When you write about consumer products (be it electronics, cars, or watches) you get used to all sorts of random, unsolicited pitches. That’s how I first became aware of Riskers, but it was – of all things – via a connection on LinkedIn. Mr. Pierre Guerrier – an ex-Richemont executive reached out, and we started talking. He started sharing some details of a new project he was forming with some others, and I was definitely interested. That project was unveiled to the world earlier this month via a Kickstarter project for the new brand, Riskers Watches.
For these watches, the brand has taken inspiration from the French trench watches of the first world war. Now, when you think of a trench watch – or at least when I do – you’ve picturing something bigger (since they came from pocket watches with wire lugs welded on), giant leather straps, and sometimes with a wire cage over the crystal. Well, the Riskers models are something much different.
Riskers positions themselves as a luxury watch brand (makes sense with the Richemont influence), and these are very much a luxury reinterpretation of the trench watch. For starters, while the cases are bigger (43mm), the bezel has been minimized, making it looking like all crystal and dial. Second, while there is a crown guard, it’s completely integrated into the case. Oh, and that case? Fully polished (can’t beat shine for that luxury feel) and offset with a brushed finish that is the “cage” that wraps around the circumference and becomes the crown guard. Even the lugs have been reworked. While that hearken back to the wire lug look, they’ve been flattened and widened, giving things a more robust feel.
For this launch, Riskers has created four different models. These are differentiated by the dial and handset coloration, as well as the movement inside. Two of the models (the Prolog I and Chapter I) feature the automatic STP1-11, while the other two have the Swiss Ronda 715 movement. The automatic models both have blued hands spinning over their circular-and-sector dials, while the two quartz models work with a bit more color in.
Frankly, there’s a lot to like with this Riskers reinterpretation of the trench watch. Moving it in a dressier direction is a bold move, and the integrated crown protector will definitely give it a unique – and identifiable – look. The project for these watches is currently near 5x it’s funding goal, so clearly I’m not the only fan. The project runs until November 30th. Pricing starts out at $422 for the quartz models, and $1,025 for the mechanicals. No complaints for me on either movement, but the star of this show looks to be the quartz models with the colorful dials. Full campaign details can be found here: campaign page or riskers-watches.com
Review Summary
- Brand & Model: Riskers Prolog I, Chapter I, Chapter II, Chapter III
- Price:
- MSRP
- 490€ (Chapter II, Chapter III with the quartz movement)
- 1190€ (Prolog I, Chapter I with the automatic movement)
- Earlybird pricing
- 382€ (Chapter II, Chapter III with the quartz movement) (approx $422)
- 928€ (Prolog I, Chapter I with the automatic movement) (approx $1,025)
- MSRP
- Who’s it for? You like the concept of a trench watch, but aren’t so keen to have a hockey puck on your wrist
- Would I buy one for myself based on what I’ve seen? The blue-dialed Chapter 3 certainly is tempting!
- If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: Play around with offering a “destro” version that puts the crown (and guard) on the left-side of the case. It looks like it protrudes a good bit, so moving it could increase comfort.
Tech Specs from Riskers
- Case
- 43mm; 12.35mm thick
- Stainless steel, polished
- Movement
- Automatic: STP1-11 (44 hour power reserve, central seconds, date at 3 o’clock) (used on Prolog 1, Chapter 1)
- Quartz: Ronda 715 (central seconds, date at 3 o’clock) (used on Chapter II and Chapter III)
- Dial
- Prolog I:
- Slight sunburst effect
- Eggshell indexes and taupe background
- Blued and open worked hours and minutes hands
- Blue seconds hand
- Limited edition: 518 pieces
- Chapter I
- Grey witha slight sunburst effect
- Blue indexes
- Blued and open worked hours and minutes hands
- Blue seconds hand with a touch of moutarde colour
- Chapter II
- Sand blast grey dial
- Superluminova indexes
- Glacier bleu north star
- Tundra green
- Superluminova hours and minutes hands
- Tundra green, sand and Superluminova seconds hand
- Limited edition: 1027 pieces
- Chapter III
- Sand blast bleudial
- Superluminova indexes
- Silvered and Superluminova hours and minutes hands
- Red, yellow and Superluminova seconds hand
- Limited edition: 1096 pieces
- Strap
- Prolog 1: brown calf leather with beige stitches
- Chapter I: Black calf, moutarde stiches
- Chapter II: beige canvas, grey stiches
- Chapter III: blue canvas, red stiches
- Prolog I:
