The story of Norqain so far reads as a true success story. When I first met Ben and his crew in 2018 the operation was small but the ambitions, enthusiasm and mindset were of a larger scale: Something was going to happen here. And it did.
With the Adventure and Freedom series the first foundation was made and Norqain quickly positioned itself as the independent, family-owned brand strongly tied to the Swiss Alps. The “Norqainer” was born: a young and dynamic clientele looking for something out of the ordinary, reflecting a “your life, your way” mindset and lifestyle.
Indicators of the ambition level of Norqain followed quickly: hardly a year in operation retailers like Wempe, Bucherer and Seddiqi showed their trust and opened their windows for the brand and in early 2020 the collaboration with Kenissi was announced, resulting in a Norqain manufacture movement and marking a next level for the brand. At the same time Jean-Claude Biver became involved and joined as an Advisor to the Board. He tapped into the strong community the brand already had established and drove the innovation further, resulting in the spectacular Wild One which was launched last year.
Just a few milestones in the life of a (still) young brand, but indicative for the path Ben and his team are taking: to become one of the strongest independent watch brands in the industry.
Let’s go back to the celebrations: Norqain has chosen their spiritual hometown of Zermatt (where the first brand boutique is located) to launch 5 new watches. At the Norqain Fair, where the brand is also co-partnering with the Zermatt Unplugged music festival two Independence Skeletons are launched and three Independence 40 mms, let’s go through the details.
The Independence Skeletons were launched in 2021 and 2022 and have proven to be a success for the brand. The new versions offered here are a ocean blue and a DLC, both in 42mm. Available with an on-the-fly micro-adjustment bracelet, which is another novelty, or a rubber strap. The skeletonized structure of the movement looks very contemporary, and is based on the architectural principles of a beam construction, meaning that each support point is held by at least two arms. The chronometer-certified caliber NN08S ticks inside.
The Independence 40mm Mint MOP and Diamonds is an eye-catching ladies watch, combining a somewhat bigger size (which is quite appreciated by many) with diamond setting on the the mother-of-pearl dial and the steel case. For the Female Norqainer..
The Independence 40mm Green Gradient and Brown Gradient show the recognizable design features and add a gradient design. The dials show a dark-to-light gradience and also have a scratch finish, which is made by hand for every watch. As a result, no dial is the same. The COSC-certified NN08 caliber is visible through the caseback, and both versions are available on strap or with the on-the-fly micro-adjustment bracelet.
5 years of Norqain, celebrated with 5 new watches. It’s good to take a moment to reflect and celebrate, as the brand does today. Knowing the ambitions and vibes in the company I expect that it will be only a short moment of reflection as many more mountain tops are out there to climb and you just keep on climbing. Congrats for now, and I am looking forward to the endeavours in the next 5 years!
