MICRO MONDAYS: The Arken Instrumentum is a titanium tough and future-proof debut

Thor Svaboe

The Arken Instrumentum ref. 1020 might be exactly what you’re after if you are feeling the need for something rugged and fiercely contemporary. With the strong looks of a resilient tool watch, the 300m depth rating of this debut tough guy means it’ll take a beating and live to tell the tale on your post-pandemic adventures.

The case itself might look like a large and imposing weapon, but at 40mm it’s pretty much within the Goldilocks sphere of 2021 trends. At a short 46mm lug to lug with a slender 11.5mm case, the Instrumentum is a tool watch refreshingly free from mid-century style cues, instead speaking a tough yet understated design language very much of today.

The smooth, blasted titanium surface will be silken to the touch, and a delicate contrast to the bold lines. I do enjoy when a new small brand has the guts to stick with an integrity of line, as Kenneth Lam of Arken is showing us here.

I do see a hint, maybe even a cheeky nod, to the Vacheron Overseas in the bracelet links, a bracelet which is a dramatically tapering affair that looks like a tank track, while knowing how light the titanium will feel on the wrist. Add a ratcheting diving extension, and this is a serious value proposition. Unlike most small brands, Arken has created not just a tacked-on bracelet with a so-so end link, but proper integration, moving the Instrumentum up into a different league of micro-brands.

I’m feeling the Instrumentum name, too, because I sure am getting an instrument-like tool vibe, with the particular strong side-protected case shape and that broad smooth bezel. The closest comparison might be one of the diving tools of Sinn, and that’s nothing if not a whopping compliment. The bezel’s deeply serrated notches invite even a gloved hand to grasp and feel its solid 60-click movement, and proper diving intent is made possible through the strong Swiss lume in the 12 o’clock pip.

That illumination is made possible through the bright BGW9 and C3 Dual-Luminova, easily visible through a light blue on the sharp hands and hour markers, while the 12 o’clock pip and seconds lollipop hand glow a fresh green.

The crown sits squat and well protected within shallow but broad crown guards, and the dial is yet another example of Kenneth at Arken being an inspired designer. The 12, 3 and 9 are droplet-shaped hour indicators generously dabbed with lume, while these and the other circular indexes are tied together with a crisp ring creating an interesting shape-play against the broad sword and spear hands, and an outer minute track that interlinks with each hour. Under the bonnet, the watch is powered by the reliable Miyota 9015 calibre, proven to be damn close to COSC straight out of the box.

With the Arken Instrumentum there is an integrity of design that seems strong enough to father an entire family of watches, so I will be watching the next chapter with great interest. Joy is also to be found in discovering the cohesion of small details within what is a chunky tool with the lightness of titanium, and an identity all of its own in a world of vintage similes. At a pre-order price of $500 USD, with a numbered one of 300 case, the value here is undeniable.

The Arken Instrumentum, price and availability:

The Arken Instrumentum is available for the pre-order price of $500USD on a bracelet

For more details, visit Arken right here.

 

Made in partnership with the Arken Watch Company. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own in accordance with our Editorial Policy.