Well, it’s Christmas today, and if you are like most watch lovers any timepiece gifts you got this holiday season were probably purchased by you alone. Buying a watch as a gift for a watch lover is a pretty dangerous undertaking if they haven’t given you specific instructions. Am I right? Go ahead and comment below if you are eager to brag about (or lament) your new holiday acquisitions.
The last thing you need right now are more holiday greetings. In my opinion, these are particularly insincere when coming from people you don’t personally know. The majority I got were from corporate mailing lists. Though, a few thoughtful CEOs did send me hand-written notes. That was pretty nice of them. You should certainly go out and buy their watches. I am not going to wish you a happy holiday season because that should be a given. It would be really strange if I harbored ill-will for our readers right? My hope is that over the last year you’ve learned something, gained something, and were entertained a little bit. Perhaps enough to make your time away from aBlogtoWatch just that much better. If that is the case, then I (and I am sure the rest of the aBlogtoWatch team) would be happy to know it.
So what watch to discuss on Christmas, a holiday that many, but certainly not all of our readers celebrate? I think a winter watch is ideal. This season is all about snow and ice, and staying warm together. Which is ironic for me to say, since I just returned from a little break south of the equator where it is quite warmly summer. Though it is winter here in LA – for all that is worth, to the entirety of you actually experiencing snow where you reside. So, let’s look at the aptly named “Winter” watch, part of the highly limited Nordic Seasons collection of watches from Gustafsson & Sjogren.
Winter is the last of the Nordic Seasons collection of watches to be released. I think Gustafsson & Sjogren (GoS) took about a year to release the entire set. Each of the Nordic Seasons watches clearly tries to emulate a season. The Winter is among the most beautiful with its complex blue dial done in homebrewed Damascus steel components. The light and blue folded metals mixed with organic lines reveal a perfect wintry personality to go with ice and crisp air. The unique flavor of the watch is authentically low-production, and notably masculine in its stance.
The case of each Nordic Seasons watch is 44mm wide in mostly Damascus steel. This includes the middle barrel, bezel, and crown. The dial is also obviously in Damascus steel. Oddly, the picture GoS gave me of the movement reveals a stock Swiss ETA UNITAS 6498 without the special Damascus steel bridges that GoS produces. The tech specs indicate that the Winter watches do in fact come with the the GoS bridges over the 6498 manually wound movement that was tweaked by Soprod for accuracy and quality. A picture from the caseback of the Nordic Seasons Autumn is below for reference on what the movement should look like. Wait, now that I look closely I think that the UNITAS 6498 with the Damascus steel bridges is an option. Odd to have options on a piece that is so limited as is. Oh, and look for an upcoming totally in-house made GoS movement with lots of Damascus goodness.
The “heavy metal inspired” (as I call it) dial is fitted with an 18k white gold hour marker ring and hands for the hours, minutes, and subsidiary seconds. It is a fantastic watch for those who appreciate metal work, all things Nordic, and medieval fantasy realms. Seriously, is there a better watch collection/brand that looks as though it would fit into the Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones world better?
In all its hand-crafted glory, the Winter is a perfect reason why unique watches from brands like Gustafsson and Sjogren create a love of quality mechanical watches long after the practicality of these machines has ended. Never be ashamed that you are wearing functional art on your wrist, and never forget what good art is. Limited to just five pieces in total, the limited edition GoS Winter watch is priced starting at $19,000.
So, happy holidays watch enthusiasts. Happy New Year as well. It has been a pretty good year, and I am excited to see what 2013 brings. Stay warm and on time.
Watch series – Nordic Seasons
● Case: Stainless steel and stainless damascus steel 44/45mmx10mm (10ATM)
● Lug width: 22mm
● Glass: Flat sapphire glass with AR coating
● Movement: Swiss manual ETA 6498
● Movement refinement: Refinished and improved to chronometre grade by the swiss company Soprod.
● Dial: Handforged damascus steel
● Index ring/rehaut: Solid gold, shaped and polished by hand
● Hands: Solid gold, shaped and polished by hand
● Crown: 9mm in finegrained stainless damascus stainless steel, double gasket crown inset
● Case finishing: Stainless damascus steel, highgloss polished with GoS logo engraved on case side.
● Strap: Handcrafted strap in soft nubuck leather fitted with GoS stainless steel buckle
Damascus steel movement
● Movement: Swiss manual ETA 6498 : yellow
● Movement refinement: Improved to chronometre grade by the swiss company Soprod.
● Movement modification: 3/4 bridge made in solid handforged damascus steel.
● Limitation: 4pcs, available as an option to the Nordic Season series.
Watch Model – Nordic Seasons Winter
● Dial: Handforged explosion damascus steel, tempered to receive an ice blue color.
● Hands: Solid 18K white gold
● Index ring: Solid 18K white gold
● Limitation: 5pcs
Presentation Box
● Individually crafted box in svepask technique of birch wood
● Colored with natural pigments mixed in linseed oil
● Covered with high grade natural wax and polished to a deep finish
● Protection box of black&grey hard paper
● Guarantee certificate, two years guarantee