When Apple first conceived the smartwatch, news broke that they hired the ex CEO of Yves Saint-Laurent to lead the division. Why would a fashion executive be called to head product development at a tech company? Tim Cook knew early on that the watch, as functional as it was, was first and foremost a fashion accessory. People wear watches not just to look at the time, but also to look dapper… and that precise adjective is something all watches endeavor to chase. The ability to speak to its wearer and convey style, class, allure… while obviously telling the time too. The Pompeak Gentleman’s Collection was designed purely because its creators Dave and Noah never really found an accessible watch that embodied that dapper spirit. So Dave and Noah decided to create their ultimate watch instead of settling for the next best thing. The British-designed timepiece comes with a series of eye-catching details assembled together in a watch that’s designed to last, but most importantly, it connects with its user on a visceral level, by baring its open-heart to you. That exposed movement is visible right through the front of the watch, becoming its defining feature and exuding mechanical power, accuracy, and efficiency. The Pompeak watch’s aesthetic is greater than the sum of its parts. The 40mm, 316L stainless steel body comes with sapphire crystal glass that sits atop the watch’s radial-knurled body that comes in black and navy-blue variants. The knurled texture gives the watch its depth by creating a series of highlights and shadows on the dial, sporting a sweeping subdial that counts seconds, sitting right beside the watch’s open balance wheel heart. The balance wheel is an integral part of the chosen Miyota 82S5 automatic movement, boasting of a 42-hour power reserve when not worn. What’s more is that it’ll practically run for a lifetime without needing to be wound, thanks to the watch’s ability to capture your movements and translate it into stored energy. The watch’s back sports a second exhibition window that lets you admire the Japanese-made movement from all angles, and is covered with a sapphire glass too, giving the Pompeak watch its sheer durability. Each Gentlemen’s collection timepiece is water-resistant up to a stunning 100 meters, and Super LumiNova markings on the dial and hands allow you to read the time at night as well as underwater in low light conditions. Paired with straps to complement the watch’s design, the Pompeak comes with a choice of stainless steel link bands for people who want their bands to match the watch’s body, as well as full-grain leather straps for those who want something more ‘il classico’. Together, these details make up the aesthetic that The Coolector refers to as ‘devilishly dapper’… but the Pompeak doesn’t stop right there. It embraces Kickstarter’s disruptive ‘Designer To Consumer’ business model, bringing the watches directly to its patrons while escaping the watch industry’s notorious brand markups, luxury taxes, and showroom prices. With a price tag that’s just below £200, Pompeak manages to deliver on an aesthetic that surely embodies an ethos of style, class, and allure… because it was designed by passionate creators and watch-lovers with that very intent. Designers: David & Noah Pomphrey of Pompeak (30% off). Pompeak is an independent, British company born out of frustration with the poor offerings of the affordable watch market. They design the watches they want to wear, and work to make them as affordable as possible. Removing all the unnecessary mark ups and ensuring they keep to their founding belief of high quality at a fair price. Their latest timepieces subtly showcase a stunning Japanese automatic movement behind each beautifully detailed dial, with a price point to contrast the premium features. – British design – 40mm diameter case – Self winding, Japanese automatic movement – 10 ATM water resistance (up to 100 meters) – Five rowed 316L stainless steel linked bracelet or full grain leather straps – Scratch resistance sapphire glass – Swiss Super-LumiNova coatings Automatic/self-winding watches are often chosen as the perfect combination of character and heritage of the mechanical watch, without the need to manually wind the movement each day. Their chosen Japanese movement is no different. A truly stunning display of horology. Crafted with precision while avoiding the mark-up that comes with the Swiss label. – Japanese Mechanical Automatic Movement – Hours / Minutes / Seconds – Self-winding mechanism – Power reserve (if not worn) 42 hours – 21,600 vibrations per hour – 21 Jewels With a screw down crown and pressure seal rated to 10 atmospheres (10ATM/up to 100m water resistance) for that added peace of mind. The 40mm subtly detailed timepiece is designed from scratch, in-house in the UK. Utilizing perfect combination of premium materials, each chosen for their impressive unique properties, ensuring your next watch not only looks good, but lasts. The case and metallic bands are both crafted from 316L stainless steel, chosen over other material variants for its impressive strength and corrosion resistance, even in salt water environments (You’ll find 316L is often used in diving equipment for the same reasons). Full grain leather is the bee’s knee’s. The best you can get when it comes to leather. Contrary to the name, full grain leather is not grainy in appearance or feel, but has a smooth richness that is only achievable with a cut of full, unaltered hide in its natural form. You’ll often see “genuine leather” stamped on products, but know that this term covers anything that is technically leather, no matter how processed and altered it is. Full grain is the real deal. The nightmare for any watch owner is having a scratch across the glass. That’s why they are using sapphire crystal glass on all of their watches. Famed for its superior scratch resistance and with a hardness rating just less than that of diamond. Ensuring all day and all night usability with Swiss Super-LumiNova coatings. Their chosen BGW9 lume is transparent in daylight with a long lasting blue night glow. They tested a number of different coatings and found that C1, for example, just didn’t perform as well as they had hoped. C3 lume on the other hand, performed well in the glow test but they didn’t think the yellow tint the C3 lume has in day light matched the Gentlemen’s clean look. The Swiss BGW9 has the best of both worlds, a lovely and long lasting blue glow at night without the yellow-ish look in the day. A watch, no matter how elegant, cannot be great without a strap to match, and they have gone all out. Butterfly deployment clasps compliment either the five tiered stainless steel bracelet or a choice of full grain leather straps. (30% off). Hurry, less than 72 hours left!