Cutting-Edge Design: A Focus on Victorinox
More than 20 years ago, Victorinox, undoubtedly the most famous manufacturer of pocketknives in the world, introduced the first watches with the brand’s famous “Cross & Shield” logo on the dial. With last year’s Journey 1884 collection (the company was founded in 1884 as “Messerfabrik Carl Elsener”), Victorinox aims to bring “the energy of the Swiss mountains into everyday adventures.” Even better, the brand is introducing both quartz and mechanical versions with it: e Ref. 241980 with blue dial, Ref. 241980.1 (on wood strap, 242010 on bracelet), Ref. 242015 with green dial and the Ref. 241981 with black dial and metal bracelet. But the design codes of the Journey 1884 collection go way further: They have also laid the foundation for other releases, namely the brand new Victorinox I.N.O.X. Chrono. Here, too, carved shapes, strong geometrics, innovative materials, and the brand’s industrial codes were combined with Swiss precision.
Essentially Swiss — The Journey 1884
The Journey 1884 collection pays tribute to its origins with a hand design replicating the Swiss hiking signs, a dial featuring the rough texture of a natural hiking path, and practical strap options. More importantly, the Swiss Army Knife, a standard item on hikes, is evoked in the counterweight of the second hand. In addition, the case features strong shapes and curves and the notch at 6 o’clock on the bezel looks as if it has been carved out by a sharp pocketknife. e industrial roots of the brand are reflected in the finish of the case, in the engraved material code, and in the founding year, 1884, presented on the bezel.
The collection’s quartz-powered models (using the Ronda 715) are resistant to everyday magnetism and come with a red logo at 12 o’clock. They are available with a blue or black dial with matching bezel insert (and available on a strap or bracelet). There is also an all-black version with PVD and two-tone option. All watches feature a matte anodized aluminum insert on the bezel, while the automatic versions have an engraved ceramic inlay with yellow accents at 3 and 9 o’clock.
According to the brand, the choice of color, too, was inspired by Swiss hiking signs. For those not familiar: Switzerland’s hiking trails are marked by a network of more than 50,000 yellow signs. They not only state the name of the route; they’re also pointed in the true direction of the route, with the number of minutes (and sometimes hours) to walk to the next destination.
The 43-mm watch is equipped with a screw-down crown and a unidirectional bezel (120 clicks) with a luminous dot at 12 o’clock; water resistance is 200 meters. e bracelet is equipped with a butterfly deployant clasp with an additional safety lock. More importantly, Victorinox opted for a quick-change strap system that allows you to remove (or change) the bracelet with the push of a button. e mechanical dial options come with Sellita SW200-1 movements with 38-hour power reserve, visible through the transparent caseback. Like its quartz-powered siblings, the automatic Journey 1884 is ISO-certified for shock and water resistance and made of stainless steel 316L with “a minimum of 50 percent up to 90 percent of recycled steel.” Prices start at $525 for the quartz-powered watches; the mechanical versions retail for $1,050 on bracelet.
Industrial Codes - The New I.N.O.X. Chrono
“I.N.O.X. is the most iconic Victorinox watch collection and is the inspiration behind our new design approach,” explains Arianna Frésard, Head of Category Watches at Victorinox. “We have blended elegance, strong geometrics, and industrial codes in a combination of functionality, resistance, and innovative material mixes. The outcome reflects our industrially-derived ability to deliver modern sophistication.” Materials used for the various models include steel, a titanium case, and a carbon bezel or all carbon for the lightweight and sporty version. e chronograph, too, is ISO-certified for shock and water resistance. Every watch can easily be personalized with a choice of straps made of paracord, rubber, leather, wood, and more.
The 43-mm chronograph is powered by the Ronda 5040.E Swiss-made quartz movement; prices start at $800. All watches come with a 5-year warranty.
A Masterclass in Diversification
What started as a small knife cutler’s workshop almost 140 years, became — next to chocolate, cheese, mountains and watches — undoubtedly one of Switzerland’s most iconic and recognizable products: the Swiss Army Knife. Today, Victorinox has managed to successfully transform itself into a global company with five product categories: Swiss Army Knives, household and professional knives, watches, travel gear and fragrances. It is impressive to see how design cues from the original product allowed the brand to create new products that literally can stand the test of time. By using shapes and curves, like the notch on the bezel, the brand’s design approach can be described as both unique and natural. More importantly, there is a clear idea and vision behind the product that make the design almost inevitable. Add functionality and reliability to it, and you get a watch that is ready for almost anything.
While the headquarters of the company is located in Ibach, canton Schwyz, in the heart of Switzerland, the Victorinox Watch Competence Center in the Swiss Jura (Delémont) engineers, manufactures and assembles watches and watch components. Depending on the line, complete cases or components such as bezels, middle cases, movement holders (if made out of metal), containers and casebacks are not just assembled but also produced in-house.
To learn more, visit Victorinox, here.
This article was originally published in the Design 2024 print issue. To subscribe to WatchTime Magazine, click here.
