The Nordic way – 5 of the best Scandinavian watch brands, and the models they are known for

Thor Svaboe

The Arctic is a tough environment with long dark winters, where the isolation breeds creativity and a certain strict code of design, whether they be the toughest tool watches or classic dress pieces in a Scandinavian pared-down aesthetic. Regardless of the style of watch, there is a design language that defines the Nordic region. Here are five of the best Scandinavian watch brands out there, and some of their best known models. 

5 of the best Scandinavian watch brands

Linde Werdelin Oktopus MoonLite – a tough tool with an astronomic twist

The masters of Nordic tools, Linde Werdelin, originate from Denmark, the southernmost country in this group of sub-arctic horology, well known for watches always shaped by function – and with a sharp eye for cutting-edge design and material quality. Never a classic shape or a cream-coloured lume plot, and all the better for it. Their brutalist chunk of a diver, the Oktopus has here been reimagined in their own alloy, ALW, which is half the weight of titanium, yet twice the strength of steel, due to an innovative surface treatment, making it large but feeling svelte. It is no small watch, at 44mm x 46mm with a 15mm height, but Linde Werdelin know a thing or two about ergonomics.

Inside rests a bespoke Linde Werdelin automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve, but the most interesting aspect of this version of the Oktopus is the moon phase complication. In the now classic LW style, the recognition of one of their dials is the lack thereof. Severely skeletonised, yet eminently readable thanks to large Roman numerals, and screwed down by a large black bezel on the tank-like case with a sapphire crystal.

The brilliant contrasting detail here can be found in the photorealistic moon phase complication at the base of the dial, with the goal of enabling divers to track the development of the moon phases and the impact on tides and ambient light, to plan night dives. The comfortable beast is, of course, dive-ready to 300 metres, and tested by freediver Jacques de Vos. Knowing Linde Werdelin, that most likely took place in the freezing waters of the North Sea.

Pricing and availability of the Linde Werdelin Oktopus MoonLite

RRP £11,000 excl.VAT, limited to 59 pieces.

One question for Jørn Werdelin

T+T: Can you tell us something about the Nordic inspiration behind your creations?

Jørn Werdelin: Absolutely — function and form, but we never tried to be Danish design but more Linde Werdelin, with a cultural heritage infused by Scandinavia and watchmaking.

S.U.F Helsinki – Sarpaneva for the people

Stepan Sarpaneva is a strong presence in Haute Horlogerie, known for his otherworldly case shapes, moon phase specialities and perforated skeletonised and lume-infused dials, bearing witness to unknown quantities of Nordic imagination. The winters in Finland are long and dark, which probably has something to do with the creative forces that originate in the small Nordic country, from architecture to product design.

In between running his eponymous brand and collaborating with MB&F and others, Sarpaneva also has an accessible sub brand, S.U.F Helsinki, SarpanevaUhrenFabrik. Strong, clean lines, and limited editions, designed and assembled by hand in the Finnish capital – with what they themselves aptly describe as a certain Finnishness. If this is it, we like it. A lot. 

The watches of S.U.F Helsinki have a style of their own, embodied in the stark nature of the field watch 180. This is a pared-back piece bereft of décor, with a super slim case of 8.9mm, a wrist-perfect 38.7mm diameter and 46.4mm lug to lug. The dials are pared-back monochrome, sunray finished or, my favourite, the feisty red Karpalo (cranberry). The watches have a slight structure to the painted dials and clean silver or black print in a scandi-noir typeface, unashamedly modern. Slim, exact sword hands and a lollipop seconds hand lend readability, and there’s a quietly small date at 3. This is housed in minimalist brushed and polished casework and run by an exact and slim Soprod A10 caliber movement with rhodium plating and perlage. For the pièce de résistance, you strap it to your wrist with a leather strap from the hides of nordic elk.

Pricing and availability of the S.U.F Helsinki

RRP €2728 incl.VAT

A question for S.U.F Helsinki

T+T: Can you tell us something about the Nordic inspiration behind your creations?

S.U.F Helsinki: SarpanevaUhrenFabrik is a Finnish watch brand that is Finland, through and through. Its limited edition, mechanical timepieces are designed and assembled in the heart of Helsinki by the Baltic Sea, with a style and build quality of distinctly Scandinavian pedigree. S.U.F is horology’s embodiment of a certain “Finnishness”: grit and determination known as Sisu.

Ole Mathiesen Royal Marine – strict elegance, by appointment to the Royal Danish Court

Here we have an example that stands out in this company, with not even a modicum of quirkiness. Instead, this is a delicate example of Nordic elegance. Ole Mathiesen A/S is a jeweller in Copenhagen, purveyor of the best of Swiss together with their own small selection of in-house branded elegance. This is best described as a regal version of Scandinavian mid-century modern design, oft copied, but never bettered. God is in the details, and they speak quietly in the Ole Mathiesen collection.

This is a new version of a piece from 1962, and has the potential of re-awakening the dress watch category from its 2020 slumber. We recognise the minimalist design cues today in everything from shopping centre brands to Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59, but this is not new in Denmark. The Royal Marine collection shown here in the reference OM2.37.A is housed in a thin case of only 8.6mm, with a Swiss ETA movement and the elegance of a 37mm diameter that becomes unnoticeable on the wrist, pure zen on black leather. Polished, thin applied hour indices make up the details on the silvered dial, a delicate date window at 3 o’clock and their classic logo at 12. The quietly spoken dial is protected by a convex sapphire crystal; a domed version would undoubtedly be considered too brash. The calming classic image of this Royal Marine reference speaks of a Nordic classic minimalist design language, with nothing superfluous — no frills, but simple perfection in the details.

Pricing and availability of the Ole Mathiesen Royal Marine

RRP DKK12,985

A question for Ole Mathiesen

T+T: Can you tell us something about the Nordic inspiration behind your creations?

OM: The inspiration for Ole Mathiesen watches is the classic, pure and understated Nordic expression – with a timely yet timeless design. Their main duty is simply to measure time.  

JS Watch Co Reykjavik – handmade Arctic precision

Here we have an example from the smallest watch manufacturer in the smallest capital of the smallest Nordic country furthest north, Iceland. Small of size, yet with a wall of fame including known collectors such as Ed Sheeran and Australia’s own Russell Crowe – with one of their pieces in Crowe’s auctioned collection as seen in our feature here. All watches are designed and hand-assembled in Reykjavik by the master watchmaker Gilbert O. Gudjonsson, with the management of fierce Vikings, if their Design and Marketing Manager’s intimidating name of Grimkell Sigurthorsson is anything to go by. The emphasis here is on traditional craftsmanship, small and medium sized cases and Swiss movements from Soprod, ETA and Eterna in their top-grade variants.

We all know the emphasis – especially in Europe — on smaller case sizes, and here is one of their perfectly sized but toughest offerings, the Sif N.A.R.T. It is a black PVD cased pure pilot’s watch by design. N.A.R.T. stands for North Atlantic Rescue Timer, as used by the Icelandic Coast Guard in freezing conditions. This is a compact watch with prevailing traditional Flieger details, with a twist. The case is 40mm, and with its 4mm sapphire crystal can withstand the pressure of 1000 metres. Supplied to the Coast Guard on a tough NATO strap, this civilian version has a black rubber strap, with orange stitching echoing the intricate detail work on the hands.

The dial is that of a simple tool, with large lume printed numerals, and a classic syringe handset. The hands are polished, lume-filled, with a super-sharp orange needle end on all three, including the classic lollipop seconds hand. The traditional sobriquet of JS Watch Co is present with the sweeping traditional logo, and has a perfectly placed date at 6 on a matching black background. The satisfyingly large crown is easy enough to operate even with gloves on, and winds and sets a Soprod M100 Top Grade automatic decorated movement, with blued screws and a rhodium-plated finish. A hand finished pilot’s tool watch with coast guard provenance and a 1000m diver spec from Icelandic viking heritage … you can’t get much tougher than this.

Pricing and availability of the JS Watch Co Sif N.A.R.T

RRP from USD$2350

E.C.A Denise Date – a Swedish diver with a shape of its own

The E.C.Andersson Watch Co is an established microbrand from Gothenburg – and our Swedish contribution in this Nordic showcase. The Calypso Denise, named after the submarine of Jacques Costeau, has been a successful model, and I seem to remember another publication likening the shape of the case to an upturned Viking ship. This is a great segue into the Nordic roots of E.C.A, though I’m seeing the shape of a chunky tank. This is the brand new Denise Date, and it has the same wide tracked, yet compact, 40mm body of their diver, the Calypso.

This 200m diver embodies a tough Nordic spirit, and something I have a strong respect for: a microbrand with integrity and a shape of its own. Instantly recognisable as a diver, with its bold domed crystal, 15mm thick body and 60-minute diver bezel, whereas the general proportions, save the height, are vaguely similar to a Rolex OP. The case is chunky with a bulletproof look, with the sharp bevelling details out-punching most micros. A screw-in crown is secure between swoopy crown guards, and this is the first E.C.A diver with a bracelet as an option, befitting for their flagship model. This is a serious-looking oyster-style with screw-in links and a new clasp with sliding micro adjuster. But what sets the Denise apart is the dial and the movement. The dial is surrounded by a lumed ceramic bezel with 60-minute markings and a compass feature. As dials go, this is a brilliant piece of independent and quirky tool watch design, lacquered black with a large matt white pointer date register at 6.

The movement has a central power reserve, so all four hands are stacked, lending depth to the dial. A polished red lacquer-filled stump of a hand denotes the power reserve, while the hour and minute hands are skeletonised and lume-tipped, securing the legibility with what is a clear dial bereft of unnecessary detail or text. Large silver framed lume-filled markers for the hours are pulled in from the rehaut, making legibility a priority. The bezel is both wide and curved to fit the domed sapphire, making for a compact chunky look, made sophisticated by the fat bevelled Rolex-esque lugs. I’m still seeing a tank, but a sophisticated one, and at 40mm x 46mm lug to lug, it shows great promise for comfort.

With a nicely decorated solid caseback befitting a 200m diver, the movement is not visible; it is their Caliber ECANE01. This is based on the Seiko NE57, in-house modified, and regulated in five positions. This is a nice twist on the normal ETA or Sellita spec drivetrain, and even at this price, I’ll happily trust this solid workhorse movement. Another mark of independent thinking that marks the Denise Date from E.C.A as being another sharp example of design born of a Scandinavian independent mindset.

Pricing and availability of the E.C.A Denise Date

RRP €990 on bracelet

A question for E.C.A

T+T: Can you tell us something about the Nordic inspiration behind your creations?

E.C.A: The Scandinavian way of design is clean, sophisticated, functional and durable. E.C.Andersson Watch Co. has embodied the Scandinavian design language, not by studying it, but as a given natural course.