Freedom 60 34mm White - Rusty Norlando Strap Ref. N2800S82A/W281

Since beginning, indie brand Norqain unveiled the Freedom 60 collection - a true heritage design that harks back to the sixties where wristwatches are becoming in vogue. It is especially so with rugged watches that allows one to wear it for adventures and exploration. Think iconic timepieces like the Seiko Alpinists and the Rolex explorer (the 30s-40s Oyster Everests). Once you get the picture we know their “free” spirit echoes within what the Freedom 60 timepieces are about. Catering not only for men, the brand breaks the masculine barrier with equal offerings for the ladies, and what we about to introduce is one good contender. Developed as an 60s all-rounder throwback watch, the Norqain Freedom 60 34mm White delivers some exciting elements in its vintage design and overall character, echoing a powerful yet incredibly refined visuals, ready for a lifetime of adventures the watch is intended for. At its modern core, the Freedom 60 Ladies White presents an understated three-hander design, executed to a high level of detail in every aspect.

Norqain Freedom 60 34mm White - Rusty Norlando Strap Ref. N2800S82A/W281

Founded by CEO Ben Küffer in 2018, family-owned and fully-independent Luxury watch manufacturer Norqain is based in Nidau (Bienne) at the heart of the Swiss watch industry. Built on the abundance of experience and deep ties in the Swiss watchmaking industry of founder Ben Küffer and the Küffer family, Norqain explores the brand’s passion for Swiss mechanical watches with a bold sense of authenticity, uniqueness and rebellious character trait for those who are not afraid to carve their own path in life. Despite being on the market for a relatively short span of time, Norqain has brought a huge shake up in the luxury Swiss watch manufacturing industry, rapidly growing with an impressive range of creative dial designs and performance-driven Swiss mechanics.

Crafted out of 316L stainless steel, the case of the Norqain Freedom 60 34mm White feels just like what you’d expect to get from an all-dial sports watch, from its excellent finishes to the gentle curves and pleasing proportions. Coming in with a diameter of 34mm, a lug to lug distance of 40mm and a case thickness of 10.7mm, these dimensions welcome a whole range of wrist sizes with a comfortable and versatile fit while at the same time, showing off a fair dose of wrist presence indicating that the watch means business.

Excellent finishes to the gentle curves and pleasing proportions dial

For the most part, the case is meticulously finished with high polished finishing across the top of the curved lugs and the side of the stepped-case. However, a closer look reveals a highly-polished along the elegant lugs, reflecting on the brand’s close attention to detail to ensure no expenses were spared despite being a rather young brand. Keeping in line with the rest of Norqain’s timepieces, Norqain’s distinctive screw-on polished plate rests at the left side of the case. The watch is presented on an 16mm Norlando strap with the characteristic “NORQAIN stitches”, resembling mountain tops, also for a vintage look.

As an all-dial watch, the Norqain Freedom 60 34mm White unveils an iridescent white dial, bestowing two different textures. On the outer surface is done in matte, allowing great legibility for the applied hour markers. It is then separated with an inner dial with special ridged pattern, where it dances mesmerisingly depending how the lights hit the surface.  It definitely brings a great deal of opulence and depth to the dial. The finer details just gets more impressive with a set of full-polished handsets, reflecting on the brand’s incredible mastery in watchmaking. For added functionality, the framed date window sits nicely at 6 o’clock, bringing a sense of balance and a compelling look. To top it all off, the dial is protected by a scratch resistant retro box-shaped sapphire crystal, treated with double anti-reflective coating for an ultra-clear view of this magnificent dial.

Meticulously finished with high polished finishing case

Under the hood, the Norqain Freedom 60 34mm White belies the Norqain Caliber NN09 Swiss-made automatic movement, a reliable workhorse engine based on the well-regarded ETA 2824. Running at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) with a power reserve of 38 hours. The time and date is adjusted through its screw-down crown made out of 5N red gold.  The movement can be viewed at the back of the watch through a sapphire exhibition caseback, revealing the inner workings of this magnificent movement and a custom Norqain rotor in all its glory.

The Norqain Freedom 60 34mm White will always have a spot in the hearts of the ladies, who are like their men counterpart, a watch enthusiast. Sure, it takes inspirations and design cues from the past, but the modern take by Norqain is so different that I think it has real merit and deserves consideration. It managed to deliver greatness in just about all aspects of a perfect every-occasion timepiece. With the brand continuously bringing modern interpretations of these classic models, the Freedom 60 carries on the proud legacy of an golden era with welcoming modern upgrades achieved with watchmaking excellence.