Introducing the Geformt Journeyman collection

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before – a brand is kicking off a new watch on a crowdfunding platform, it’s compact, and it’s quartz-driven. Now, you’re probably envisioning one of the multitude of copycat thin, minimalist watches, right? Well, this is (thankfully) not the case. While I would say the Geformt Journeyman veers towards minimalist, it certainly does not look like a copycat watch.

First, a note on the watch brand name – Geformt. Apparently, it’s a German word, and it means, quite simply, formed. This is sort of a subtle nod to what they’re trying to go for here – an elegant simplicity wrapped up in the name that will (hopefully) extend to the watch itself. The Geformt Journeyman is a rather compact piece, with a tidy 38mm diameter and just 12.4mm thick. Those specs let the watch sort of blend itself into more of a dressier class, while the stainless steel case (either sandblasted or with a polished black bezel) speak to a sportier sort of approach.

Looking at the dials of the Geformt Journeyman, you can definitely see the German influence. To my eye, they are rather reminiscent of watches from Nomos. I can’t call out a specific model or element, but that’s what they remind me of, while being their own thing. The sub seconds feel like they’re in a bit of an odd placement, but it doesn’t cut off any numerals, so that’s a plus. That’s really something we’d have to see in person to see if the eye gets used to it quickly or not. Flip side of that coin, though, I do like the sizing and proportions on that handset, should make readability no problem at all.

The Geformt Journeyman just launched on Kickstarter, with early bird pricing coming in at $196; once those are gone, there’s a still rather-affordable price of $215 attached to the watch. For a watch with the specs we have (see the full list below) that seems like a reasonable ask, and a great way to get into some of that clean German design. We’ll be watching to see if the project funds, and if it does, we’ll work with the brand to see about getting one in for review. (project page) geformt.com

Watch Overview

Brand & Model: Geformt Journeyman
Price: starting at $196
Who we think it might be for: You want something smaller and with a German-influenced design ethic

Would I buy one for myself based on what I’ve seen? Toss of the coin, there, for me
If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: Still unsure about that subdial placement. And if you’re going for dressy, get some polished surfaces in there
What spoke to me the most about this watch: For a compact quartz, this looks rather unlike what we normally see on KS