2020 was always going to be the breakout year for NORQAIN, a Swiss watchmaking business founded in 2018, and the company has still managed to maintain early momentum despite the covid quarter and its long shadow.
The company is run by CEO Ben Küffer, whose father and chairman of the business, Marc Küffer, brings over 45 years experience heading Swiss luxury watchmaking ventures.
Bringing additional financial muscle, watchmaking expertise and enviable contact books to the management team and board are Ted Schneider, a member of the family that owned Breitling for nearly 40 years, and Mark Streit, the Swiss ice hockey legend and Stanley Cup winner.
That pedigree had already attracted retail partners including Westime, Tourneau and Govberg in the United States before Covid hit. NORQAIN also works with the likes of Bucherer in Switzerland, Wempe in Germany, Seddiqi in the UAE and 30 partners in Japan.
Mark Streit’s contact book appears to have come in handy because NORQAIN has announced today that it has signed a strategic partnership with the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA).
To mark the start of the alliance, NORQAIN has launched a limited edition Adventure Sport Chrono that incorporates details linking the timepiece to the sport.
The 41mm steel NORQAIN Adventure Sport Chrono NHLPA Limited Edition has a white NHLPA logo in a sub dial at 6 o’clock and a running seconds sub dial at 9 o’clock takes its design inspiration from the face-off area on the ice.
They sit within a white dial that is made to look like the scratched surface of an ice rink.
Inside, NORQAIN is using its calibre NN18, based on the ETA 7753 chronograph movement.
It goes on sale today for $3,290.
