Value Proposition: Dietrich 1969 – Avant-Garde Timekeeping for a Fun Price

At Baselworld I’m always running (OK, speed-walking) from one meeting to the next, in order to see all the brands that we like to cover for you here, on Monochrome Watches. One of the last days of the fair I’m being stopped by a friend who shows me some watches and introduces me to the owner of the brand. The watches look pretty awesome, and features some recognizable design cues. And the pricing is at least as cool as the watches. Meet the Dietrich 1969 watches!

Despite being in a hurry, I took a few minutes to talk with brand founder, owner, designer and an overall nice guy, Emmanuel Dietrich. He told me that had been working on his watches for several years, designing the proper looks, and finding the suppliers who can deliver the quality that he was looking for. Dietrich explained me that the latter had been the most difficult challenge, as he was looking to deliver a quality level that might be expected from a Swiss brand. So although Dietrich 1969 uses Japanese Miyota calibres that for instance Seven Friday uses, he wanted everything manufactured and finished to Swiss standards. And in that he succeeded!

As mentioned in the intro, the Dietrich 1969 watches feature some recognizable design cues. That’s due to the use of the Myota 82-S-7 movement, that is the exact same movement as used in the SevenFriday watches. So there’s an open view on the escapement from the dial side, there’s a star shaped seconds indicator (we cannot call this a second hand) and a skeletonized 24h second time zone indicator. The 4 layered dial comprises a first and third layer in sun-brushed finish, and a second and fourth layer featuring a vertical brushed finish. The sapphire crystal comes with anti-glare coating on the underneath side; a feature that is usually not found on watches of this price level (€ 1.290-Eur).

About Emmanuel Dietrich: After graduating from the prestigious Parisian design school Ecole Boulle with a degree in interior design, he designed watches, jewelry, furniture and various other items for prestigious names such as Louis Vuitton, Hermès and Cartier. After 20 years of doing so he decided to dedicate his creativity and experience towards his own brand of watches: Dietrich 1969.

Through fluid lines and organic shapes, Dietrich has managed to create a collection of so-called Organic Time companions; that’s where the names of the first three models comes from: OT-1, OT-2 and OT-3. Organic Time 1 (OT-1) has a black PVD coated case frame and a stainless steel case; OT-2 is entirely black PVD coated and OT-3 has no PVD coating. Each version has its own colour scheme, featuring luminescent “Superluminova” on hands, the 24-hour indicator and indexes. The indexes are printed underneath the sapphire glass and are again something that you won’t find on any other watch of this price level.

The case dimensions sounds rather impressive, however on my average sized wrist it really isn’t too big. That’s mainly due to the construction of the case frame and case that is attached inside the frame. This construction allows to easily change Nato straps and makes it a comfortable watch on the wrist. In the photos below you’ll find a side view of the case frame, which explains a lot.

Photos are courtesy Ace Jewelers, who are official retailer for Dietrich 1969.

More info: www.dietrich.watch