The Arken Instrumentum Review - Affordable Titanium

Anyone familiar with business won’t be surprised to learn that watch micro brands are at the forefront of design and innovation when it comes to case and dial design(movement innovations still seem to be coming from the high horology companies). After all they are effectively lean agile startups that exist to disrupt the marketplace. Where Rolex is comfortable and boring micro brands can rattle cages and be bold. Thanks to a global marketplace and increasing machining ability many are able to deliver unique products to the market - in fact the number of watch micro brands is really pretty startling, although I will say good luck if you’re looking for a micro brand targeting the female consumer. Men are the target demographic, it is still for many men the only acceptable piece of jewelry besides a wedding ring they will wear. 

In spite of this explosion of watch micro brands in recent years there is still a degree of sameness across the industry. Some brands focus on mimicking the big boys with homages, others try to approach more artistically. Dive watches are still by and large the dominant watch most men seem to want. They fit in with the bling culture but they also still speak to the adventurous nature most men have, even if that adventures is just swimming laps with their watch on. Thus dive watches as a sub division of tool watches remain on the march, but in amidst the classics and the 1970s retro inspired watches it is easy to get lost in a same same kind of view.

Not so with the Arken Instrumentum.

Titanium tapered with a very wearable 40mm dial this watch stands out. As many enthusiasts know one can spend hours and hours looking at watches. For me when I saw this one it immediately jumped out to me and I felt annoyed. After all I had just purchased a vintage Ulysee Nardin and certainly did not have plans for another purchase anytime soon, and yet I was instantly drawn to the watch. In spite of their popularity I don’t have a true dive watch. Now my daily driver is a Black Bay GMT but that bezel and complication are more about staying close to family abroad. Worn on a leather strap it feels more at home with my daily aesthetic. The other ‘dive’ watch in my collection is an absolute gem of a Doxa Alaska. This though is a two tone dive inspired dress watch. Gold and silver and a tasteful 36mm it is also certainly not water tight. Suited for a dressed up day at work but not in the workshop or on the trail.

Enter the Instrumentum. The titanium instantly gives it a different visual impact compared to steel sports watches. It is more muted in colour, more action and less flash. It is certainly lighter on the wrist, my collection of titanium camping cookware speaks to this functionality of the metal and it isn’t just the case that is titanium either, Arken have gone the whole way with a titanium 60 click divers bezel with clear black markings. The bezel is easily grippy, not sharp but just tactile enough to stand out and be easy to grip, the cut markings adding further visual language. Here I must give credit to the man behind Arken, the bezel is a bit different and there is a degree of what one might consider play, curious but by no means upset I thought to just send a quick note the evening it arrived. The next day Ken had sent me a detailed explanation around the design considerations - here it is for your reading pleasure:

That titanium is of course only part of the story, the other elements that make this watch really stand out are of course the dial design and the hands. It is all so harmonious and clear to read, the hour markers are also delightfully polished so that they catch the light in a beautiful way. So much of art and design are about light and shadow, here with light the hour markers are always just gently glinting, we also get extra visual clarity from the 12, 9 and 3 teardrop differentiation. The hands themselves are also wonderful, the spear of the minute hand delivering easy accuracy that sometimes feels lost with other hand styles. Completing the harmony is the lollipop second hand as it makes its eternal march around the dial. 

If I am being critical I think I would have preferred a no-date watch. An automatic date watch just adds that slight extra moment of set up if it has ended up off the wrist for a week, and they do always deliver a cleaner over all look. But that is perhaps a bit trifling, a 6 o’clock date here makes it less obtrusive to me anyway. I don’t have much to note about the movement, some reviewers I’ve seen find it a bit loud at times but to me that is part of the mechanical charm, my aforementioned vintage Doxa with an older ETA movement has noticeable sound at times, it’s just a reminder of the marvel of springs and tension in keeping time. We have to acknowledge these movements allow brands and designers like Ken to bring their vision to market in a simple affordable way, but with surprisingly good time keeping as well.

Micro brands seem to get good at thinking about the total component, sometimes more than large brands do. Grand Seiko is way behind in the bracelet game, yes their Zaratsu polishing and home harvested quartz are impressive but no half links or micro adjusts? Come on. Arken nail this, the micro adjust on this watch is great and easy to use, the tapered bracelet completes the look though I do think I will also end up purchasing the link adaptors for some Nato Strap options in the future. That being said I do think the integrated bracelet look here is perfect, a deliberate design choice.

Whilst a limited run I would recommend watch enthusiasts keep an eye on the brand for what they do next. This has been a strong showing from a new brand.