Nordgreen is currently running their campaign for their Pioneer and Native Remodeled watch models, having raised $260,822 at time of writing. We hear the refrain of the ‘minimalist’ frequently, but there are some things about Pioneer which interest me.
The Nordgreen Pioneer is a two register chronograph with the sub dials placed horizontally in line with the crown. The sundials are dished deep down, and the date window at 6 is recessed even deeper. The hands ride around, surrounded by a dished chapter ring. The profile of the side of the case is gently rounded.
There are no numbers here. None on the chronograph registers, none on the outer chapter ring. As a chronograph, it would be incredibly inefficient to try and time anything with precision. In this case, I don’t care. It’s beautiful. I imagine there was very little refinement between the original artist rendering and the final product. It is what it was intended to be, nothing more or less.
The Pioneer is powered by one of my favorite quartz chronograph movements, the Miyota 6S21. There’s a certain unpretentiousness in this watch. It just is what it is. It doesn’t aspire to be more, and it doesn’t disappoint by being less than what it should be.
There’s a colorway for just about everyone: silver with white dial, black dial, blue dial, or rose gold, or gunmetal gray, with the same dial color combinations. The hands are red tipped in most models. The Pioneer case is 42mm, while the 3 hand watch, Native, is available in 32, 36 and 40mm sizes.
Strap options are Italian leather, vegan leather, mesh, nylon, or rubber, and in a variety of colors. Vegan leather should come as no surprise, because as a part of the crowdfunding campaign, you can choose a cause to fund – 1 month’s education of a child in India, preservation of 200 square feet of rainforest in Latin America, or sponsoring 2 months of clean water for a person in Africa. The goal of Nordgreen is not just to make watches with a Danish design philosophy, but to do so sustainably.
The Nordgreen Pioneer is available in 42mm, in a number of colorways, starting at $160 USD, from kickstarter.com.
