WRYST is a watch brand founded by Jacques Fournier, a Swiss designer from Biel/Bienne, who grew up with a strong passion for watch designing. After having collaborated with some of the most renowned Swiss brands (Jacob&Co, Louis Erard, Bremont…) with his own consulting firm Horology Design he decided, in 2012, to create his own brand.
But what inspired Jacques in the making of the brand WRYST? For sure his passion for Extreme Sports and Motorsport, which he claims are the two pillars of the brand: just take a look at a WRYST‘s case or strap. The first one clearly declares his passion for fine mechanics and racing: it seems to have been worked out from the same CNC machinery that usually works racing bike and car parts. The hollows on the case remind me of the technique widely used by designers while lightening a car body.
His vision was also to create a luxury sport watch at an affordable price. The Airborne and Motors collections feature a DLC coated stainless steel case, a treatment that ensures a superior scratch resistance. The glass on the case is not a sapphire one, but a mineral K1 glass, shatter proof, that equips those watches made for professional use (it is being used for instance on Nite Watches or Glycine timepieces).
The WRYST brand features three collections: Motors Racing Sports, Shoreline Leisure Sports ed Airborne, all made in very limited numbers. They all sport a tounneau like case with a three counter chrono, powered by a Swiss quartz movement, 45mm wide and water resistant up to 100m, made in steel, DLC treated steel or gold, and a silicone strap, far more comfortable than a cautchouc one.
Last but not least, Jacques has made his first mechanical WRYST, the Automatic 2824 powered by an ETA 2824, whose rotor is made of rose gold, as are the crown, the links between the case and the silicon strap and the accents on the dial, made in just 50 pieces at a retail price of 2150£. An everyday sporty timepiece with a bold personality. Further info by visiting http://www.wryst-timepieces.com.
(Photo credit: courtesy of WRYST Timepieces)
Vincenzo E. @Horbiter®
