New: anOrdain Model 2 mkII – a new version of their field watch

anOrdian revises their Model 2 by adding a new, larger case and a new colour palette. This unique independent offers watches with grand feu enamel dials made in Glasgow, Scotland.

Press release information with commentary in italics.

New: anOrdain Model 2 mkII- a new version of their field watch. Grand feu enamel, made in Scotland

The new anOrdain Model 2 mkII is priced at GBP 1,700 for the Medium, and GBP 1,850 for the Large. Price is before taxes.

Commentary

The brand anOrdain is a rather interesting manufacture. Not only are they perhaps the only watch manufacture to be based in Scotland, but they appear to make many of the interesting bits in-house. From the grand feu enamel dials, to the hands are manufactured in their facility in Glasgow. The term vitreous enamel is the English form of the French Grand Feu émail. The Founder, Lewis Heath tells us that they currently have 5 enamellers and 4 watchmakers to produce a total of 500 watches a year. The typography used in the dial are also specifically designed in-house.

Even the hands are interesting. They are prototyped in-house and sent to a hand specialist manufacturer in La Chaux-de-Fonds where the blanks are made. These are then sent back to Glasgow in raw steel and heat treated in the anOrdian facilities before being sent to another Swiss company for the lume application. This rather elaborate process makes the hands quite special.The design is also interesting, as it features a syringe with a void in the center and a needle tip as the pointer.

The movements are pre-made Swiss movements, and in the case of this revised Model 2 is the Sellita SW210-1 + and Incablock shock protection system. The lower grades of the Sellita SW210-1 is equipped with a simpler grade Novodiac shock protection system.

Originally launched in 2019, the Model 2 is the brand’s take on the classic field watch. This new release, the mkII, introduces two case sizes, both larger than the original. The first generation model had a case of 36mm, and the novelties are available in a Medium size of 36mm and a Large with a case diameter of 39.5mm. Both new models have a case height, inclusive of the crystal of 11mm. Another new feature is the increased palette of colours for the grand feu enamel dials. Three additional colours are added viz White, Racing Green, Grey Haar and Flax.

The watches are limited to a production capability of 200 watches a year, and not a limited edition series.

We are quite intrigued by these watches, and have requested Lewis to send us some loan samples to experience, examine ang photograph them. We will report back with a comprehensive review then.

anOrdain Model 2 mkII Release details

anOrdain has reinvigorated its take on the classic field watch, the Model 2. First launched in 2019, these 2022 design revisions incorporate subtle changes while retaining the original’s contemporary elegance and robust functionality. With its rugged form and ultra-legible dial, the watch merges a spirit of adventure and the outdoors with aesthetic rigour and classic style.

The watch is powered by the manual wind Swiss-made Sellita SW210.

Hands

The Model 2’s syringe-style hands are unlike any other on a watch. Designed for elegance and ultimate clarity, the body features a tapered void. A luminous tip projects both outwards and into the void, forming the shape of a hand holding a fountain pen. The hands were prototyped in-house before the final design was sent to a hand manufacturer in the Swiss watchmaking town of La Chaux- de-Fonds, where the blanks are made. The hands are sent back in raw steel form and are heat-treated in-house to protect from rust and tarnish before being sent to another specialist Swiss company for luminous paint to be hand-applied under magnification to each tip. The combination of blued steel and luminescent paint is extremely rare in watchmaking and increases the rejection rate for anOrdain as the lume prevents the hands from being reworked if scratched.

Evolving the watch in response to feedback, the revised design introduces a seconds hand and minute track for maximum functionality and legibility.

39.5mm Version

anOrdain has introduced a larger version of their original 36mm design to the range. Scaling the design up to 39.5mm, the overall aesthetic remains the same, with rounded lugs, prominent crown protectors and a thick, curving bezel whose contours continue into the double-domed sapphire.

Enamel Dial

The Model 2’s hand-enamelled dials are made individually by a single master enameller and can take several days to complete, with a high failure rate. The divergence from traditional white enamel into more unusual opaques is typical of anOrdain’s approach to this ancient art.

The overall result is a pragmatic, no- nonsense timepiece that is swathed in design detail, culture and craft.

New colourways give the revised Model 2 a more grounded aesthetic reflective of its purpose as a watch for the great outdoors. The Model 2 now comes in Racing Green, White, Grey Haar and Flax.

Typography

For the Model 2, anOrdain’s in- house typographer took the cartography-inspired numerals designed for the Model 1 as a starting point, evolving these into a fuller, highly-legible and heritage-flecked typeface in keeping with the watch’s sportier heritage-flecked typeface in keeping with the watch’s sportier style. Typographical cues were also taken from 1950s industrial equipment, including a laboratory clock belonging to Lewis Heath’s scientist grandfather. The numerals and dial markings are printed onto the dial in-house by the anOrdain team.

Purchasing

Production is limited due to the laborious manufacturing process, meaning that as a result of high demand, there is currently a 2+ year waiting list for anOrdain’s watches. To purchase any watch from the range, customers must join the waiting list, where they will be contacted once they reach the top of the queue. In the interest of fairness, the waiting list is managed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Warranty and Servicing

Every anOrdain watch comes with a five-year warranty, and in- house servicing is provided.

anOrdain Model 2 Specifications

Dial: Vitreous enamel on copper Case finish: brushed or polished

Movement: Sellita SW-210-1 + Incabloc shock protection

Glass: Sapphire with 6 layers of anti-reflective coating

Hands: custom-made and heat- treated, finished with Super- Luminova tips

Case back: Solid screw-in Waterproof: 5ATM Warranty: 5 years

Medium

Case diameter: 36mm Lug to lug length: 43mm Case depth: 11mm Strap width: 18mm

Large

Case diameter: 39.5mm Lug to lug length: 46mm Case depth: 11mm Strap width: 20mm