New version: Alterum Worldtimer Watch

A few years ago I noticed a new watch popping up on my feed. It was something that looked like nothing else and I was immediately intrigued. I started chatting with the brand owner, Justin Walters, and soon discovered that he was the same person who had recently launched the Marin Skindiver. How could one person design two incredible watches in such a short amount of time? I still don’t have an answer to this question, but I can tell you that the watch that piqued my interest so much, the Alterum Worldtimer, is finally available.

The Alterum Worldtimer draws inspiration from two seemingly different sources: white t-shirts and Frank Lloyd Wright. Walters found that the concentric rings that stacked up to form Wright’s iconic Guggenheim Museum in New York City were anchored in his mind; A visit to Apple Park reinforced the idea. More than 50 years later, the architecture of the Guggenheim Museum is still felt, and Walters combined this idea with the casual attitude of a simple white T-shirt. The Worldtimer is sculptural and casual, high quality and accessible. It measures 38.5mm with a thickness of 10.5mm. The stainless steel housing is steam blasted to give it a matt surface that takes on a slight shine in the right light.

In addition to a flat sapphire crystal and the crowns at 2 and 4 (for the city disc and setting/winding respectively), the bracelet of the watch stands out. The case itself is a perfect circle, but attached to it are square tabs that are integrated into the almost brutalist bracelet links. The bracelet features the same finish as the case, with aesthetic grooves on each link and a taper to the butterfly bracelet. The watch has a water resistance of 50 m, which should be sufficient for most travelers. I recently got to try it on and can say that it fits my 7″ wrist perfectly (the wrist model here also has a 7″ wrist). Although it looks a bit chunky in the photos, you can’t see any of it in person or on your wrist, and if there is any, it gets lost behind the impressive watch.

The dial is just as important for the appearance of the Alterum as the case and bracelet. The dial, consisting of four concentric discs, brings everything on one level and ensures an elegantly minimalist look. The discs all have a frosted surface that plays subtly with the light. The central disc displays the minute with a simple printed bar, while the hours are displayed with a circle on the next ring. The hour is marked by smaller lines printed on the bottom of the crystal. My only concern here – and perhaps my only concern with any part of this watch – is that the hand order is not intuitive. We are used to seeing a shorter hour hand and a longer minute hand, suggesting that the former is on the inside and the latter on the outside. The Alterum Worldtimer switches these, and it can take some getting used to. The rest of the dial consists of the rotating two-tone 24-hour ring and the city ring. The 24-hour ring is linked to the GMT function in the movement and rotates to ensure accurate time display in the corresponding cities.

Alterum chose the Swiss-made Sellita SW330-2, but adapted it to the needs of the Worltimer. Instead of a GMT hand, the movement’s GMT function is coupled with a disc to display the world time. The date has also been removed to preserve the balance of the dial. However, the technical specifications of the movement remain the same and offer a power reserve of 56 hours at 28,800 vibrations per hour. A clever trick: recesses in the case base make the crowns easier to access.

I think new things should be celebrated (and rewarded if possible). Minimalism is obviously nothing new, but this execution with the coplanar dial and modern case is so perfect that it sets it apart from other offerings. Having had the opportunity to try it out in person, I can attest to the quality, fit and impressive design. The biggest challenge for Alterum will be figuring out what comes next. The price for the Alterum Worldtimer is: $3,315 and limited to 100 pieces for the first edition. For more information, visit the Alterum website.