Denmark’s Arcanaut is one of a small, close-knit band of independents aiming to put Scandinavian design and watch manufacturing on the map and to become virtually self-sufficient, using Swiss components only for certain parts of their movements.
Arcanaut’s contribution is in high concept design, using sculptural case shapes and unusual dial materials in combinations never seen before in the watch industry while never swerving too far from the benefits of traditional horology.
The mission is seen in Arcanaut’s latest Arc II watches, the Havender and Klint, which both use stainless steel milled near Copenhagen for their angular cases with bead-blasted finish.
Those cases integrate seamlessly into interchangeable straps in colours described as Axe Red, Void Blue, Fett Green, Rex Brown, Kakarot Orange, Bondi Blue, Replicant White, and Black.
They are powered by Soprod A10 Swiss mechanical movements.
Arcanaut Arc II Havender
The Havender has a dial made from a specific layer of Scandinavian mussel shells that have a thin inner layer ground into a fine power that is then constituted into a lilac-hued composite block before being milled into the circular slices with white luminescent accents.
The dial can be seen through bold sword-shaped hollow hands with white tips.
Creating the dials is such a time-consuming and skilled process that Arcanaut has only committed to making 33 of the Havender watches.
Arcanaut Arc II Klint
Arc II Klint is described as Arcanaut’s most serene model in the family.
Its dials are made from a crisp white titanium dioxide composite, paired with tone-on-tone white lume.
There will be 25 of the Klints produced per year.
Both are priced at £3,202. They go on sale on November 30th with deliveries expected to begin in the spring of 2024.