Schaffen Watches to Debut Reference 65 Collection with Unique Customizable Rotor
Schaffen Watches, the Singapore-based label that has made a big splash since debuting in 2015, is returning this month with a new series. The company will unveil a Kickstarter campaign for its upcoming Reference 65 collection, a pair of timepieces that expand Schaffen’s customization ethos. For the first time, customers will be given the unique opportunity of designing their own rotor.
Customization has become something of a specialty for Schaffen Watches. The company has dared to go where other brands have not in terms of giving customers freedom to put a personal stamp on their watch. It is largely uncommon for watch brands to offer specific customization, but Schaffen Watches thrives on it.
Founded in 2015, the company was created to develop an exclusive watch for the Republic of Singapore Air Force. From those roots, the label created the Signature Series, a collection that lives up to the company’s literal English name, “to create”.
While customers are still designing their own Signature Series timepieces, Schaffen is moving onto the next step of its evolution, the Reference 65 collection. A Kickstarter campaign will debut the A65 Dress Watch and the S65 Sport Watch during January, 2018. Simply put, the two new products will push the boundaries of watch creation by introducing rotor customization for the first time.
Watches with self-winding movements are usually wound by a rotor, which covers the diameter of the mechanics. It is on this rotor that Schaffen is providing a canvas for its Kickstarter backers to get truly creative.
Schaffen Watches will retain its existing custom options, such as text, materials, and motifs, but will also introduce the innovative rotor customization. The A65 collection will allow customers to change the rotor into something that is personal to them.
The company is able to do this by 3D printing the rotors instead of making them through conventional CNC machining. Schaffen explains the precision of 3D printers allows for accurate individual rotors to be made, whereas CNC machining results in too much waste. There are two variants of customized rotor available:
- Skeletonized: the design is cut-through, viewing the movement caliber
- Engraved: design applied with a deep-engraved effect
However, the company is aware that some may see this customization as a gimmick. To ensure the Reference 65 collection backs up its design choices with excellent timepiece capabilities, Schaffen has embraced Swiss-made Selita SW200-1 movement. Additionally, the watchmaker wanted to deliver an aesthetically pleasing collection.
The A65 Dress Watch was “inspired by dual-toned dials popular in the 50s & 60s” and features a matte outer ring and polished bezel. For the S65 Sport Watch, Schaffen developed “an integrated bracelet while keeping the case at a versatile 39.5mm. Made of 316L stainless steel, the case comprises two bezels: a circular-brushed round bezel sitting atop a polished, rounded-hexagon sub-bezel.”
Each rotor is constructed from 316L steel with an added option to upgrade to 18K gold-plating (red, yellow, white).
The Kickstarter page for the Reference 65 Collection will open on 8 January 2018, while the first shipments for early backers will start in May. Each backer will be contacted for their specific customization desires, which can be sent via vector image, artwork, or photos.
Before heading to the manufacturing process, Schaffen will create a 3D mockup of the final design and send it to the customer for confirmation. Interested customers can buy one of the Reference 65 Collection from Schaffen’s Kickstarter campaign.
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Jean
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