If you were asked to count the number of English watchmakers that use unique calibres, you wouldn’t need many fingers at all. While the new watches from Hotblack London (the sister brand of Hoptroff) will not be to everyone’s tastes, there is certainly merit in their movements. The timekeeping element of Hotblack watches is a traditionally cut quart crystal, but the versatility and potential interactivity of the movement in which it sits is unlike any other quartz-driven mechanism.

Due to début at Salon QP 2015, the Hoptroff Hotblack Calibre Edition range is an upgrade on the previous Hotblack models. These watches now feature the same technology, and thus accuracy, of their Hoptroff counterparts and claim to be the most accurate, non-atomic watches in the world. Accurate to one second per year, every timepiece in the Hoptroff Hotblack Calibre Edition collection is subjected to an 8-hour temperature cycling ordeal, while its timekeeping performance is tracked against an atomic placebo. Hotblack London also utilise Hoptroff’s patented recalibration system, which intends to eliminate fluctuations in the quartz crystal’s frequency over time.

Despite the absence of the Hoptroff name on the dial of the Hotblack watches, these two brands are linked by more than ownership. They share the same unique DNA. And regardless of their aesthetic disparity, the goal of each brand is the same: to produce the world’s most accurate watches to compliment the atomic creations of Hoptroff, creations that are accurate to 1 second every millennium.

So the premise is that these Hoptroff Hotblack Calibre Edition models are the most reliable of all non-atomic timekeepers. To set them apart from the standard Hotblack London range, Hoptroff has fitted them with a silvered glass on the case back. This may seem like a weird little feature to those of of you unfamiliar with the brands, but these opaque glass backs exist for a reason beyond style. Because the Hotblack and Hoptroff watches can be controlled by Bluetooth signals sent from your mobile device, a solid metal case back would hinder transmission. In addition to that, the movement, however technologically interesting, is not attractive enough to be displayed. So instead of a plain black back, you now get a handy mirror (which is actually what I thought it was the first time I saw it, and I’m embarrassed to admit that I’m vain enough to have thought it was a good idea).

Since their launch, the Hotblack London watches have received a few stylistic tweaks, which do a great deal to enliven what would otherwise be an incredibly dull palette. The flashes of red, yellow, and green give the dials an industrial feel that I think beats the old bi-chromatic display hands down. The hands and dial are picked-out with applied Super-Luminova ensuring the watches can be read in all light conditions. The stainless steel case is finished with a vertical brushed pattern and coated in black PVD, as is the link bracelet. The watches are water resistant to 50 meters, and guarantee a battery life of five years.

One of the best features of these watches, which is typical of all Hotblack London and Hoptroff models, is the perpetual calendar, which automatically adjusts for the short months, daylight saving, leap years, and leap seconds. The leap seconds adjustment is something of which the brand is understandably proud. The creators state that their watches are the only ones that perform this function because they are the only watches accurate enough to make it a viable installation. For a watch that is fundamentally quartz at its core, the pricing is of paramount importance. In a competitive price bracket, the Hoptroff Hotblack Calibre Edition collection watches are priced between £749-£949 each, which would be a lot were it not for the added functionality that opens up the possibility of a more intimate connection between watch and wearer. Styling aside, these watches do provide something different. Each model in the range features a novel function, such as Islamic prayer time alerts, the ability to track the performance of a particular stock throughout the day, and an anniversary countdown – they do not lack personality. This might appeal to fans of niche technology, but might leave aficionados of traditional horology a bit cold. The watches are built to order and available in left- and right-handed versions to ensure a personal experience right out of the box. hoptroff.com