Operating under the slogan “Art on the Wrist” and headquartered in the German town of Alzenau, Alexander Shorokhoff is the eponymous brand of the Russian-born watchmaker by the same name, and the company specializes in creating unique timepieces that emphasize visual creativity and artisanal craftsmanship. Many Alexander Shorokhoff watches showcase premium details such as enamel dials and intricate hand engravings, although the German brand also frequently embraces colorful and unconventional designs, and its timepieces offer a refreshing reprieve from horology’s familiar aesthetics while simultaneously celebrating the core values of traditional watchmaking.
Described by the brand as “a watch against boredom on the wrist,” the Alexander Shorokhoff Kandy Avantgarde 2 (ref. AS.KD-AVG02) is the follow-up model to the original Kandy Avantgarde watch from 2018 that quickly sold out upon its launch and won a German Design Award the following year. Although the overall appearance of the Kandy Avantgarde 2 is definitively lighthearted with its lurid dial that showcases a cornucopia of vibrant colors and patterns, the dial is actually made from enamel, and the watch also features a number of other premium artistic details, such as a hand-engraved rotor and a case adorned with solid 18k gold wire. Additionally, rather than producing its watches in an assembly line, Alexander Shorokhoff has each of its watchmakers take responsibility for the complete production of a timepiece from start to finish to ensure the highest possible attention to detail.
Crafted from stainless steel with a black PVD coating, the case of the Alexander Shorokhoff Kandy Avantgarde 2 appears in a rounded square-shaped profile that measures 41mm in diameter by 9mm thick, with lugs that are set a standard 22mm apart and extend to create an overall lug-to-lug profile of 50.5mm. Even when measured from the apex of its domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal, the total height of the Kandy Avantgarde 2 still only comes in at approximately 10.5mm, and the reverse side of the watch offers an entirely flat profile to help the case keep a low profile against the wrist. A fluted winding crown signed with Alexander Shorokhoff’s logo sits at the traditional 3 o’clock location, and adorning the sides of the Kandy Avantgarde 2’s black PVD-coated case are three parallel lines that are constructed from solid 18k yellow gold wire.
Just like the original Kandy Avantgarde model, water resistance for the Alexander Shorokhoff Kandy Avantgarde 2 comes in at 30 meters to protect against daily contact, and the reverse side of the watch receives a screw-on caseback that features four circular display windows. The smaller two windows are bright orange and yellow, although the larger two windows both appear in a pale blue color, which casts a subtle tint on the rhodium-finished components of the movement, while still letting the rose gold hue of its hand-engraved rotor shine through to offer additional color and contrast. Additionally, like the first Kandy Avantgarde model from 2018, the Alexander Shorokhoff Kandy Avantgarde 2 will be produced as a limited edition of 100 pieces, and each watch will have its individual number engraved upon the metal framework of its black PVD-coated caseback.
It goes without saying that the true standout feature of the Alexander Shorokhoff Kandy Avantgarde 2 is its vibrant enamel dial, and while the dial offers a similar overall design to what can be found on the brand’s original Kandy Avantgarde model, its colors have been updated to better correspond with the black PVD finish on its case. Set inside a black-and-white striped outer framework is a circular middle section that features a whimsical assortment of bright colors and patterns. A round date window appears within the center of a spiral at 6 o’clock, while small golden hour markers are positioned asymmetrically at the 1 o’clock and 7 o’clock locations, and occupying the upper portion of the dial is a checkerboard-style section made from mother-of-pearl that features a large golden “60” marker applied to its surface.
Despite having an objectively busy and art-focused aesthetic, the crisp white finish on the Alexander Shorokhoff Kandy Avantgard 2’s funky poire-style handset offers a surprising amount of contrast against the colorful enamel surface of its dial, and while this watch’s primary purpose is to provide a striking visual appearance, its dial has been carefully designed to help promote legibility. The multicolored central section is divided in such a manner that the lines separating its colors are positioned where the hour markers would normally be located, and since the two sections on the upper and lower sides flow into the adjacent areas that would normally be filled with contrasting colors, the small applied markers at 1 o’clock and 7 o’clock instead serve as the reference points for these indexes.
Inside the black PVD-finished case of the Alexander Shorokhoff Kandy Avantgard 2 resides the reliable Swiss ETA Caliber 2892 automatic movement, which features 25 bearing jewels and runs at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 42 hours. The venerable ETA 2892 offers a proven architecture that is trusted by numerous different prestigious brands throughout the luxury watch industry, although Alexander Shorokhoff decorates its movements beyond the base finishing of this highly popular self-winding caliber, and the ETA 2892 fitted to the Kandy Avantgarde 2 features perlage on its plates and bridges, blued screws, and a rose gold-plated oscillating weight that is hand-engraved by the brand’s artisans in Alzenau, Germany.
Completing the Alexander Shorokhoff Kandy Avantgard 2 is a two-piece strap that is hand-made in Germany and crafted from extra-soft calfskin. The two sides of the strap taper from 22mm at the lugs down to 18mm where they connect to a stainless steel pin buckle that has been given a black PVD finish and engraved with the Avantgard collection’s logo. The premium materials and construction of the strap are truly befitting of a luxury timepiece, although just like the watch itself, the Kandy Avantgard 2’s strap embraces a playful and unconventional aesthetic. While the lower side of the strap is black with tan contrast stitching running down its edges, the opposite side of the strap is a pale shade of yellow to complement the yellow-colored segments on the dial and the 18k yellow gold wires adorning the sides of the case.
The Alexander Shorokhoff Kandy Avantgarde 2 is a proper luxury watch that offers traditional artistic craftsmanship techniques like enamel work and engravings; however, it also doesn’t take itself too seriously, and it fully embodies the brand’s slogan of “Art on the Wrist.” Additionally, while many timepieces that boast similar premium details are often accompanied by astronomic prices, Alexander Shorokhoff strives to provide its buyers with strong value for their investment, and the Alexander Shorokhoff Kandy Avantgarde 2 (ref. AS.KD-AVG02) has an official retail price of $4,000 USD. Due to the popularity of the Kandy Avantgarde series, many of the 100 examples of the Kandy Avantgarde 2 have already been claimed, and while you can no longer purchase this colorful model directly from the brand’s website, you can still find it at select Alexander Shorokhoff’s authorized retail partners, such as Grenon’s of Newport. For more information on the Alexander Shorokhoff watches, please visit the brand’s website.
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