MICRO MONDAYS: The Genesis collection from Adam Benedict can actively help you to feel less stressed

What is the main purpose of a watch? Many would say it’s to simply tell us the time. But I think there are too many collectors out there that would beg to differ. In many ways, to them, the true purpose of a watch tends to be quite a personal thing. With that in mind, could a watch end up being the catalyst for the betterment of someone’s life? This seems to be the question the brand Adam Benedict is trying to answer with their release, the Genesis collection.

The brand was founded by Adam Lassner. In a conversation with his father in 2019, he was presented a watch with the name Benedict on the dial. That started a deep dive into his family history where he soon realized the rich watchmaking history they had. It started in the 1800s with Baruch Reinin and the B.Reinin clock and watch manufacturer run out of Moscow, Russia. It then continued with Reinin’s grandson (Mr. Lassner’s great-uncle) Leon Zuckermann, who ran Benedict watch company in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. This, and a trip to the factory’s old location, led him to create the brand Adam Benedict.

The Genesis on first observation seems to be a very minimalist, simple quartz watch. It comes in a simple stainless-steel case with a perfect 2:1 ratio of overall width to lug width. 40mm and 20mm, respectively. Thickness is only 11mm with the overall case providing 100 metres of water resistance. As for finishing, the cases are to be completely brushed, which should give them a great everyday wear appeal.

Moving in from the case we are presented with an interesting dial. Coming in four variations, we have the Genesis 01, the Genesis 02, the Genesis 03 and the Genesis 04.  The dials are black, silver, grey and green, respectively, with all featuring the same applied hour markers. These then lead to the seconds/minute markers near the center of the dial. And it’s here we find the genesis of the Genesis.

As it happens, Adam Lassner is a big proponent of meditation and breathing exercises. These two things played a large role in him coping with the negative effects of the pandemic. Therefore, when he decided to create the brand, beathing needed to play a large roll in the design. He settled on incorporating one of the optimal breathing ratios into the seconds/minute track. Every ten seconds, you have four seconds labelled one colour, letting you know how long to inhale. The remaining six seconds, in a different colour, lets you know how long to exhale. Which means anyone wearing the watch has a visual cue t0 keep them centered throughout the day.

Powering the watch is a Swiss Ronda 704 quartz movement, stated to run anywhere from -10 to +20 seconds a month. Though I know many would prefer an automatic movement, the quartz movement keeps things affordable and reliable while Adam Benedict works towards an SW200-powered version in the future.

Finally, the watch is secured to the wrist with an Italian leather strap. An additional NATO-styled strap will be included in the package as well.

I’ll be the first to admit that on first glance, I didn’t understand the appeal of this watch. It’s a simple quartz piece I feel some wouldn’t pay any mind to. Yet, as I came to understand what it is the founder and watch are trying to accomplish, it’s hard to separate it from so many other things we use to help us destress and center our lives. From the $3 stress ball to the thousands we spend on vacations, we’re all looking to return to a state of calm every time the world throws itself at us. I’m all for a watch that aspires to do the same.

The Adam Benedict Genesis collection pricing and availability:

The Adam Benedict Genesis collection will launch on their website on June 13th. The launch price is $295 USD, with each version being limited to only 50 pieces each.