It was just over a month ago that I wrote about the Axiom Watches kickstarter (you can see that here). Apparently I was not the only one who liked what they saw in the watches, as the project was successful and hit it’s funding goals. In fact, it was so successful, Axiom has come back with another iteration of what was my favorite watch style from the initial project – the Axiom Watches 26 Bleu Horizon.
If you recall from the original writeup (again, that’s right here, and over here), I really liked the model that they called the LemonBurst. While it broke with the purer vintage styles they offered, the pure boldness of the dial really got my attention. Well, with the Axiom Watches 26 Bleu Horizon, the boldness is still there, just in a cooler temperature. I actually like this one a bit better – then again, blue is my favorite color.
Everything we saw from the earlier watches (42mm rounded case, 200m WR, Miyota 8218 movement) is still in place. The biggest change here, on the Axiom Watches 26 Bleu Horizon, is of course that color scheme. If you check out the Kickstarter page, they do get into the reasoning behind this color choice. While it may be true, it’s just background. With the blue dial, you get a more subdued look than the LemonBurst gave, although you still have those large numerals and handset spinning around.
They’ve also changed the lume on the Axiom Watches 26 Bleu Horizon, going with – what else – blue luminous paint. While perhaps not as unique as the lume colors on the LemonBurst, it’s thematically cohesive, and blue lume beats green any day of the week in my book. Flip the watch over, and you’ll see the last major difference. The caseback on the Axiom Watches 26 Bleu Horizon has changed, engraved now with the sights of an antique French rifle. Again, the Kickstarter project has the back story there as well.
I find the Axiom Watches 26 Bleu Horizon as welcome addition to the stable of watches Axiom is offering, and am pleasantly surprised the brand was able to pivot this quickly to a new model. This one seems to be resounding quite well with your fellow watch collectors, as the project is fully funded (actually sitting north of 450% funded as of this writing). The project closes out on September 15, with earlybird pricing starting at $376 (yes, slightly cheaper than the original project, but that may be a conversion rate thing). If and when we can get some hands-on time with one of these, we’ll be sure to give you those impressions as well. Kickstarter
Watch Overview
- Brand & Model: Axiom Watches 26 Bleu Horizon
- Price: Earlybird pricing starts at $376
- Who we think it might be for: You like your vintage style full of bold curves
- Would I buy one for myself based on what I’ve seen? Good question – ultimately, it’s probably a larger case than I’d prefer to wear regularly
- If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: Drop the date window – or get it in a cutout that mirrors all the other circles on the watch
- What spoke to me the most about this watch: I still like the case design, but here that blue dial (and lume) call to me
- DIAMETER: 42mm
- MATERIAL: 316L Stainless Steel
- FINISH: Non-reflective sandblasted finish
- CRYSTAL: Domed sapphire crystal
- WATER RESISTANCE: Water-resistant to 200 meters
- MOVEMENT: Miyota 8218, Automatic, 21,600 vph, 21 jewels
- FUNCTIONS: Hours and minutes in the center. Subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o’clock. Date at 3 o’clock
- POWER RESERVE: Circa 42 hours
- STRAP: Of two parts, of 26mm and 14mm
- STRAP MATERIAL: Selected brown calf leather, engraved on the back
- BUCKLE: Stainless steel pin buckle
- DIAL: Glossy blue dial
- HANDS: Luminous skeleton hands
- WARRANTY: 2 years
