Steadily growing in fame and watchmaking prowess, Norqain has been touting its solidly built watches for the last few years. With the brand seemingly materialising out of thin air, the brand has gone from strength to strength, partnering with noted movement manufacturer Kenissi (makers of Tudor and Chanel movements), and having support from Jean-Claude Biver as an advisor to the board. As an extension of their sports watch lineup, the brand presents fun colours of their Wild ONE watch combined with a skilfully skeletonised movement that is able to stand up to the rigours of sporty usage.
The new Wild ONE Skeleton comes in two colours, “Fresh Turquoise” and a limited edition in “Sunset Burgundy”. Both watches measure in at a very sporty 42mm, in Norqain’s proprietary material, NORTEQ, a lightweight carbon fibre composite material that is 3.5 times lighter than titanium, with the ability to be fully coloured, as seen in the limited edition Sunset Burgundy model.
NORTEQ also includes bio-sourced material within the polymer matrix, 60% of which is derived from castor oil. The case itself comprises 25 parts that are specifically geared towards shock protection, capable of withstanding up to 5000G. Working from the inside to the outside, the movement is nestled within a titanium inner case, which is then surrounded by a large rubber shock absorber, enabling its high durability and resistance to impact. Finally, this is surrounded by a NORTEQ cage holding it all together. Furthermore, the watch case is water-resistant to 200m, which guarantees its durability during sporting activities.
On the dial-side, both watches feature a distinctively technical look with the skeletonised movement front and centre. The hours and minutes are denoted by markers – silver coloured for the turquoise model, and gold coloured for the burgundy model. The colour of the watches is contrasted by the accents provided by the shock absorber – especially on the turquoise model where the brightly coloured shock absorber really pops against the black NORTEQ case.
Both watches are delivered on a cruelty-free rubber strap that colour match with the shock absorber in the case. In particular, the burgundy model is limited to 300 pieces worldwide.
Housed within the NORTEQ and titanium case is the Norqain NN08S, which is transparently communicated as an SW200-1Sc by Sellita, with 41 hours of power reserve.
This transparency is also highlighted in the way that Norqain talk about the suppliers to this watch revealing a number of suppliers like Monotremo for the openworked dial, BIWI for the case material and design, and MRP who supply the titanium container and case assembly. This is particularly refreshing to see, with enthusiasts eagerly wanting to know how their watch came to be.
The Norqain Wild ONE Skeleton watches are incredibly fun, whilst not taking themselves too seriously. What is serious, however, is their commitment to pushing the boundaries of watchmaking, and not just in the sense of the movement but in the way they have combined materials to give functionality as well as great aesthetics. Material combinations are really what make this watch so visually attractive, and the team at Norqain have creatively used their connections to suppliers to create a set of watches that are incredibly compelling, and may even pull someone away from the big-boy brands.
Technical Specifications
Movement
Norqain Calibre NN08S (SW200-1Sc)
Mechanical automatic skeleton movement
Chronometer certified (COSC)
26 rubies
Personalised Norqain oscillating weight
41 hours power reserve
Balance frequency – 4Hz
Dial & Hands
Openworked dial
Diamond-cut skeleton indices, hands and second hand with X1 Superluminova filled areas
Case
Norteq cage, rubber shock absorber, sandblasted titanium container and case back
Diameter: 42mm
Thickness: 12.30mm
Width between lugs: 22mm
Lug to lug: 49.90mm
Water resistance: 200m
Screw down crown
NORTEQ Norqain plate on left side of case
Glass & Case Back
Double anti-reflective, scratch-proof flat sapphire glass on top
Open case back with scratch-proof flat sapphire glass
Warranty
Warranty can be extended to three (2+1) years by joining the NORQAINER community
Limited Edition
Burgundy model limited to 300 pieces worldwide