Apiar – Paving the way- The Invenire
In the watch industry, modernity it’s a bit of an obscene word and this is because watchmaking it is a very traditional craft, any changes that can or might happen (even if they are good) are seen as disruptive.
When Quartz had an impact in the watch world, many brands suffered but we also saw a big spike in creativity, many of the designs and technologies that came out of Switzerland back then are still loved today by many of us, which means that pushing the bar is always a good thing.
This brings me to the new release from the UK base brand called Apiar. The brand started as a passion project from 2 friends which involved engineering, watchmaking and cutting-edge technologies as ingredients.
The watch we took for a ride was their new Invenire 1.0, not only this is a innovate watch in terms of construction but also in the way that you order it. Because of the additive technology or 3D printing that Apiar enjoys, the watch can be manufactured with a good array of configurations that would make you feel that you are wearing a ‘’piece unique’’. Let’s walk through the process and unveiled the experience as a whole.
The specifications.
The case dimensions are 1 of the 2 options that are ‘’standard’’ for the watch together with the movement, the Invenire is 39mm wide in diameter with a lug to lug of 47mm. That would be basically your canvas as the rest can be chosen individually, but the case as a raw part, is something that has a design of its own. It is made of grade 23 titanium and has this futuristic ‘’corne de vache’’ style, the more time you spend with the Invenire, the more traditional watchmaking styles can be found.
Coming back to the options, we can start with the side of the 2-part case or lattices, which can be shaped as Hexagon, Gyroid and X. The bezel can also be separated by 6 or 12 sides, once is chosen you can decide if the type of numerals: Arabic or Roman, and then the dial pattern which again can be matched to Hexagon, Striation or a more traditional ‘’Clous de Paris’.’ The Invenire comes in Racing Green, Engineering Orange, Oxford Blue, Henry Black and Onyx Grey.
The movement it is also something to highlight, inside the Invenire we can find an automatic La Joux-Perret G100 with of 68 Hours in one barrel, a great engine with a good power reserve to keep everything thin and tidy.
On the wrist
Wearing the Invenire is an experience of its own as it looks like any other watch out there, and that is before you decide which version to choose. We spend time with 2 models and although I had a quick time with them, I manage to appreciate the details such as the shapes of the lugs and sunken sapphire caseback that made the watch a special one.
The case is well under 12mm not counting the top of the crystal, and together with a weight of 52 grams, everything feels extremely light and comfortable.
From the head shot, there is a great amount of details coming from the case, bezel and dial, as soon as you tilt the watch to a side, the lattices make a big statement making the Invenire an industrial-unique tool watch that looks like no other.
The watch has also a good number of straps to choose from. Apiar is offering the Invenire with suede, leather and TPU that can match the dial and side of the case.
It is a good time to also highlight that a big part of the watch is made in the UK, considering the titanium construction and its difficulty, it’s a great achievement.
I manage to wear the Invenire at the office and doesn’t disappoint, might not be the most casual watch I’ve tried but there is a beauty inside all this new design language. Also, there is something intellectually pleasant in terms of the construction of the watch itself, the new manufacturing process is something that can define watchmaking in the upcoming years.
Conclusions
It is always great to wear something innovative in terms of design and manufacturing, it does make you appreciate the watch more. The Invenire is one of those watches with a great backstory. It is a successful attempt to find a new design language merging it with traditional accents such as guilloche patterns and roman numerals.
The case is something that really surprises you, not only by the weight but also how organic it looks, the grey finish of the titanium is something that gives a more industrial look which contrast nicely with more subtle polished hands, it is an exercise to achieve great quality with tight tolerances.
The Invenire is made to order and deliver in a time frame of 4 to 6 months with a 65% deposit at 1.1760 GBP (excluding VAT).
Technical Specification
Dimensions:
Case Diameter: 39mm
Case Thickness: 12.55mm including Crystal (11.3mm excluding)
Lug to Lug: 47mm
Lug Width: 22mm
Case Architecture:
Two Part Case Construction
Case Material:
Grade 23 Titanium (Ti6AL4V)
Watch Weight:
52 grams (Including strap)
Crystals:
Domed Front - Sternkreuz Domed Sapphire Crystal with AR Coating
Exhibition Back - Sapphire Crystal
Lume:
Tritec Swiss Super-Luminova YL C1 White
Water Resistance:
10 Bar (100m)
Movement:
Brand: La Joux-Perret
Version: G100 Version Soignée vis Bleues
Power Reserve: 68 Hours
Jewels: 24
Type: Automatic
Strap:
22mm to 18mm Taper
Dial:
Solid Brass Dial with Machined Central Guilloché
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