It is not that easy to faithfully port fan-favorite watch design elements into our daily lives beyond the very watches that carry them. Still, the aBlogtoWatch Store continues to do just that: take deservedly famous components of watchmaking history that we watch enthusiasts like and respect, and give them a larger-than-life format for greater and more involving appreciation. HandStand debuts as a series of watch stands, or watch holders, designed to mimic famous watch handset designs while offering an elegant, cool, unique, and safe way to store your timepiece day after day.
The HandStand Mercedes is a watch stand that takes what the community has lovingly dubbed the “Mercedes hand” as its inspiration. One of the more recognizable hour hands found on dive watches, this was created with the desire to visually distinguish it from the minutes hand — often a sword-style minutes hand is paired with the “Mercedes hand” — for error-proof legibility. We could also look at it as a modernized take on the antique cathedral-style hands that have found their way onto countless of the most popular dive watches of the last 70+ years, including the Rolex Submariner and just about every other “Professional” series collection from the brand, as well as the Omega Seamaster, Citizen Promaster, TAG Heuer Formula 1, Seiko 5, and many more These are only a few of the watch collections that have taken on this distinctive design that, for the record, has nothing to do with the carmaker Mercedes-Benz, other than a passing resemblance to its logo. For us, it is a tribute to Mercedes Gleitze.
For HandStand, the first challenge was getting the Mercedes-hand watch stand’s proportions exactly right while achieving convenient and safe watch storage. As it is, the stand is large enough to achieve a prominent presence in the office, living room, or wherever you place it, without being brash or flashy. It is distinctive and tasteful. With its solid base, weight distribution, and balance, it is also ideally suited to safely hold just about any watch.
The platform that holds your watch extends in a hand-sanded arc and ends in a genuine suede leather surface that is guaranteed not to scratch your caseback while offering adequate grip to keep your watch from sliding around. We designed the platform to be at a height where you can lay your watch on it with your clasp still open — unless your bracelet is really quite long — and it is wide and sturdy enough to easily fit watches that are 45mm wide.
As befits a proper Mercedes dive watch hand, we have added a touch of luminous paint to the lacquer that fills its characteristic crevices. Full disclosure: It takes a generous blast with a UV torch for the glowing effect to show, and it lasts a short while because we prioritized the clear-lacquer look for now. Adding more lume to the lacquer creates a creamy, opaque finish (as it does on any watch dial and hand if you look at it closely), and the current effect, as you can see in the picture above, is still heaps of fun. When you look at it in daylight and do so very carefully, you will discover a “tropical effect” where the lacquer shows a spider web-like pattern.
The second watch stand to debut will be a tribute to a chronograph seconds hand with an arrow tip. Another fan-favorite that is featured on watches such as the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch and the Swatch MoonSwatch, standing thin and tall like a skyscraper, it is a sleek companion to the wide and sturdy Mercedes hand, while being just as secure and convenient to store your watch on. It will also sport the genuine suede leather platform to protect your watch — this time in black instead of green. Likewise, it features a luminous lacquer fill in its spearhead-shaped crevice.
Every HandStand product is made in its entirety, including the stand and its packaging, in the European Union, specifically in Hungary. Every piece is cast to achieve a marble-like effect, without the excessive weight, fragility, porousness, and cost of solid stone. No two pieces are alike, but all show a marble-like finish. The Mercedes-style hand is in dark green, as a tribute to the brand that made this style of hand famous, while the Speedy watch stand is in grey and black for a monochromatic marble effect. The HandStand watch stands ship in a neat presentation box — making for the ideal gift — safely stored by a bespoke foam against knocks during shipping.
The Mercedes stand measures 28cm or 11 inches tall, with a base that is 10cm by 10 cm (4 inches by 4 inches wide) and weighs around 450 grams (16 ounces). The HandStand Mercedes watch stands are priced at $289 or €275 and, for the launch, we include free FedEx International Priority (1-3 business days) shipping to just about every corner of the world. HandStand makes the ideal holiday gift to yourself or a much-loved watch enthusiast, as it will surely impress with its quality, design, and ability to lighten up your home, office, or study. Get yours now at the aBlogtoWatch Store.
