How do you set yourself apart from the other watch brands on Kickstarter? There is only so low you can go on price, and the features you offer are all tied to a cost. So then you have design, but there are lots of designs already out there, especially with Bauhaus inspired minimalism. Astoncain decided to go nearly as clean as they could with the design, removing even the branding from the face of their watch, currently up on Kickstarter.
The watch is nicely done, with a clean white dial, black silk printed indexes, a black pencil handset and a red second hand, just for a splash of color. The 40 mm case comes in either stainless or gunmetal (PVD). Both watches come on 2mm thick leather straps and have a sapphire crystal. The caseback is secured with 6 screws for a respectable 50 meters of water resistance (it is a dress watch). Driving the watch is a Swiss Ronda 505 quartz movement.
What is missing from the three hander’s dial is any hint of branding. There is a date window, which I would have eliminated to go all in on the minimalist theme, but the only branding I see in the images are on the caseback. So the design looks really clean, but it also looks a little generic. Of course, when you go minimal, it is tough to create a brand identity. Overall, I do like the design, and at £75, or about $117, it is a reasonable price with the Swiss movement. The project is about 1/3 of the way to their £15,000 goal, so there is a decent chance that the project will get funded.
Watch Overview
- Brand & Model: Astoncain Minimalist Watch
- Price: ~$117 (£75)
- Who we think it might be for: If you don’t already have a Bauhaus inspired watch.
- Would I buy or recommend it just on the photos?: Sure, especially in the gunmetal.
- If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: Lose the date window.
- What spoke to me the most about this watch: I like the mimialist style.
