now, I came to my conclusion after looking at the webpage describing this watch (Linked here – Horage Solar Wind). Look at it yourself, the information is sparse, and there is really nothing on it beyond the specifications and a vague semblance of a reason and rationale to produce it. Even my contact at Horage (who doesn’t know that he is working for advanced aliens) couldn’t tell me much more than what was on that webpage. 

Why? It’s obvious isn’t it – there isn’t much information about Solar Wind because the watch itself is the message!

I mean, if you want to communicate with other aliens from the same galaxy that you are on earth, you would use a sophisticated code embedded in a normal object, with symbols from the “Old World”, that only your fellow aliens would recognize. Think that those notches in the dial sidewalls are random? You just don’t know how to read the code 

What do you think? Am I right? Maybe the people from Horage are really aliens that have come to live among us. If that’s the case – Welcome – and please trickle out some of your technology to advance watchmaking in a more meaningful way for the human race. 

Two final things – One, the Solar Wind is available in two sizes, the 42mm shown here and a 33mm. From this we can surmise that the alien race might be composed of males and females.

Second, here’s a code I’ve made – H – Hydrogen + O – Oxygen + Ra – Radium + Ge – Germanium = Black Goo

Special thanks to Watch Wonderland (LINK), Horage Authorized Dealer in Singapore, who might be risking the anger of the aliens now that I’ve decoded the Solar Wind. 

Technical Specifications 

Functions: Centre Hour, Minute & Second Hands (power reserve indicator on 42mm case only)

Dial: Natural Meteorite

Hands: Diamond cut with hour, minute and seconds hand. Swiss Super LumiNova® luminous filled tips

Case & Crown: 316L stainless steel in satin or polished finish, screw down crown

Crystal: 5 layer anti-reflective sapphire crystal

Case Back: Exhibition sapphire crystal, engraved case back ring with “Following the light of the sun we left the old world”

Strap: Swiss handmade calf leather in brown on polished case and grey on satin case finish

Buckle: Horage stainless steel pin buckle

Dimensions 42mm: Diameter 42mm, thickness 12.3mm, lug width 20mm, lug to lug 47.1mm

Dimensions 33mm: Diameter 33mm, thickness 11mm, lug width 16mm, lug to lug 38.3mm

Water resistance: 50M, 5 ATM

Movement: K1 automatic, 3.5 Hz / 25,200 VPH, Silicon escapement, 65 hour power reserve, 22 Jewels, tungsten rotor laser etched with Horage logo

Others: Unknown – Possible alien origin

With this watch from Horage, the motivation of its creation is beyond sponsorship. At first blush, it might seem that Horage is using it to hijack the Olympic Games for commercial intent given the timing of the release, but if you look closer, it’s difficult to make the case for anything but the purest of intentions.

Horage has garnered a relationship to athletes and organization of US Biathlon over a multi-year timeline with the intention to support them on their way to World Cups in winter seasons. The main factor that stymies the hopes of most athletes, potential or otherwise, is money. And this factor especially applies to the vast number of athletes taking part in lesser known sports that are unable to get sponsorship deals.

This new limited edition watch then goes some way to help, with a portion of the proceeds of sale going to the team as a whole, or to each athlete individually of your choosing. It’s nice to see this money going directly to the athletes instead of being tied up in logo placements, publication and broadcasting rights.

The Horage X US Biathlon 2022 Winter Team is based on the Horage Multiply which carries the in-house K1 movement and is available in a few variations with different combinations of these features – central or small seconds, date and power reserve indicator.  

This particular limited edition comes with central seconds and a power reserve indicator at 6 o’clock, which has been designed to represent a rifle scope and the physical power necessary to be competitive in the race.

Why a rifle? I won’t need to tell you if you are familiar with the winter Biathlon. If you’re unfamiliar, it’ll probably sound weird. The Biathlon is an event that combines cross country skiing with shooting. What does this mean? Well, the athletes ski a standard cross country distance, but have to stop at various intervals to shoot at targets with an eight-pound (3.6kg) rifle they have been carrying on their back throughout.

It’s necessarily a demanding sport, but one wonders how the idea of it came about? Maybe it was part of the history of Alpine sniper training? 

Topping off the limited edition part of the watch is the US Biathlon team logo as well as a unique linear effect representative of a freshly groomed racecourse on the bottom half of the white dial. The interesting part of the watch however comes in the form of the sapphire case-back, and in true Horage style, you can choose which one you want, and by extension, who you choose to give your money to. 

You can either support the whole team, and get the sapphire caseback with the team logo, or any of the six individual athletes in the team, in which case, your watch will feature the specific athlete’s signature (see below). The proceeds from the watches are then split evenly in the first situation, or specifically to the athlete of your choosing, in the second.   

The watch, in a 41mm stainless steel case, comes fitted with a special two-link steel bracelet with deployant clasp. In addition, each watch will ship with two complimentary NATO straps.  

Now the Multiply model is what I would consider the bread and butter model of the Horage lineup and is an excellent value for money option given the in-house movement, and the range of complications you can get for it. While this limited edition model comes in at 2500 CHF, the top end model in the Multiply range, with all the possible complications – (big date, power reserve indicator and small seconds) comes in at a reasonable 3300 CHF. 

It’s nice to see watchmaking used in this manner for fundraising and I like the way that Horage has gone about creating it. It was a bit out of the blue to see the press release of this watch land in my inbox when it did, but I do know on good authority that Horage’s communications director, Landon Stirling, having been a diving instructor, sports photographer and mountaineer has ties with the world of extreme sports and Horage founder Andi Felsl competed on the World Cup circuit as a professional snowboarder so that’s probably how it came about.

Well, go ahead to this website (LINK)  to pre-order your watch if you want to buy one and do note that you have up till the 22nd of February 2022 to do so. After that, you’ll have to wait up to 5 months for the custom engraving to be done, and you should receive your watch shortly after that. 

Technical Specifications

Dial: Biathlon loupe inspired white with US Biathlon logo at 12 o’clock and HORAGE at 3 o’clock, applied indices with Super-LumiNova®, special groomed course pattern on bottom half of dial.

Case Back: Exhibition sapphire crystal engraved with athlete autograph and 2022 Winter Olympian or US Biathlon logo and 2022 Winter Team engraving. Athletes autographs to choose from are Clare Egan, Susan Dunklee, Sean Doherty, Jake Brown, Paul Schommer & Leif Nordgen.

Functions: Power Reserve Indicator – Centre Hour, Minute & Seconds Hand, Power Reserve Indicator at 6 o’clock

Case & Crown: 316L stainless steel, push pull crown

Dimensions: Diameter 41mm, thickness 11.1mm, lug width 21mm, lug to lug 45.1mm

Hands: Diamond cut with hour, minute and seconds hand. Luminous filled with Swiss Super LumiNova®

Crystal: 5 layer anti-reflective coated sapphire crystal

Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel bracelet with two NATO straps

Buckle: Horage single fold deployant buckle, bracelet with 3-point size adjustment

Water resistance: 100M / 10 ATM

Movement:  K1 automatic, 3.5 Hz / 25,200 VPH, Silicon escapement, 65 hour power reserve, 22 Jewels, tungsten rotor laser etched with Horage logo

Buckle: Stainless, applied logo with shadow gap

This new bracelet features a micro-adjustment system – seemingly over-engineered in its execution, yet achieving maximum comfort for the wearer. A ratcheting clasp seemed to be the most obvious choice for its ease of use, however, Horage wanted to avoid the issues that other brands have encountered – some ratcheting clasps actually extend past the clasp, making it uncomfortable for smaller wrists. Markus Lindstedt at Horage worked on designing a ratcheting clasp that is ultra low profile, and one that would not extend too far past the bracelet itself. The result is a clasp that is 5.6mm in height, and extends only 1.25mm past each side of the bracelet, whilst incorporating the ratcheting mechanism within its 40mm body length. 

To operate the bracelet ratcheting mechanism, one only needs to open up the bracelet, and press on the ridged area in the centre of the bracelet. From there, part of the clasp is depressed, allowing the finger (or thumb) to slide up or down to extend or contract the bracelet.

As mentioned before, the ratcheting mechanism does not travel past the clasp, leading to greater comfort – it also allows for the watch to be put on slightly larger, and for the bracelet to be simply pushed in to adjust the size, all while the watch is secured on the wrist. The clasp is secured via a double push-button system, with dual pins that prevent accidental opening when the clasp is bumped. 

The Supersede is shaping up to be one interesting watch indeed, with its movement, fan-based design and now its bracelet that encourages comfort and ease of wear. At the time of writing, the Supersede is currently in the “Early Bird” pre-order stage, ending in March 2022 with a price of CHF 4900 and delivery expected in December 2022. Another two rounds of pre-orders will be offered throughout 2022 for those still considering the Supersede – in any case, the watch represents exceedingly great value for a Swiss Made watch carrying its credentials. To read more about the Horage Supersede, click here for more.

Horage has informed us that a prototype of the bracelet will be ready sometime in the early part of 2022. Hopefully there will be a sample for us to take a look at. With the specification as described, it should add another interesting dimension to an intriguing watch that will certainly find broad appeal when it is released.

Horage has already shown us its watchmaking chops by making their own movements. Now, they have decided to dedicate their effort into developing a useable, comfortable, and technically advanced bracelet, a course of action that really differentiates them from many other brands that produce lacklustre bracelets that are deficient in quality and function.

Let’s see how this goes.

The K2 Movement

2008 marked the beginning of the Horage journey, with the K1 movement – its design being completely an in-house, full-rotor automatic capable of housing multiple functions such as a power reserve indicator, large date and central seconds, as well being Chronometer-capable. 

After 12 years of research and development by the company based in Biel/Bienne, this has resulted in the K2 – a modular micro-rotor movement that is capable of providing additional functionality without significantly changing the dimensions of the watch case. Micro-rotor movements have always been a source of fascination for watch enthusiasts –  primarily for their intriguing architecture that gives slimness combined with automatic winding, and a better view of the bridges and plates of the movement. The K2 builds on this by being one of the first truly new micro-rotor movements to make its debut for a number of years – creating 3 versions of a base movement that enable functions to be subtracted as needed, with slimmer variations available as less complications are needed (the most basic of which is 2.9mm thick, going to 3.3 and 3.6mm for the more complicated versions). This enables the K2 to have up to four complications (central seconds or small seconds, calendar, power reserve indicator and independently set GMT), for a total of 38 different combinations possible with the K2 movement.

For the K2, Horage has paid a great deal of attention to the usability of the movement, in particular, the automatic rewinding system. As Horage states “instead of emphasis on power storage, the focus has been on efficient power output through advanced rotor rewinding”.

A single barrel gives a 72 hour power reserve – this is achieved through optimising the weight of the rotor, as well as the utilisation of silicon escapement components (escape wheel and anchor – silicon balance springs are a real possibility, with the patents due to expire in November 2022). Capable of Chronometer performance, this is a testament to the engineers of the movement, as making something this thin introduces challenges in tolerances between components. 

This new movement, as impressive as it is, needs a test platform that can expose it to the elements through adventurous use – the first watch to house the new K2 movement is certainly one to raise the eyebrows of certain enthusiasts, but is wholly appropriate, given the capabilities of the new movement. Ambitious by name, the upcoming Horage Supersede watch is one that challenges what a rugged, everyday watch should be.

Horage Supersede

The Horage Supersede is a watch meant to challenge the notion of a thin, all-terrain GMT timepiece. As such, the team set out to make a watch to fulfil the following criteria:

• 10mm or less in thickness
• 100 – 200m in water resistance
• 12/24 hour true GMT with day/night indicator
• 70+ hours of power reserve
• Micro-rotor
• Silicon escapement

The prevailing thought was that the watch should be comfortable, functional and made from the best possible materials, and so they set forth to create a watch that met their requirements. 

The Supersede watch is set to have a case and bracelet crafted from 904L steel, a material that is a durable form of stainless steel that resists corrosion, as well as giving great lustre once polished. Measuring at 39.5mm in case diameter, the watch will be well sized with a thickness of 9.85mm, fulfilling the requirement of something that is imminently wearable and comfortable, and will have a minimum of 100m water resistance as well as a unidirectional rotating bezel.

The dial features the date at 3 o’clock, day/night indicator for home time at 9 o’clock, and an embossed power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock. Applied hour markers will be filled with SuperLuminova for low-light visibility, and the hands are diamond cut, polished by hand and also filled with SuperLuminova (with exception of the home-time hand, which remains skeletonised). In particular, the seconds hand and the 24 hour hand will be luminescent, unusual for components of small dimensions.  

Horage have set the basics for this watch, including its functionality, and overall dimensions, however, they have enabled a number of things to be voted on by the watch community. 6 colours will be decided upon by enthusiasts: 12:00 (White), 24:00 (Black), Jet Stream (Grey), Boreal (Green), Atoll (Light Blue) and Transatlantic (Dark Blue), and the top three colours voted by fans will be the colours put into production. Strap options will also be decided upon by the community of enthusiasts – whether a rubber strap will be included in the package, or available as an option will be up to fans, as well as whether the bracelet will feature brushed or polished centre links. From a movement perspective, the fans can decide whether Chronometer certification is important to them or not, as well as whether a solid 22K gold rotor or a gold-plated tungsten rotor will be the way to go. 

From a movement perspective, the K2 will feature the date, GMT functionality, and date in a very slim 3.6mm movement. As mentioned earlier, automatic winding has been optimised for efficiency, and 1 hour on the wrist will equal 10 hours of power reserve generated. In addition, the GMT function is independently adjustable, with the local hours hand being adjusted in 1 hour increments, and the home time visible in 12 hour format, and used in conjunction with the 24 hour day/night indicator at 9 o’clock. The watch will also have a 2 x 2 year warranty – 2 years initial warranty, and extended by 2 years at the time of servicing.

A fair price for the Supersede was also a goal for the team at Horage – bearing in mind that this is a micro-rotor movement with power reserve, true GMT, and date, the pre-order price will be CHF4500, that will stand for 72 hours once pre-orders are announced in November 2021. Regular pricing will be at CHF6500, which still makes it the most affordable Swiss micro-rotor GMT watch. 

With the K2 movement, and the Supersede watch, Horage are setting out to be one of the most ambitious, young independent brands in Switzerland today. Boasting an incredible amount of movement engineering in a rugged package, the Supersede containing the new K2 movement will also be one of the very few watches where enthusiasts will play a direct role in deciding the future of the watch. Undoubtedly a great effort for community engagement in an industry that can be translucent at best, Horage continue to surprise and delight their followers, as well as fans of Swiss watches – providing a refreshing take on a well-established tool watch category.

The Lange 1 was just such a watch, as well as the Maurice Lacroix Gravity, both of which had the effect of haunting my dreams to the point where only their acquisition could make the voices stop. 

I did acquire them in the end – the Lange 1 – after some measure of financial sacrifice on my part, and the Gravity, after three voluntary encounters following the first unexpected one. 

Well it seems that I have added yet another one to this list, and it comes from a brand that I scarcely would expect to have the same effect. Now, even though I have gotten to understand the unique watchmaking philosophy of Horage, and even gotten to know the people behind the brand very well, all this does not really matter when deciding if one can feel something for a watch. A well crafted brand story, and cool people are all well and good, but when it comes down to it, it’s all about the watch. 

Well, behold the glory of the Autark 10 Years from Horage, my latest acquisition and one that had not been chosen by my conscious self.  

The Autark 10 Years was a watch that was one of quite a few that Horage had brought along to Singapore, when they visited for the first time in 2019. I happened to hear about their arrival in town, and proceeded to meet up with them to have a look at the Tourbillon 1 that they were launching. (Read about that watch via this link.)

Out of all the watches that were on the table, the one that I continually gravitated towards was the Autark 10 Years on bracelet that you see in these pictures. How do I know that I liked the watch? Well, it must have been on my wrist throughout most of my time with them, save for those moments when I was trying out some of their other watches as well.  

People like me who have an above average affection for watches are somewhat strange, because we take quite a bit of time to consider our specific requirements for a watch that we might want to buy. To this, we probably create essays worth of reasons in our minds of what we need before we pull the trigger, and once purchased, we do the same thing to justify our purchase. It’s a sickness and an affliction that happens outside our control, 

I have to say, in the category of everyday watch that you can wear for most situations, the Autark ticks the right boxes from an aesthetic, functional, technical and emotional point of view. How does it manage to do this? 

Let’s get the highlights out of the way. On the inside, the Autark 10 Years runs the brand’s in-house K1 movement. On the outside, the 39mm case is composed of titanium that is hardened to a rating of 800Hv, with this also applying to the very well designed integrated bracelet. Complication wise, the watch gives the time, and a big date, and lastly a power reserve indicator that lasts to 65 hours. 

Now the story of the K1 movement is a whole saga unto itself and it’s going to be a bit difficult for me to summarize everything here, but the short version is that this is a movement that took the brand 7 long years to develop. Why did they decide to do that when it’s much easier to just buy one off the shelf? Well, it’s because the people of Horage want to do things properly, and if the difficult path is the proper one, so be it. 

Considering that they went on to develop an in-house tourbillon movement as well after the K1, it seems that doing the difficult thing might be a good way to do more difficult things later on. 

Suffice to say, an in-house movement gets my approval for the amount of cachet it holds, since it has always represented to me a serious approach to watchmaking, instead of just watch designing and assembling alone. 

As an everyday watch, the Autark 10 Year fits the bill with the basics of time and date covered for practicality. Little things however show how Horage goes that little further- how about the double digit date discs, that makes the big date and so gives a dial a unique look, as well as being more practical for visibility? 

In size, it is in between a typical date display and something like the outsized one on Lange 1. Then there is the power reserve indicator that although is not strictly necessary on an automatic watch is fun, since you get to see how active you are through the day, as it starts moving upward when being worn, and is also a good prompt to wind it up when you’re setting out and if the power reserve is low. 

A standout feature of the watch however, has to be the hardened titanium that the case is made from. It’s lightweight and scratch resistant, and is a relatively uncommon offering in the watch industry. I can think of only Sinn being a brand that offers watches in hardened titanium. The advantage of the material is obvious – it is lightweight, and as scratch resistant as can be, which will help to lessen the heartaches since the watch will probably keep its pristine looks for a long time. 

This tough material makes the inclusion of a screw-down crown and the accompanying water resistance to 100 metres, suggestive of possible use in more sporty situations. Horage tells me that the K1 movement is more than up for the fast. 

Aesthetically,  because this 39mm watch has no bezel, there is  more dial real estate than say a typical sports Rolex, so you get immense readability in a form factor that doesn’t become ungainly. Aesthetically the watch also impresses with its vertically brushed dial decorated with applied Arabic numerals, that further accentuates its industrial feel, and accented with a splash of colour from the power reserve indicator. Lastly, the thin profile of the case makes it an ergonomic delight. In sum, the design is unique enough to stand apart.

The watch will also tug at your emotional heartstrings, since it bears a mantra around the caseback, with powerful words that not only summarize the philosophy of Horage, but could possibly be a powerful reminder of one’s inner strength when times get tough. 

The words are “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

This in conjunction with the name – “Autark” meaning “self-sufficient” in German, suggests that this watch, in its materiality and essence, could be the ideal talisman that accompanies you through the rigours of your life. 

Now the Autark 10 Years was created to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the brand and only 100 pieces were made. I understand that that are only 10 left now, so if the watch has sold out by the time you are reading this, then perhaps you can look at the Generation 2 version of the Autark that was launched in 2021.

Now, with all the positive words I have laid out about this watch,  I do have one misgiving. As it stands, the lume, while usable, could be much better since only the tips of the hour and minute hands are lumed. Maybe I can get my hands swapped out? I don’t know. 

Now the package as you will receive it is very nicely appointed, since the watches comes in a well sized travel case, that contains pockets for various items like extra straps, including a tool with various bits to do all the bracelet adjustment and strap swapping that you will need to to do.

Best of all, there is also a COSC certificate in the box, as in, a real one from COSC and not the brand itself. I haven’t seen one of those in a long time. Rolex and Breitling for example, two of the biggest watch brands that COSC certify many of their watches include their own certificate in the box and not one from COSC themselves. 

In sum, the Autark 10 Years represents the best of Horage, and is a fitting point in the brand’s history after having overcome so much. Horage is a brand that has risen and will continue to rise further, because they are engaged in the activity of watchmaking at its most elemental, meaning that they make, instead of assemble movements.

If you want one, best to contact me or Horage directly to ask if there are any more pieces left.