While many watchmakers are content to outsource production and cobble together timepieces from existing stock parts, Undone Watches was founded on the principle of complete integration, keeping as much of its R&D, components production, assembly, quality control and fulfillment in-house as possible. Undone has succeeded in that, and as such has created a business around bespoke, made-to-order watches produced at a reasonable price thanks to a direct-to-consumer model. Now, the brand is taking its manufacturing know-how and using it to produce new special series of watches featuring some special dial colorways.
The Mystique series is based on Undone’s popular Urban line and features a 40mm bespoke case design — available with silver or with rose gold plating — and comes packing a hybrid mecha-quartz flyback chronograph movement from Seiko underneath. A domed crystal made from hardened glass and a rich caviar leather strap are both great retro touches. But the centerpiece of the Mystique is undoubtedly the radiant, sunburst dial patterns reminiscent of colorful dress watches from the 1960s.
They’re made by Undone through a labor-intensive 12-step process. The dial is stamped from a sheet of copper, then goes through guilloche and engine-turning processes to produce the sub-dials and sunburst effects. The watch is then electro-plated then painted in either in Eclipse (grey), Mercury (blue), Mars (red) and Neptune (green) then finished off with a final molding to give it an old-school domed look.
By designing and producing these complex dials on its own, Undone hopes to dispell the myth that expensive “Swiss made” watches that outsource so many of their parts and production have the market of luxury timepieces cornered. It proves a young, well-intentioned startup can come in and produce an exceptional timepiece from top to bottom at a price most people can actually afford.