Anders & Co gives the AC2 Volcán a mechanical heart, while keeping its characterful flair

Tom Austin

Spend enough time around watch collecting, and you’ll notice a familiar pattern in the way many collectors think: mechanical good, quartz bad. Or at least, that’s how the conversation tends to be framed, but the reality is far less rigid than it once was. The old divide between quartz and mechanical has eased over time, replaced by a more relaxed approach to collecting, one where both can comfortably coexist, particularly in dress watches, where ease of use is often part of the appeal.

Quartz isn’t a compromise, and mechanical isn’t an automatic upgrade; they’re just two different ways of approaching the same idea. And when a brand is confident enough in its design, it doesn’t need to pick a side. That’s exactly what Anders & Co has done with the new AC2 Volcán Manual Wind. A watch that has, until now, lived as a quartz piece has been reworked as a manual-wind mechanical, not as a replacement, but as an alternative take on the same foundation.

It has been a busy few months for Sweden-based Anders & Co, and the AC2 has been the focus, initially releasing some lovely bold stone dials for it, followed quickly by a more reserved monochrome collection. With these, we identified that their dial choices clearly showed how in tune they were with what collectors want today, and the new model we’re looking at now, which runs on alternative power, supports that even further.

The case

One of the beautiful things about building a watch around a quartz movement is that you can afford to go pretty svelte with the proportions; quartz movements tend to be rather small, and as such, your case can be thin and thoughtfully proportioned. You would think, then, that the moment you introduce a mechanical movement into a case like that of the AC2, you have to compromise on some of those design considerations, and in the process, lose some of that flair it once had. Thankfully, however, this is certainly not the case here.

The AC2 Volcán’s hand-finished stainless steel case remains 37mm wide and keeps the lug-to-lug measurement at 44.6mm; of course, it’s still cushion-shaped, too, with those sumptuously polished case flanks that flow into the lugs, but there is one subtle difference between this and the quartz-powered model. It’s one whole millimetre thicker overall, increasing from 5.65mm to 6.65mm, which, I’m sure you will agree, is hardly a lot at all. This is almost entirely down to the addition of an exhibition caseback anyway. This has even gifted the case an extra 20 atmospheres of water resistance, taking it to a more usable 50 metres.

The dials

There are three dials available for the AC2 Volcán in its manual-wind guise, all of which are a bit different from what we’ve previously seen, bringing some texture to the forefront. First of all, there’s a metallic enamelled salmon dial, which offers a fresh look with some golden-tan coloured tones. Then there are two stamped dials, finished in a textured fumé grey and a crackled white.

Look more closely at the dial, and you’ll notice another subtle difference on this model that makes it stand out as the mechanical piece: the addition of a small seconds dial at six, something that was missing from the quart model. Small seconds dials always look good, and it’s a great choice to help lean into the watch’s dressy nature while showing a sweeping seconds hand that would be impossible for a quartz watch at this price range. Finishing off the dials are the same brushed dauphine hands, this time paired with polished, applied Breguet-style Arabic numerals, rather than the baton indices from before.

The movement

Flipping the watch over, it becomes all the more evident that it’s the mechanical model, displaying the ETA 7001 manually wound calibre through the exhibition caseback. The 7001 is a legendary, ultra-thin Swiss hand-wound mechanical movement known for its reliability and slim 2.5mm profile. It’s quite an old movement, dating back to the 1970s, originally made by Pesaux, but relabelled in 1985 when the company was acquired by ETA. Today, it remains a staple in the industry, powering several premium, ultra-slim watches, and this success is down to its considerable 42-45-hour power reserve while beating at a slightly slower-than-usual rate of 21,600 Vph.

The strap

Being a classic-looking piece, Anders & Co stick with the same recipe as the other AC2s in the range, opting for a high-quality black Italian leather strap finished with a crocodile pattern and closed with a stainless steel pin buckle. It’s a formal look, but it has to be said, straps like these are making their way onto more and more daily-wear style watches, so it fits the bill just fine.

The verdict

We already loved the AC2 Volcán in its battery-powered state, and the mechanical version, while I still believe quartz-only pieces have an important place in watch collecting, does elevate the model to a new level. Importantly, Anders & Co has not compromised on the important things, especially case size and proportions. Being just 1 millimetre thicker after introducing an exhibition caseback is quite impressive, especially considering the watch is still under 7mm thick, which means it’s still firmly sat in the slim dresswatch sector. The introduction of some dial texture is an interesting touch, too, adding depth and dimensionality and showing that the AC2 is quite a versatile watch indeed.

Anders & Co AC2 Volcán Manual Wind pricing and availability

The Anders & Co AC2 Volcán Manual Wind is made to order, with a limited number available at launch, and is available directly from the Anders & Co online boutique. Price: £1,517/18,950SK

Brand	Anders & Co
Model	AC2 Volcán Manual Wind
Case Dimensions	37mm (D) x 6.65mm (T) x 44.6mm (LTL)
Case Material	Stainless steel
Water Resistance	50 metres
Crystal(s)	Sapphire front and back
Dial	Salmon, white and grey
Lug Width	20mm
Strap	Black Italian croc-stamped leather, pin buckle
Movement	ETA 7001, manual wind
Power Reserve	~42-45 hours
Functions	Hours, minutes, small seconds
Availability	Made to order
Price	£1,517/18,950SK