anOrdain Model 3 Method Impresses with Carved Wood Pattern Enamel Dial

North of the border in Scotland, wizards are at work in the anOrdain workshop creating some of the most interesting and intricate enamel dials outside of Switzerland and Japan. However, the delicacy with which enamel needs approaching means their release slate isn’t exactly going to challenge the likes of Seiko. In fact, their last major new launch was over a year ago with the Model 2 MKII Field Watch. Fortunately, the wait for a new watch is always worth it. Don’t believe me? Check out the beauty that is the new anOrdain Model 3 Method.

This is by their own admission the most ambitious project they’ve ever brought to market and took four years of careful development. It features a carved wooden style texture over which their signature Grand Feu enamel is applied. Developing the wooden texture involved collaborating with the well-known artisanal woodworkers at Studio Method (hence the watch’s name) who have previously worked with clients such as Hermès, Burberry and Vacheron Constantin.

The facetted, concave undulations of the dial mean the surface area is virtually double that of a flat dial. Which means that during the difficult firing process in the creation of enamel, there are a lot more opportunities for it to fail. I can only imagine the attention to detail and care it takes to create a smooth layer of enamel with a consistent colour across such a complex shape. But the results are undeniable. In Aqua blue or Lichen green, it is fantastic.

Those are the two colourways that are available. The Aqua blue is a rich azure colour with silver baton indexes and blued steel hands. Less traditional is the Lichen green, which is a particularly pale shade of sage green – a very popular colour at the moment – with purple hour markers and purple hands.

Zooming out from the dials, the case is pretty nice too, a 39mm diameter piece in stainless steel with a polished bezel. It’s relatively slim as well at a thickness of 10.5mm with wire lugs. As for the strap attached to those lugs, there are several options including black, brown, teal and ochre leather straps, a grey suede number and kid.

Inside the Model 3 Method is housed the Sellita SW300 automatic movement, an automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve. It’s a solid movement and no complaints here since it means that the watch is pretty incredible value. Both colourways are priced at £3,500 + VAT, which is frankly mad considering the amount of effort and work that goes into every timepiece. One thing’s for sure, by the time your name gets to the top of the waiting list, anOrdain may well have announced their next watch.

​Oracle Time 

Read More