It can be overwhelming to shop for a good watch in the saturated market of the present day. The average consumer can’t really distinguish a well-made watch from an inferior product, and falls to relying on name brand recognition, paying far more than they need to. But thankfully a new trend has emerged in recent years, one where passionate designers use the power of the Internet to bring quality watches straight to the people. Take for example Tusenö, a Swedish startup launching their first line of watches this September via a Kickstarter campaign. The First 42 collection has more care and attention to detail put into its creation than most of the designer watches on the market today, but because they are an unheard of brand they would find no audience in the conventional department store system. But through their Kickstarter, people from all over the world can witness firsthand what makes the watches so special, and pledge to help make them a reality. The design features an attempt to bridge the desired traits of the two main types of analog watches: mechanical and quartz movements. They achieve this with what is called a “Mecha-Quartz” movement, which pairs the reliability of a quartz and battery operated watch with the sweeping second hand and sounds of a mechanical machine. The 42 refers to the case size of 42mm, which allows easy legibility without feeling like your hand has a weight attached to it. The design is simple, with a classic appeal mixed finely with modern technology, and comes in four different styles with three different strap materials to choose from. This gives collectors a piece they’d be proud to own, but also allows a novice an opportunity to purchase their first “real watch.” I think what makes these seem so real is the authenticity of their design, as you can tell they are crafted by people with a passion for what they do and a commitment to quality. I only hope this trend continues into the foreseeable future.
