Review: Kollokium Projekt 01 - Variant “d”

Tired of the trend of brands looking to the past for inspiration, three friends — veterans of the industry — set out to create a watch like no other.

Oct 20, 2024

In December last year, I visited my friend Marco in Lausanne, Switzerland. Marco is an entrepreneur in the watch industry and an avid collector. He eagerly showed me a very unusual watch with a pixelated, three-dimensional dial made of pins of varying lengths. He told me it was a new watch by @thehorophile, but only for friends and family. Though I had followed @thehorophile for some time, I didn’t know him personally.

I tried the watch on and snapped a wrist-shot. The orange seconds-hand was striking and eye-catching — it looked like a piece of modern art on my wrist. There were simply no other watches remotely like it.

My first encounter with Kollokium on Dec 9, 2023

In June, I started seeing another version of this incredible watch on my Instagram feed. My friends @watchsymmetry and @watch_diversion were over the moon, showing off their new acquisitions. The fully lumed dial was absolutely stunning. Sadly, I had missed the public release of this intriguing timepiece.

At the end of August, the GPHG finalists were announced, and there it was again — this watch was nominated in the Challenge Category for watches priced at CHF 3,000 or less. Named Kollokium Projekt 01, this watch was developed by industry insiders Amr Sindi, Barth Nussbaumer, and Manuel Emch. Two variants had been released so far, in 99 and 199 pieces, respectively, and had long since sold out.

While attending the Geneva Watch Days, my first international watch event, I ran into Amr Sindi, aka @thehorophile, at a dinner gathering. He was wearing a prototype with a vibrant green seconds-hand! This piece really spoke to me with its wonderful lume and unique dial. I knew I couldn’t miss out this time.

The Arrival

Leading up to October 17, the watch world was abuzz with a leaked ad from Patek Philippe about their upcoming "Cubitus" announcement. But for me, the real concern was whether DHL would deliver my package from Switzerland on time. Luckily, the stars aligned, and my package arrived right on schedule.

I was overjoyed with my brand-new timepiece! As for the "Cubitus" release, the reactions were, well, mixed.

A Project, Not a Brand

To understand the Kollokium project better, I recommend the interview with the three founders by SwissWatchGang. In short, Amr Sindi, Barth Nussbaumer, and Manuel Emch were tired of brands relying on historical re-editions. They wanted to create something new—distinctly modern, yet still a watch, not an UFO.

Amr, Manuel and Barth interviewed by SwissWatchGang, each wearing a Kollokium Projekt 01

These three are no strangers to watch design. Barth has been an award-winning designer for over 20 years, known for works like the Petermann Bedat 1967 dead-beat seconds watch and the 2941 split-seconds chronograph. Manuel, a CEO with a reputation for turning around brands, has overseen projects like Louis Erard’s collaborations with Vianney Halter, Alain Silberstein, and Konstantin Chaykin. Amr is a seasoned watch collector and influencer, with collaborations with Armand Billard, Ophion, and Raketa under his belt.

Their journey began in mid-2020, a passion project years in the making. They refer to Kollokium as a project, not a brand, to maintain creative freedom without the usual constraints. All three founders have full-time jobs, so this has always been a side project.

Interestingly, the watch feels more Zurich than Geneva. The design is cutting-edge, with a vibe reminiscent of Berlin's art scene, rather than Geneva's more traditional style. Thus, the series is named "Projekt 01," with German engravings on the caseback as well. Both Manuel and Barth live in Zurich.

The name “Kollokium” comes from the German word Kolloquium, meaning the exchange of ideas. These watches are indeed the result of a collaborative effort among three like-minded friends with complementary skills.

A Modern Art on the Wrist

Post-war Brutalism, an architectural movement known for its raw materials and bold, imposing forms, inspired the Kollokium team. The steel case was made by casting, giving it an industrial look. There’s no bezel; instead, a cylindrical sapphire glass offers an unobstructed view of the dial, from the top and the side, which resembles a miniature cityscape.

The dial features 468 pins of various lengths, forming the hour markers. Each pin is manually inserted from the back, requiring significant effort. The baton-shaped hour and minute hands are complemented by a vibrant green seconds hand, making the watch surprisingly easy to read.

The three-sided crown symbolizes the three founders and mirrors the lugs’ curved shapes. Without the crystal, the case thickness is only 9.3mm. The upper crystal has a diameter of 38.5mm, while the bottom case is 40mm, making the dimensions suitable for most wearers.

The fabric strap is both secure and comfortable. It’s a closed strap, so there’s no risk of the watch slipping off, and it’s easy to adjust for a snug fit.

In short, it’s a mesmerizing piece of modern art that’s comfortable to wear!

Technical Specifications

The caseback bears a few German engravings: “Hergestellt in der Schweiz, Auglage von 299, Wasserdicht bis 5ATM, CH-Automatikuhrwerk,” translating to "Made in Switzerland, limited edition of 299, water-resistant up to 5 ATM, Swiss automatic movement."

The movement is the La Joux-Perret G101, boasting a 68-hour power reserve. Impressively, my watch's accuracy was stellar. Here’s the timing on a timegrapher:

Dial up: +7
Dial down: +6
12 up: -10
12 down: +6
Crown up: -1
Crown down: +3
Average accuracy: +1.8 seconds/day

Additional specifications of Projekt 01 variant "d":

Two-part die-cast 316L steel case
Cylindrical sapphire glass
Top sapphire diameter: 38.5mm
Bottom case diameter: 40mm
Total thickness: 11mm
Water resistance: 5ATM
Solid caseback
468 applied cylindrical markers with hand-painted Grade X1 Super-LumiNova (green emission)
Fluorescent green seconds hand

With variant "d," the water resistance was improved from 3ATM to 5ATM in response to user feedback.

Future Roadmap

The Kollokium project is organized by "Projekt" numbers, with each project having different variants. The variants are named when conceived and don’t necessarily release in the original order.

The friends and family release was variant “a” of Projekt 01. The public releases in May 2024 and October 2024 were variants "b" and "d," respectively.

The next release, variant “e” is planned for winter 2025 (most likely in January), followed by variant “c.”

Meanwhile, Projekt 02 is in development and will feature a completely different case and dial. Exciting times lie ahead for the Kollokium team and the many fans in the watch community.

This is definitely a watch for enthusiasts, and getting your hands on one isn’t easy. With only 597 pieces produced in one year so far, the volume is even lower than F.P. Journe’s. Be patient — follow Kollokium’s Instagram account, join their mailing list, and, if possible, engage with the founders. The Kollokium team is aiming to create fewer but slightly larger editions. Hopefully, you’ll find a future model you love and be able to snag one. Good luck!