Fernweh Watches: From Kickstarter to Our Wrists

Swiss movement, sapphire crystal, 100m water resistance, Italian leather strap… These are attributes that suit us just fine when it comes to watches.

On paper, the watches produced by the young brand Fernweh are appealing. Let’s see how they look on the wrist!

But first, a bit of history. Fernweh was launched by two young Frenchmen, long-time friends.

Arthur and Thomas set out to combine a passion for travel (Fernweh meaning “the urge to roam the world” in German) with the concept of the “slow movement,” expressed on the dial through the use of a single hand—all in a quality watch sold at an accessible price.

The project took shape with a launch on the Kickstarter platform, which gave them their start thanks to contributions totalling €20,000.

And here, then, is the Clipperton, the first collection from the Fernweh brand.

The dial is available in two versions. One is satin white with blued hands (my favourite) and the other is black.

As mentioned at the outset, don’t go looking for a minute hand: the time is read using just one hand, with the small hand at 6 o’clock reserved for the seconds.

The dial, its numerals and its lovely hands make for a clean, very pleasing ensemble—chic while remaining simple.

So the time is read like this:

The sapphire crystal is reassuring and much appreciated. The watch’s accessible price might have led you to imagine a mineral crystal, but the creators had the good sense not to compromise on this essential point. Well played.

The case is in 316L steel—a standard on watches at a certain price point—with a nicely brushed caseband. The inside of the lugs could, however, have benefited from a bit of polishing, as they’re a little too “sharp.”

The red Italian calf leather strap looks terrific. It’s easily replaceable thanks to its quick-release spring bars.

The caseback is engraved with the brand’s logo.

As for the mechanics, there’s no extravagance here, with a classic Swiss quartz movement, the Ronda 1069.

Water resistance is rated to 100 metres, but you’ll want to swap the strap for a NATO before going for a swim to avoid wrecking that lovely leather strap.

And the price in all this?

So… a Ronda quartz movement, a calf leather strap, sapphire crystal, 100m water resistance, a bit of elbow grease… that’ll be €239 (€219 for the NATO version). The price is pretty well positioned.

Tempted by this watch? Visit the website: www.fernweh-watches.com