Looking for something unusual
I have been listening to the Time+Tide podcast recently about the start of a collection and the generic path that people have historically gone through. There was then a mention of adding a watch to a collection that isn’t the standard shape and that got me thinking. I have never owned a non-circular watch, and being totally honest I have never even entertained the idea, I now however been constantly searching for them and the difference that they bring.
I have listed some of the ones below that I can see that look the most interesting, and the reasons for that.
- Cadola Taurus Sleek Racer Black – CD-1060-01
- Nubeo Tri Star Orbit – NB-6116-07
- Omologato Pan Americana – SWI001
- Void V02MK2
- Bulova Maquina – 98A321
Cadola Taurua Sleek Racer Black
Cadola is a brand that has been bombarding me on social media recently, so their marketing and the Intstagram algorithm are working well together. I like the shape of the case, and watches with a bullhead crown always catch my eye.
The designs from Cadola are very motorsport inspired which is another one of my passions so I have been checking them out a fair bit recently. They do a multitude of colours, but I prefer the red, blue and black, but the yellow blue and black are also pretty eye catching.
Nubeo Tri Star Orbit Cosmic Tangerine – NB-6116-07
This watch is absolutely bonkers. There isn’t a lot else I need to say. It completely does away with the traditional markers for seconds, minutes and hours and instead uses floating domes and arrows pointing at the minute markers. It takes some getting used to, but seems to make decent sense once you get your head around it. It’s fully automatic so I would be fascinated to see how they get the whole mechanism moving those spherical shapes on the main face.
The whole brand is very eccentric, not sure if I could pull them off if I am totally honest. I can’t see a scenario where I could wear such a piece. There are a multitude of colours available, I like the cosmic tangerine the best, but the lunar black is also pretty cool.
Omologato Pan Americana Swimming Pool – SWI001
I first came across this brand when watching the 24hr Of Le Mans and they were one of the official sponsors. I also like the fact they are a British brand. The design are very motorsport orientated, and they lean heavily on that marketplace. Their designs are vintage inspired, and they do have some nice collaborations with members of the motorsport industry.
The Panamericana I like the most is the light blue, swimming pool design, but there are numerous other colours to choose from, ranging from bright red or yellow, to a more standard white or black.
This is another really unusual watch that I have come across. Like the Nubeo, it doesn’t use the standard markers on a clock face. It instead condenses the time into a small rectangular window at the bottom of the watch where all of the markers move left to right. There are different rows of numbers, which then refer back to the relevant marker. It’s an amazing piece of ingenuity, and thinking outside the box. The issue is that is really difficult to tell the time. You do have to sit and stare for a period of time to actually work it all out. However, I don’t think that’s what the brand was trying to achieve. They are looking for an interesting piece of design, which they have certainly accomplished.
I prefer the black watch, black strap combination, but I can see the draw of the silver or gold versions. They do look pretty retro, and I think if I was wearing one it would certainly spark attention and conversation.
All of my selections have been quite unusual, hence the name for the blog. This one I have chosen is one of the more traditional designs. The shape is different to any of the other watches I have chosen, and I do like the semi- skeletonised face, alongside the pop of colour around the edges. I think a fully skeletonised face would have looked better. It does look to have quite a large size and bulk to it, so definately a watch for showing off. It’s a fully automatic movement as well, as is shown through the clear case back.
There are only 3 colour options, black case and bracelet with a rainbow face, gun metal case and bracelet with a green face and a stainless steel case and bracelet with a blue face. I’ll be honest, I can’t choose between the three of the them. The black one looks mysterious, and the bright face really sets it off, but the blue face against the stainless steel also work really well.
Final Thoughts
Just like with my previous blog about the dive watches, it’s really difficult to choose what I would go with. I would need to see and feel each one. The Nubeo and Void are completely left field so would definately cause a stir if I was to wear them. I do like the classic design of the Omologato, and the Cadola, which take me to my motorsport fascination. Not an easy choice!
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