When it comes to brands that call the UK home, Hoptroff is the one pushing the boundaries of what can be done with timepieces. They just recently released their No. 16 Atomic Wristwatch (which you can read about here), and now have another new release that quite literally has its sights set on the stars – the Hoptroff Celestia (aka No. V).
Why the stars? Well, this watch has a rather unique set of complications to it. When you (and the watch) are confined to normal landlubber sorts of activities, the subdials read out (starting at 12 and going clockwise) date, day of week, and seconds. Should you find yourself headed spaceward, a secondary set of functions take over.
Again, starting at 12 o’clock, the date register reports G-force (up to a max of 3G); the day of week dial lets you know your altitude in thousands (!) of meters, and the seconds register lets you know your speed in hundreds of miles. All of this is courtesy of a movement (this much I know), but I’m not certain if Hoptroff themselves are building it, or reworking something from another maker.
Regardless the source, I would be mightily surprised if this was a mechanical movement. Given the nature of the changeover, and the scale of things being recorded, something a bit more digital-leaning seems to be in order. In my book, this would be a great application of non-mechanical movements, doing things that a pure mechanical could not really do.
If you find yourself booked on a trip to space (or perhaps just got back), then the Hoptroff Celestia is for you – and you only. You see, even with a relatively reasonable starting price (compared to the brand’s other offerings) of $2,645, you must have been in space (or have a ticket booked) in order to purchase one of these. We’ll call it double-exclusivity, as the pool of folks who have been in space is pretty small.
So, for you and me, this is a watch we will likely never have on our wrists. No matter. Hoptroff, for me, has once again pushed the boundaries and shown what sort of interesting things can be done in the form-factor of a wristwatch. They have packed some interesting gadgetry in, all the while keeping an Art Nouveau style. While the Hoptroff Celestia is a watch I won’t see in person (you can if you go to Salon QP this year), I, for one, am glad it exists. hoptroff.com
Watch Overview
- Brand & Model: Hoptroff Celestia (aka No. V)
- Price: $2,645 (1650 GBP)
- Who we think it might be for: Quite obviously, for those who have been to outer space. And aliens. Definitely aliens.
- Would I buy one for myself based on what I’ve seen?: Even if I could (and I can’t), I wouldn’t – I’m a fan of usable utility, and being stuck on the ground, half of the functionality would never be touched.
- If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: None
- What spoke to me the most about this watch: The ambitiousness of the watch functionality – and how it is in an unassuming package
