The Horage Supersede Date shows off the true meaning of Swiss-made
Jamie WeissHorage is one of the most interesting and technically competent independent watchmakers in Switzerland. Founded by husband-and-wife team Andreas Felsl and Tzuyu Huang, Horage is the sister brand of well-known independent movement manufacturer THE Plus. The Supersede is their latest and greatest luxury sports watch creation: a handsome and remarkably thin piece powered by Horage’s impressive K2 micro-rotor movement. The first Supersede to hit the market was the Supersede GMT, which Horage has now followed up with the Supersede Date: a simpler and more water activity-focused piece that forgoes a GMT complication in pursuit of a fresh summer look.
The case
At only 10.28mm thick, the Horage Supersede Date cuts a remarkably thin profile, and despite its sporty intentions, fits easily under a cuff. Its slightly boxy, angular case features a pleasant combination of brushed and polished surfaces, which beautifully frame its all-metal unidirectional diving bezel. The bezel is particularly nice: its chunky double-stacked knurling resembles a cascade of steel bullion, or the peaks of chocolate blocks if you really want to lean into a Swiss metaphor. At 39mm in diameter, it’s on the compact side: its 46.29mm lug-to-lug width does balloon that out a bit, but its exceptionally flat form and delicately angled lugs help it avoid being a dinner plate on the wrist.
The dial
Where the Supersede Date has lost a second hour hand, it’s gained a pair of delightful new dial finishes. While the Supersede GMT features simple matte black, white and grey dials, the Supersede Date features two tasty new sunburst dials: a ‘Cenote Blue’, inspired by the beautiful water-filled limestone sinkholes of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula; and a ‘Black Coral’, inspired by the soft deep-water corals of the Caribbean often worked into jewellery. As these new aesthetic touches suggest, the Supersede Date might be just as water-resistant (200m) and just as thin (10.28mm) as the Supersede GMT, but it’s definitely positioned as a sportier, more aquatically-focused piece.
The Horage Supersede Date features a generous amount of Swiss-made Super-LumiNova across its indices and hands as well as on the bezel’s arrow pip, the latter of which is green while the rest of the watch’s lume is blue. Despite the relatively narrow indices, the Supersede Date glows bright – another feather in its proverbial cap that helps it meet that dive or sports watch brief. A relatively large date window at 3 o’clock completes the package: the Black Coral model date wheel is colour-matched, while the Cenote Blue’s is white with black numerals. That’s a bugbear of mine, brands bothering to colour-match date wheels for some dials and not others… But it’s not a deal-breaker.
The strap
The Horage Supersede Date comes mounted on either a steel integrated bracelet or an FKM rubber strap. I had the chance to try the Horage Supersede Date on the latter and I have to say, it’s one of the most supple rubber straps I’ve ever experienced. Thin and slightly filleted, robust yet pliable, it’s a big selling point. The bracelet is available with either polished or brushed centre links and features a micro-adjustment-capable clasp, which is another big selling point.
The movement
While the Horage Supersede Date isn’t a GMT watch, it retains some of the Supersede GMT’s DNA. Namely, it features an interesting jump-set hour feature, evocative of a GMT watch: when the crown is pulled out halfway, it can be rotated clockwise to advance the hour hand (with a satisfying click, it must be said), and rotated counterclockwise to advance the date window. Not only does this reduce wear on the crown, but it also helps the Supersede Date fulfil the brief as a travel watch, even if it has shed its GMT complication.
The Horage Supersede Date’s most attractive feature, however, is its K2 micro-rotor movement. A stunning piece of art, it features hand-applied côtes de Geneve, grid-motif bridges and a gold-plated tungsten micro-rotor. For an additional CHF 1,200, customers can upgrade to a PT950 platinum rotor, if they want an extra little bling (although the gold-plated tungsten rotor already looks pretty luxe).
The verdict
Really, the raison d’etre for the Horage Supersede Date is that it’s a simplified, slightly more affordable take on the Supersede GMT that still offers all of that watch’s most impressive features, namely its exceptional aesthetics, refinement and movement. I’m an absolute sucker for a GMT watch – it’s my favourite complication – but the Horage Supersede Date is such a sporty, compelling package that I can forgive it for ditching the GMT module. I just wish I could’ve taken it diving in Mexico.
Horage Supersede Date pricing and availability
The Horage Supersede Date is available for pre-order from September 12th to November 2023. Horage has indicated that the first 30 sold will ship within 14 days, and the remaining will ship in November 2023. Price: starting from CHF 4,900.
| Brand | Horage |
| Model | Supersede Date |
| Case Dimensions | 39.5mm (D) x 10.28mm (T) x 46.29mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | 904L stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 200 metres, screw-down crown |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Cenote Blue or Black Coral |
| Lug Width | Integrated |
| Strap | Steel bracelet w/micro-adjustment FKM rubber strap w/steel hardware |
| Movement | K2, in-house, micro-rotor, COSC, silicon escapement |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, jump-set hour |
| Availability | Pre-order from September 12th |
| Price | CHF 4,900 |