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When you have by no means heard of the model Selten, you aren’t the one one. Nonetheless, the model based by Leonardo Tsai has been round since 2017. The Hong Kong-based Selten founder comes from a household of dial makers, so he grew up round watches. After an preliminary stint on the planet of finance, Tsai gave up his job at JP Morgan to proceed his household’s legacy. Beneath his Selten model, he launched the inaugural M1 Moonphase, a traditional sequence of watches that includes stunning stone dials. The follow-up was the Bronze Salvage sequence of divers with hand-painted dials. For the brand-new Selten Grand Feu Enamel sequence, Tsai combines the traditional silhouette of the M1 Moonphase with a sequence of colourful Grand Feu enamel dials. Let’s discover out extra.
As a German speaker, the very first thing that stood out about Selten to me was its model title as a result of it interprets to “uncommon” or “unusual.” Deciding on that title for a Hong Kong-based model will not be the obvious alternative. It stems from Selten founder Leonardo Tsai’s fascination with German watchmaking. It serves as an inspiration for the younger founder who comes from a household of dial makers. That household custom performs a giant half in Selten’s choices. With the M1 Moonphase and particularly the Salvage Bronze, Tsai confirmed the visible attraction of particular dials. The brand new Grand Feu Enamel sequence does the identical, and I had an opportunity to go hands-on with the bluish-gray variant, named Moonstone.
The story of the Selten Grand Feu Enamel sequence
Ever since Tsai began Selten in 2017, he has all the time needed to launch watches with Grand Feu enamel dials. These particular dials signify the good custom of dial making in all its glory. For this new sequence of watches, Tsai collaborated with Qin, a self-taught enamelist, jeweler, and engraver with a decade of expertise working at jewellery homes in China. The 2 males first obtained in contact in 2021 and began engaged on creating some excellent dials for a brand new sequence of watches.
In 2023, the boys showcased the primary Grand Feu enamel prototype dials throughout Singapore’s Spring Sprang Sprung honest. The dials had been met with quite a lot of reward. The mix of the intense colours and unimaginable craftsmanship proved to be successful with watch followers. Two years later, Selten is lastly bringing them to market. The brand new Selten Grand Feu Enamel sequence presents 5 totally different dial colours executed with two totally different patterns. The primary are 5 dials with a flare sample, whereas the second quintet has a spiral sample.
The main points of the Selten Grand Feu Enamel Moonstone
The watch we had within the workplace for overview was the Selten Grand Feu Enamel Moonstone, with a bluish-gray dial bearing a spiral sample. Let’s get into the small print to search out out extra. The canvas for the dials is a watch that takes after the model’s M1 Moonphase sequence.
Every watch has a 39mm stainless-steel case with a ten.9mm thickness, a forty five.5mm size, and a 20mm lug spacing. The historically formed case is waterproof as much as 50 meters and options a mixture of brushed and polished surfaces that give the watch a pleasant visible presence. Topping off the case is a domed sapphire crystal with a seven-layer inside AR coating.
Contained in the case, Selten makes use of the Soprod M100 caliber. This 25-jewel Swiss computerized motion operates at 28,800vph and presents 42 hours of energy reserve. The motion is adjusted to 5 positions with an accuracy of ±6 seconds per day.
The watch we acquired featured a hand-engraved rotor, which is an possibility you’ll be able to order individually for a further US$100. As most of you’ll know, Soprod is a part of Festina and delivers motion to fairly a number of smaller manufacturers, comparable to Serica, Oak & Oscar, and Lorier.
Lastly, the watches come on leather-based straps that match the dials fairly properly. We acquired our press pattern on an non-obligatory stainless-steel bracelet that transforms the presence of the watch fairly drastically. I strongly want the look of the leather-based straps as a result of they preserve the appeal of the watches higher.
All concerning the Grand Feu enamel dials
However these watches are concerning the dials, after all. The spiral-pattern model of the dial is probably the most labor-intensive one. Model-wise, I might go for the model with a flared sample as a result of it is a little more simple.
However upon seeing the spiral model, you’ll be able to instantly see {that a} ton of labor went into creating these dials. First, the silver base will get its attribute sample. Each dial has roughly 700 hand-engraved strains, and it takes about 5 hours to create the sample alone. And if you happen to see the swirls and their consistency, it’s straightforward to know how troublesome that is and why solely a real artisan can pull it off.
After receiving the engraved sample, the dials are enameled with considered one of 5 colours. The primary is purple (Prism Violet), the second is pink (Rustique), the third is yellow (Golden Fall), the fourth is blue (Sunbird Blue), and lastly, there’s the bluish-gray (Moonstone) dial we had in for overview. All of the dials function a silver railroad minute observe and hour markers.
At 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock, one can find elongated Roman numerals for an additional injection of favor. Moreover, the handset consists of a brief hour hand with an open ring and triangular tip, an extended, simple minute hand, and a blue seconds hand in the identical type because the minute hand.
Sporting the Selten Grand Feu Enamel Moonstone
The Moonstone dial is the least vivid and glowing of the 5 dials. I might go for the darker blue, yellow, or purple possibility so as to add extra colour to that fantastic sample. Sure, the bluish-gray Moonstone variant is the least outspoken, so it may very well be a fantastic every day wearer. But when I had a particular handcrafted dial like this one, I might need it to face out. Your preferences could differ.
On the wrist, the Selten Grand Feu Enamel Moonstone wears properly. Whereas its form and elegance might sound considerably conventional, the stainless-steel bracelet retains it pretty trendy. The H-link bracelet adjustments the presence of the watch fairly drastically. This bracelet encompasses a spring-loaded butterfly clasp with a toolless micro-adjustment system. You possibly can pull out the final hyperlink on each ends of the clasp. Selten presents this selection for a further US$150. Another choice is similar bracelet with out that micro-adjustment, which prices US$80.
I might go for the usual strap as a result of it’s a beautiful match. On prime of that, it might be good to modify issues up with different colourful straps for various conditions. The dial variations will pair properly with leather-based straps in numerous colours. It’s a humorous conclusion for me since I often want bracelets. However with this sequence, the leather-based straps are a part of the colourful total presence. Having stated that, the bracelet tapers properly from 20mm on the case to 16mm on the clasp. It makes for a chic H-link bracelet that additionally wears moderately properly.
On the wrist
As soon as on the wrist, fairly a number of particulars stand out. The primary is the detailed dial, after all. Moreover the sample, the enameling offers the dial a pleasant shimmery really feel. Then, hovering above it are the lengthy minute and seconds fingers that curve down towards their ideas. The hour hand options a big circle in direction of the tip that hovers over the Selten wordmark. Not like on the Tusenö Shellback V2 I reviewed not too way back, the wordmark will not be curved to show flawlessly by means of this circle. However the hollowed-out circle in direction of the tip is a pleasant element.
Closing ideas on the Selten Grand Feu Enamel sequence
Due to the onion-style push/pull crown, it’s tremendous straightforward to set and modify the time. Everytime you do this, you can be reminded of that splendidly crafted dial. It’s, after all, the primary story of this new sequence of 5 watches. It’s nice to see that after the preliminary M1 Moonphase and Salvage Bronze, Selten has taken one other step to impress watch followers. These dials are one thing particular that you simply gained’t typically see from microbrands. That additionally places these new fashions in perspective.
As a result of these handmade dials are artworks, the watches’ costs are greater than these of the beforehand launched fashions. The pre-order worth of the primary 100 items of the Selten Grand Feu Enamel is US$1,899 with a flare dial or US$2,199 with a spiral dial. Deliveries will begin in June 2025. As talked about, a personalized rotor or a stainless-steel bracelet will add a premium to that worth. As soon as the preliminary 100 items are bought out, the common costs shall be US$2,599 for the flare-dial variant and US$2,899 for the spiral-pattern model. I enormously admire these new Selten Grand Feu Enamel fashions. The outcomes will undoubtedly grace the wrists of watch followers quickly.
For extra info, go to the official Selten web site.
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