Holthinrichs and The Horology Club pay tribute to Hong Kong with the lumetastic Concrete Jungle
Borna Bošnjak- The Holthinrichs x The Horology Club Concrete Jungle sports a lume-infused concrete dial with an oracle bone script.
- You’ll have a choice of two cases – either Holthinrich’s signature 3D-printed masterclass, or the more subtle CNC-machined variant – both in grade 5 titanium.
- The 3D-printed Lab case is limited to 50 pieces, while the Ornament case is limited by a two-week order window. Price: €3,850 (Ornament), €5,600 (Lab 3D-printed).
When it comes to high-end independents, many of them rely on age-old watchmaking techniques to achieve new-looking results – but not Holthinrichs. Sure, Michiel and co do follow some rules, but the brand’s collaboration with Hong Kong-based The Horology Club may be the best example of their avant-garde approach yet. Part of the Signature Ornament collection, the Holthinrichs x The Horology Club Concrete Jungle mixes concrete and lume, and gives you the option of a stunning, 3D-printed titanium case with truly unique lugs.
If you’re familiar with Holthinrichs’ ethos, you would’ve heard of their take on Le Corbusier’s béton brut – or “horlogerie brut”. The raw finish of the 3D-printed cases now extends to the dial, which the two hoped would play into the current trend surrounding natural stone dials, too. The textured, matte grey of the concrete surface uses a metal base.
But the real party piece is the lume, and the aspect of the dial that took by far the longest to develop. Holthinrichs mixed LumiNova into the concrete, resulting in a unique full-lume experience. The choice of material for the dial, as well as its luminescence, are both nods to The Horology Club’s Hong Kong home, as are the oracle bone script numerals. This Chinese script actually proved unusually difficult to execute right, as many of the finishes just didn’t give it the premium look you’d expect given the price point.
Despite the complex dial-making process, the result is quite subtle, as the whole look has been further simplified with a polished chapter ring instead of a graduated one. Well, subtle until you switch off the lights. What’s not subtle is the case design. Holthinrichs is renowned for its 3D-printed cases, and the latest innovation on that front is the Signature Lab collection. The twines of the curvaceous lugs describe their lyre shape, but are beautifully complex and airy.
The dimensions of the titanium case are also well-considered, coming in at 38.5mm in diameter, 9,85mm in height, and 46mm lug-to-lug. That’s pretty much spot-on for current tastes, but all the more impressive considering Holthinrichs was able to zero in on the dimensions so well while keeping the engineering intricate.
Of all the components, the Sellita SW300 in the back is one of the few not custom designed and manufactured, but it’s still modified with a Holthinrichs-specific rotor. It’s a 4Hz movement with a 50-ish hour power reserve – all pretty standard specs – though it is slimmer than the lower grade SW200, surely contributing to the under 10mm height measurement of the Concrete Jungle.
But don’t take it from me. You can hear the story of the Concrete Jungle’s creation straight from the horse’s mouth, as Johnathan from THC sits down with Michiel Holthinrichs, from the video above.
Holthinrichs Signature Ornament Concrete Jungle x The Horology Club pricing and availability
The Holthinrichs x Horology Club Signature Ornament Concrete Jungle is available in two variants. The Lab case is a limited edition of 50 individually numbered pieces, while the Ornament case will be limited to a two-week order period. Deliveries are expected in April 2025. Price: €3,850 (~US$4,100, Ornament), €5,600 (~US$5,900, Lab 3D-printed)
Brand | Holthinrichs |
Model | Signature Ornament Concrete Jungle x The Horology Club |
Reference | THC05T (Lab) THC06H (Ornament) |
Case Dimensions | 38.5mm (D) x 9.85mm (T) x 46mm (LTL) |
Case Material | Grade 5 titanium, 3D-printed or CNC-milled |
Water Resistance | N/A |
Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and rear |
Dial | LumiNova-infused concrete, metal base |
Bracelet and strap | Grey nubuck strap Additional Delugs rubber sailcloth strap with Lab model |
Movement | Sellita SW300, automatic |
Power Reserve | 50 hours |
Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds |
Availability | Limited to 50 pieces (Lab case) Two-week order window (Ornament case) |
Price | €3,850 (Ornament) €5,600 (Lab) |