Horae Watches launched a Kickstarter for those who like vintage style, endless customization and watches under $300. Two, young entrepreneurs hope to bring options to the watch market with a campaign that — frankly — overwhelmed me with options. This isn’t a one-watch launch. They are launching four: a two-hander, a triple calendar, a chronograph and an automatic watch. Four watches personalized in multiple ways is no small effort.
“Supply chain was initially one of our major concerns,” said Shane Leong, one of its founders based in Singapore. “That is why we spent a long time looking for a quality partner who believes in our project and also confident to deliver.” The key standout elements on these watches include Plexiglas box crystals, applied indexes, sunburst dials and 38mm watch cases on all four models. In order to keep costs down, they will use quartz movements on the three hander, triple calendar and their chronograph. The fourth, or automatic, uses a mechanical Miyota movement.
Although the Kickstarter page gives you some idea of the options available, you should go to their website to see how it’ll work. Damn you watch customizer. How can I ever get anything done? The customization includes dial colors, indexes, case finishes and dozens of strap options.
The three-hander is a classic case, simple crown and comes in four different finishes: steel, rose gold, yellow gold and black PVD. The dial can be steel, black and blue with a sunburst PVD. There are four, color options using the baton indexes, fifteen hand-options and twelve strap options including perlon. This watch is powered by the Miyota GL20 quartz movement. The second watch is their complete calendar or triple calendar with: date, day of the week and the month as well as a moon-phase indicator. The case is a 38mm with brushed and polished finishes, applied indexes and a screw down case back. It is powered by the Miyota 6P80 quartz movement.
The chronograph (because everyone needs a chronograph except Patrick) is also battery powered Seiko Epson YM91 quartz movement with a sweeping chronograph-hand, calendar and small, second and minute registers. The 316L stainless steel case has a snap back case back on this model. The dial options also include a pulsometer or telemeter scales.
The watch they call their automatic is much like their other watches except it’s powered by a Miyota 9015 movement which is like the ETA 2824 mechanical mainstay. It features hand-winding and hacking capability. The main difference with this watch over the other three (besides its movement) is its sapphire crystal.
Here’s what you should expect after the campaign: the Kickstarter backers will be given a unique purchase code for the Horae website that corresponds to their pledges. Backers then customize the watch using their watch configurator that allows users to choose their case, dial, hands, indexes and strap. Lastly, you apply the purchase code and check out.
Custom watches aren’t new but these guys can send you down a rabbit hole playing with endless options with handsome features. The dial, indexes, hands and strap options are too numerous to describe and count. Be sure to go to their web site and see how it works or their Kickstarter campaign before March 7. As of this writing, they’re at about 25% funded. horae.co
Watch Overview
- Brand & Model: Horae Watches: three hander, triple calendar, chronograph and automatic
- Price: <$300
- Who we think it might be for: This is the watch for the vintage-lover who doesn’t appreciate the neediness of a vintage watch.
- Would I buy one for myself based on what I’ve seen? Heck, yeah.
- If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: Consider mechanical movements as a standard option.
- What spoke to me the most about this watch: I love the dial options.
