AnOrdain Visit
Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting the AnOrdain studio in Glasgow. I spent about an hour there in the company of Erlend & Keir who showed me round the building, explained to me in great detail their manufacturing processes & introduced me to their watchmakers, designers & enamellers.
After this I sat down to view their full range of watches, the model 1, 2 & 3 & also their Fabrik model 1. Safe to say that I'd struggle to be shown a better collection of beautiful watch dial anywhere other than at Grand Seiko. Every perfect dial they produce is truly exceptional in colour & clarity.
On the subject of "perfect", it really is an incredibly labour intensive & difficult process to produce that perfect dial. The enamelling process is painstaking & hugely repetitive (6 layers) & due to the materials, elements & heating involved, the number of dials that don't meet their "perfect" standard is huge. There are a couple of boxes on the floor full of imperfect dials. Looking at some of them individually it's really difficult to the untrained eye to see the impurities.
When the perfect dial is created from a visual perspective, it can then be rejected by the watchmaker. The dial's physical properties can change during heating & this can mean it no longer sits flush in the case. Back to the drawing board for the enameller!
Sitting with their full range of watches, it really is almost impossible to decide which watch you'd like. I went in with the expectation that I'd opt for the blue fume dial Model 1;
The other possibility being the white dial Model 2.
Both of these watches were stunning but my preference was leaning very heavily towards the simple purity of the brilliant white dial.
The Fabrik Model 1 wasn't even on my radar until I looked at this one;
followed by this;
Again, both watches are stunning in their simplicity & purity. Both watches really impressed me.
Finally, I had a look at the Model 3. Wow, I was truly blown away by just how gorgeous these dials are;
Both watches are exceptional. Had I been blindfolded prior to going into the building, I would have thought I'd entered Moser & Cie. Both dials really are the standout of their range. Yes, this is a watch with a Sellita movement, no date or any other complication but you aren't paying for that. You're paying for the many, many hours of labour it takes to produce something so beautiful in such a perfect state.
I haven't as yet worked out which watch I'm going to pick but I'm struggling to resist the Model 3, even at it's hefty price tag. AnOrdain are running quarterly build slots as they plough through thir 25,000+ waiting list. In this current quarter they revealed to me that there are only 3 people in my home town of Glasgow, myself included, that have the opportunity to get one of their watches. Only 73 people in the whole of Scotland on their waiting list!
Teddy Baldassarre's review of AnOrdain's Plum Fume dial Model 1 put them on the map globally, it appears that the US in particular are where the vast majority of their waiting list reside. Irrespective of where you are in the world, the chances of seeing someone wearing an AnOrdain is virtually negligible. If you ever have the chance to own one........take it 👍
I'm really a strap collector just looking for the right watch.
I am so glad I got mine before the Teddy effect! Thank you for sharing and there is no wrong answer for your Scottish pride.
Great write up, thanks. I enjoy vicariously visiting these independent manufacturers through other WC-ers.
I am so glad I got mine before the Teddy effect! Thank you for sharing and there is no wrong answer for your Scottish pride.
Well done, the power of Teddy has been incredibly transformational for AnOrdain. It literally has given them the certainty for the next 5 years to invest in & grow their business without fears.
Their workshop was akin to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. All manner of experimentational going on to try to perfect new techniques in creating new watch dials. Without the waiting list, I doubt they'd be able to innovate & experiment in the way they are.
Great write up, thanks. I enjoy vicariously visiting these independent manufacturers through other WC-ers.
Thank you. This was my first visit to a watch manufacturers of any kind. It was a really nice touch by them to invite me & I really enjoyed the experience. It also gave me a huge feeling of national pride, a small country like Scotland having people with a vision & determination to do something different in a hugely competitive industry.
I’m one of the 73 Scottish people on the list, I think my build a lot is 2 years away. Maybe when I have mine we can do a Glasgow meet up at Paesanos for pizza and watch chat
Thank you. This was my first visit to a watch manufacturers of any kind. It was a really nice touch by them to invite me & I really enjoyed the experience. It also gave me a huge feeling of national pride, a small country like Scotland having people with a vision & determination to do something different in a hugely competitive industry.
That’s true. It’s impressive that someone has had the vision to create not just a watch brand, but one with specialised and highly sought after dials, away from other major watch centres.
However not such a surprise that it might be in Glasgow, which has a long history in the creative arts. I remember touring the Glasgow school of art (before fire) and being very impressed with the collection at the Kelvingrove.
A real stunner! Love it.
I’m one of the 73 Scottish people on the list, I think my build a lot is 2 years away. Maybe when I have mine we can do a Glasgow meet up at Paesanos for pizza and watch chat
73 people out of a population of 5,400,000, quite incredible how small a percentage that is. It's rare circumstances like this that throw out newspaper headlines like, "They met up for pizza due to their love of watches, 10 years later he gave the other his kidney". 😀
Well done, the power of Teddy has been incredibly transformational for AnOrdain. It literally has given them the certainty for the next 5 years to invest in & grow their business without fears.
Their workshop was akin to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. All manner of experimentational going on to try to perfect new techniques in creating new watch dials. Without the waiting list, I doubt they'd be able to innovate & experiment in the way they are.
I am psyched to see any small brand with good people have that level of success. I have shared this with others, but believe it or not, there was a time when they sold the model one for about a grand and they had a partnership with MOMA. If one had a MOMA membership, they could get an additional 20% off. Guess where I bought mine? :-) same process, otherwise, worked directly with the team there to customize and make mine. Short of catastrophe, it is never leaving the collection.
I am psyched to see any small brand with good people have that level of success. I have shared this with others, but believe it or not, there was a time when they sold the model one for about a grand and they had a partnership with MOMA. If one had a MOMA membership, they could get an additional 20% off. Guess where I bought mine? :-) same process, otherwise, worked directly with the team there to customize and make mine. Short of catastrophe, it is never leaving the collection.
I recall when they were priced below £1,000 in the UK, it was back then that I added my name to the waitlist. I also said to my best mate to do so at the time but that was as an opportunity for him to make some money. He has no real love of watches.
Like you, whatever watch I do eventually decide on, it's going to stay with me for many years to come. It's not often you get the opportunity to get something so beautiful & unique before they become unaffordable. Eventually that's what will happen with their watches I'd imagine.
The Model 3 gives me shimmering water vibes. I like it.
Probably one of the most beautiful watch I ever see. This is an art piece, not a watch.
Thanks for sharing your experience! Hope to see a NWA post from you soon whenever you decide.
I still have another 4 years until my build slot... I really hope I will get to see some in person before I need to commit to a model.
73 people out of a population of 5,400,000, quite incredible how small a percentage that is. It's rare circumstances like this that throw out newspaper headlines like, "They met up for pizza due to their love of watches, 10 years later he gave the other his kidney". 😀
Haha exactly, it all starts from a look across a table and hey that’s a nice watch
Wow, that sounds like an amazing experience. As I'm flipping through my copy of "Letters from Assynt" that arrived in the mail last week, I have to admit that I'm feeling a touch of jealousy. I'd love to be faced with the very tough decision you're facing right now. Congratulations!
I still have another 4 years until my build slot... I really hope I will get to see some in person before I need to commit to a model.
You should come to Scotland in the summer, there will be at least 3 of us wearing one :)
Wow, that sounds like an amazing experience. As I'm flipping through my copy of "Letters from Assynt" that arrived in the mail last week, I have to admit that I'm feeling a touch of jealousy. I'd love to be faced with the very tough decision you're facing right now. Congratulations!
Thank you. The decision is the easier part, paying for it after the recent purchases I've already made means this is a stretch. The rest of the year I can write off as far as new purchases are concerned.
I am psyched to see any small brand with good people have that level of success. I have shared this with others, but believe it or not, there was a time when they sold the model one for about a grand and they had a partnership with MOMA. If one had a MOMA membership, they could get an additional 20% off. Guess where I bought mine? :-) same process, otherwise, worked directly with the team there to customize and make mine. Short of catastrophe, it is never leaving the collection.
Man, I had the chance of buying it at the MOMA, around that time, but the lady at the store also told me, thay if I ordered it online I woukd have the chance of engraving it, change the strap and etc etc, that was on a Sunday, on Monday, I went online selected the model and even engraved it the back of the case and everything, at the time of paying my transaction was declined because my bank assumed it was suspicious transaction, I wasted 3 days dealing with my bank to accept the transaction, Teddy Video came out that week, went back to complete the transaction and everything was sold out, went back on friday to the MOMA and everything was gone, lol , dissapointed went back online and signed in the waiting list (for free), but when the changed to paying the deposit didn't do it fast enough and now I'm happily waiting for due date of November 2025. 😂🤣
Chris, thanks for sharing that great experience, IMO their model 3 is awesome, last year I had the chance of handling them in NYC Windup Fair and their blue dial are both stunning, those waves are psychedelicals lol. Again, Thanks for sharing part of your trip, my advise for you is, to buy the one that first called your attention and made you follow this outstanding brand progress, we all know that the chosen one will have some blueish on it lol 😆 🙌
Man, I had the chance of buying it at the MOMA, around that time, but the lady at the store also told me, thay if I ordered it online I woukd have the chance of engraving it, change the strap and etc etc, that was on a Sunday, on Monday, I went online selected the model and even engraved it the back of the case and everything, at the time of paying my transaction was declined because my bank assumed it was suspicious transaction, I wasted 3 days dealing with my bank to accept the transaction, Teddy Video came out that week, went back to complete the transaction and everything was sold out, went back on friday to the MOMA and everything was gone, lol , dissapointed went back online and signed in the waiting list (for free), but when the changed to paying the deposit didn't do it fast enough and now I'm happily waiting for due date of November 2025. 😂🤣
Oh man that stinks! I heard similar issues with MoMA’s credit card processing back then.
Man, I had the chance of buying it at the MOMA, around that time, but the lady at the store also told me, thay if I ordered it online I woukd have the chance of engraving it, change the strap and etc etc, that was on a Sunday, on Monday, I went online selected the model and even engraved it the back of the case and everything, at the time of paying my transaction was declined because my bank assumed it was suspicious transaction, I wasted 3 days dealing with my bank to accept the transaction, Teddy Video came out that week, went back to complete the transaction and everything was sold out, went back on friday to the MOMA and everything was gone, lol , dissapointed went back online and signed in the waiting list (for free), but when the changed to paying the deposit didn't do it fast enough and now I'm happily waiting for due date of November 2025. 😂🤣
Wow, that was a sequence of unfortunate events that I can only put down to karma teaching you the value of patience 😜😉
It'll just make it all the sweeter when the time comes around 👍
Chris, thanks for sharing that great experience, IMO their model 3 is awesome, last year I had the chance of handling them in NYC Windup Fair and their blue dial are both stunning, those waves are psychedelicals lol. Again, Thanks for sharing part of your trip, my advise for you is, to buy the one that first called your attention and made you follow this outstanding brand progress, we all know that the chosen one will have some blueish on it lol 😆 🙌
Thanks tiffer that was a great write up my friend.
Thanks tiffer that was a great write up my friend.
Thanks Shane, much appreciated :)
Awesome write-up, tiffer! I just recently booked a build slot for 2029 which will give me and my wife plenty of time to plan our trip to Scotland so that I can pick up my watch in person (I'm one of the many in the States who want to add an AnOrdain piece to our collections). It's going to be exquisite torture having to wait that long, but I'm excited to see what they come up with between now and our trip.
Awesome write-up, tiffer! I just recently booked a build slot for 2029 which will give me and my wife plenty of time to plan our trip to Scotland so that I can pick up my watch in person (I'm one of the many in the States who want to add an AnOrdain piece to our collections). It's going to be exquisite torture having to wait that long, but I'm excited to see what they come up with between now and our trip.
I’m so tempted to book a build slot for 2029
Man, the Model 1 Fabrik in white looks awesome, as flesh the Blue Fume and the "Iron Cream"
In a perfect world I'd get all three as white enamel and white lacquer are very different.