The Anoma A1 plays with sculptural forms at accessible price points
Russell Sheldrake- A new microbrand, Anoma, makes its debut with the asymmetrical A1.
- Inspired by a piece of mid-century furniture, it’s manufactured to be pebble-like, powered by a small, automatic Sellita movement.
- It’s open to pre-orders now with the first 100 being individually numbered.
New watch brands seem to be launching every week now – and more and more of them are having fun when it comes to forms and aesthetic codes. Take the recent Toledano & Chan release that took direct inspiration from a specific window on a Brutalist building in New York. This new, young brand, Anoma, is going a similar route, but with very different inspiration.
The smooth, pebble-like triangular form pulls from a mid-century table designed by Charlotte Perriand, a designer who worked with Le Corbusier and has pieces displayed in museums around the world. This has led to the A1 taking on an incredibly sculptural feel with its smooth, rounded edges sitting jauntily on the wrist, with not a single straight line in sight.
I should make it clear: I have a connection to the founder of Anoma, Matteo Vianello, as we both worked together at A Collected Man for a number of years. So it’s great to see my old colleague stepping out and trying his hand at this. Considering his maverick taste when it came to collecting (he was the man who introduced me to Pierre Cardin watches), this left-field approach to design comes as no surprise to me.
To maintain the watch’s pebble-like appearance, the strap integrates directly into the underside of the case and does so using standard spring bars measuring 18mm, so there is plenty of choice if you want to change the strap out. The crown has also been concealed on the right-hand side of the case and is accessed from underneath. Still easy to use, but hidden when no setting or winding needs to happen.
The sector dial features even more triangles, with contrasting brushing and polishing giving some sense of depth around the structure of the printed sector lines and markers. Its blue is achieved through three layers of coloured lacquer, which gives the dial a two-tone feel. Finally, the Anoma A1 uses a Sellita SW100 movement, a clone of ETA’s 2671 and essentially the smaller variant of the venerable 2824/SW200. It sports the usual 4Hz beat rate, with a power reserve of up to 38 hours, though it does have a ghost date position given the A1 is a no-date watch.
Before the official release, Vianello was able to show the A1 prototype to a few collectors who have an appreciation for these asymmetrical timepieces. These included Alex Ghotbi, of Phillips who called the watch a “conversation starter” with a design that was “mature and well thought out”. Famed collector John Goldberger also got hands-on with it and had this to say afterwards: “The Anoma A1 has good proportions, well-executed details on the case, and a great two-tone lacquered dial. A great and comfortable watch to wear daily, on the left or right wrist.”
Anoma A1 pricing and availability
The Anoma A1 is available for pre-order now until July 6th, with the first 100 pieces being individually numbered. Price: US$1,650 (£1,300)
| Brand | Anoma |
| Model | A1 |
| Case Dimensions | 39mm (W) x 39mm (L) x 9.45mm (T) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 50 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Two-tone blue lacquer |
| Strap | Grey or sand-coloured leather, steel pin buckle |
| Movement | Sellita SW100, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 38 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes |
| Availability | Available for pre-order until July 6th, 2024 |
| Price | US$1,650 £1,300 |