What an incredible journey we’ve had in 2023! Here at Gnomon, our passion for watches knows no bounds. While our primary focus is showcasing and selling exquisite timepieces, we take pride in offering much more than what you find in our store—actually, a whole lot more. Beyond providing high-quality watches at competitive prices, we believe in adding that extra touch to elevate your shopping experience with us.
Whether you’re a seasoned watch collector or just stumbled upon our online haven under the name “Gnomon,” you’ll quickly realize the wealth of watch-related content designed to accompany you on your collecting journey. In addition to our online offerings, 2023 presented us with exciting opportunities to release exclusive models and engage in in-person events alongside our partner brands in Singapore, all to the delight of our valued customers. Some of the highlights include exclusive watch launches that were crafted to commemorate these special occasions. So, without further delay, let’s revisit the memorable events that marked this remarkable year.
A visit to Steinhart Headquarter
Finally the world starts to open up after a long hiatus from the pandemic. Therefore this year we knew we have to visit Gunter and his brand, Steinhart, in Augsburg Germany. Since we haven’t been visiting for a long time, we sat down with the founder of Steinhart watches and see what has he been up to. We decided to film a casual interview there and have a full day with him at his HQ.
A Visit to Marathon Watch Company
I HAD ONLY TWO MISSIONS when I was sent to Geneva in April. One was to meet particular brands we worked closely with, catching up with them in person during the most buzzing period of the industry. The second one was something a little more personal. It was where the town organised the annual watch fairs (back again after the long-halt pandemic), including the renowned Watches and Wonders that I was attending. The Canadian watchmaker who made purposeful timing instruments for several governments’ military for decades had personally invited me to pay them a visit while I was in Switzerland.
Of course, I couldn’t be happier to accept their warm invitation, which seemed to be as such when I was there during my visit. In fact, deep down in me, I was much more eager to see Mitchell Wein and his elite team in La Chaux De Fonds than plainly attending the leading fair. No offence to my company and the other brands, as I enjoyed the fair still, speaking to each team while checking out their latest novelties and then some. If you understand a Marathon watch, or you love the brand for supplying the top nation’s militaries, or if you just briefly came across the name Marathon when reading about field watches of yesteryears, you can understand the amount of excitement I have to visit Marathon’s House to check it out.
Immediately after touching down in Geneva on a Tuesday with an approximately 14-hour flight, my first task was to attend the trade fairs. I had a tight schedule of meetings with several watch brands during the first three days. I managed to grasp some air now and then by grabbing some excellent bakeries and coffees while at them. But most of my time, I would be attempting to swallow the scents of what made Geneva, the land of horology, so unique as the “Mecca” city, where all watch enthusiasts would be dying to go. Long story short, the number of watches and the people I came across since my touchdown had reignited my deep love for timepieces through the roof. But the one that sealed the deal for me was on that Friday when my journey began by taking the Swiss Federal Railway from Geneva to La Chaux De Fonds. Here I come, Marathon Watches. Find out more in our article here:
Our exclusive collaboration with Steinhart – Ocean 39 SR Plexi
Only available exclusively for Gnomon, The new Steinhart Ocean 39 SR Plexi is still seen as a period-correct dive watch that seeks to be different among the big sea of conventional dive watches at the time. And in a vintage manner, a smaller case size? Checked. A unique look? Checked. New materials? Checked. The SR comes in at 39mm in diameter with a compact 47mm lug-to-lug. It has just a thickness of about 14mm, thanks in part to the domed hesalite crystal atop the dial. What we like about this case is there are additional details to it. There are additional polished bevelings at each lug of the case, and it does not come with crown guards, allowing Steinhart to bring back the “big crown” look for us. This particular style could only be found on the premium Ocean 39 models.
An interview with TACOCAT555 – We sat down with one of the phenom Web 3.0 builders in town who loves watches as much as his NFTs
If anyone has perused our social media for a while, they would recognize our abundant love for the Web3 NFT space. It might seem like a contradiction to horology, which is centuries old. Although we could view this traditional hobby as diametrically opposing the efflorescence of the third-generation World Wide Web, Gnomon’s passions relish both. If you’re unfamiliar with NFT, I’ll get you up to speed. “NFT” is a short form for “non-fungible tokens,” digital assets on a particular blockchain with unique serial codes and metadata that are Sui generics. This means that a non-fungible digital token cannot be replicated, but instead, it allows one to verify its ownership on the blockchain. This alluring technology has and will continue to open up a new paradigm on how NFT enables real-world tangible assets to be more efficiently traded with tracked records. Lastly, NFTs can represent one’s identity or property rights. So let’s delve deeper into that.
Our first exclusive partnership with Gruppo Ardito by introducing the Lince Crimson Red
It’s been a while since our company has brought in another indie watchmaking brand which puts its soul and heart into churning something unique, study, and quirkily original for those dye-in-the-wool collectors. Although many of those new to the horology realm would prefer to stick to those proven design watches, we still need to bring in some on the other end of the spectrum. Yes, today we are introducing a new brand into our stable, which goes by Gruppo Ardito Watches. Short form as GAW, the watch brand has been around for more than a decade, and since day one, it has been creating some incredibly well-built watches where each stands out on its own, unlike any others. We had heard about this brand as far back as we remember when the founder had just launched its first model, the steampunk-looking dive watch with a whopping 1000m water resistance; how about that for a start?
The launch of Squale’s Limited Edition Marina Militare Comsubin
To celebrate a magnificent partnership between two of Italy’s historic brands, Squale introduces yet another fantastic limited-edition timepiece to reflect on the prodigious heritage of Marina Militare and the distinguished watchmaking legacy of Squale. With a blend of an alluring military design, modern materials, and spectacular underwater performance, the Squale Master is an excellent limited-edition timepiece from Squale, packed full of exciting features for both professional divers and avid watch enthusiasts. Best yet, it’s the first time Squale introduced its iconic dive watches with robust titanium material.
Our second boutique opening at Wheelock Place
To celebrate the launch of Gnomon’s second ever boutique in town, we threw a party with specially invited Gnomon
guests over at Wheelock Place. The turnout was surprisingly overwhelm, where many of our beloved watch lovers and supporters carrying an enthusiastic heart and attended the evening event. Hosting the grand opening was in fact, a great milestone for us, where we could see ourselves growing and thus, bringing in more spectacular watches and experiences for all of you.
During the event we have great conversations face-to-face, sharing our passion for watches, and most importantly, enjoy the joyous occasion altogether. Boy, and that felt absolutely fantastic. And I got to say, our guests and staffs have brought their amazing wrist game to the event. Below are some of the casual photos the team took throughout the party. Without further ado, check out the photos below and share our excitement that day.
Our second exclusive Steinhart collaboration – the Ocean 39 GMT Concorde
The second release is another perfect tie-up between two brands with the same values and a passion for watches. We are introducing the Steinhart Ocean 39 GMT Concorde – Gnomon Exclusive. The Concorde is a follow-up from our GMT Melon exclusive, but now paying tribute to a total gold GMT diver. Its retro and ritzy charms were the zeitgeist of the sixties and seventies, where tool watches were embellished with luxurious materials like gold..
A private meet-and-greet event with Squale in Singapore
To celebrate the 12 years of partnership with Squale, we threw a meet and greet dinner with specially invited Gnomon guests over at Yen Bar Millennia Walk. The turnout was surprisingly overwhelm, where many of our beloved watch lovers and supporters carrying an enthusiastic heart and attended the evening event. Hosting the dinner was in fact, a great milestone for us, where we could see ourselves growing together with one of the family-owned heritage brand and thus, bringing in more spectacular watches and experiences for all of you.
An exclusive interview with Squale’s CEO
We managed to catch up with him and find out more about what his brand in recent times. Unsurprisingly, Squale is still going strong and pushing through every year together with us. So here’s some insight views from the man behind Squale, answering our questions from our headquarter in the little red dot.
The launch of Hitori’s Yoshino collection
The “Yoshino” watches are significantly inspired by the cherry blossoms of Mount Yoshinoyama (吉野山, Yoshino-yama), located in the town and district of Yoshino itself, in Nara prefecture. Fame for having more than 30,000 sakura flowering cherry trees, it has inspired ancestry Japanese wake poetry and folk songs for centuries, including a Kokinshū waka in the 10th-century poetry compilation Kokin Wakashū (“Collection of Japanese Poems of Ancient and Modern Times”). And now, the religious mountain continues its magic, influencing Hitori with a new collection that distilled its “mystical” charm and enchantress “sakura”.
This imminent Yoshino collection grabs the spotlight with its incredible nostalgic timepieces that redefine the classic style uniquely to the land of the rising sun—made proudly in Asia to complete the savoir fairé. This dazzling bezel-less watch case imbues a particular architectural form, which prominently reflects the “Grammar Of Design” ethos established by Seiko’s designer Mr Taro Tanaka-san. The oriental case design is balanced with a beautiful nature-inspired textured dial that instils the “sakura” blossom colour hue.
A Private Omakase Hitori Event to Celebrate the Yoshino Blossom Signature
This year was a particular year for the indie brand Hitori Watch Co. It’s a year where it continues relentlessly to put out exceptional timepieces with value proposition despite a turbulent time on Earth. We can see that war still prevails, recessions continue, and the watch market is inevitably impacted in several ways. However, Hitori came forth with resilience and launched its all-new collection, the Yoshino series, a watch that keeps the traditional Japanese flair and the price lower than $800USD. In fact, the quality and designs got even better than before.
In this series, a few colourways are unique in quality, just as the case execution, which I will introduce shortly and extensively. And in particular, Hitori launched a beautiful pastel pink version that is offered to both the brand’s and Gnomon Watches’ friends and family. Behold, the 50 pieces limited Blossom Signature. Let’s dive into the watch before dropping more photos of the dining event to celebrate this model. Read more on the evening event right here:
