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After our successful crowdfunding campaign, we are now glad to be on Indiegogo In-demand to offer pre-sales. Watches are currently in production and delivery will start according to our planning (see further below).
If you don't know yet our story: At Wolbrook, we are here to share and continue with you an adventure that started more than 70 years ago! Hear us out!
Maximilien - Mission Commander, Wolbrook Watches
THE CAMPAIGN IS NOW CLOSED.
SEE YOU ON OUR WEBSITE: www.wolbrook.com
CONTACT US / NOUS CONTACTER : https://www.facebook.com/wolbrook or / ou https://www.instagram.com/wolbrook
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A. WOLBROOK ORIGINS
In 1949, WOLBROOK watches and its sister brand DOUGLAS watches were born. Their most distinguished timepiece was a special tool-watch from the 1960s, nicknamed the SKINDIVER “WORLDTIMER” by collectors. With advertising in Life, Time, and Esquire magazines, these “incredible” watches – as they were called in the headlines - were renowned for their water resistance and were in fact sold in a water-filled container.
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Esquire Advertising June and July 1974 - Note: $19.95 USD would be around $350 to $450 in 2020, if you consider factors like currency appreciation, increased costs of labor and raw material.
Then the “Quartz Crisis” in the 1970s happened…
B. A UNIQUE TOOL-WATCH FROM THE 1960s
A DOUGLAS Skindiver “Worldtimer” from the 1960s, owned and worn by a legendary test pilot, astronaut and engineer was recently auctioned and its authenticity was confirmed (Source: Heritage Auction). This tool-watch was worn by engineers and test pilots.
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A 1960s Skindiver tool-watch was recently auctioned and its authenticity was confirmed
The 1960s Skindiver “Worldtimer” was a solid, water-resistant and highly legible timepiece with luminous markers and hands, large sweep second hand, distinctive hour and minute hands, time zone, elapsed time and 24 hours indicators. This mix of features from a diving watch and a pilot watch makes it the kind of tool-watch “a NASA engineer and test pilot” would personally choose and wear.
A test pilot flies countless aircrafts through his career. The fact that his Skindiver could accompany him in a cockpit is highly probable but which one is impossible to know and leaves a part of mystery. This is where history stops and the legend starts…
C. WOLBROOK & DOUGLAS: THE TWO SISTER BRANDS
WOLBROOK and DOUGLAS brands were two sister brands birthed in the 1940’s. To be more accurate WOLBROOK was the "mother" brand and DOUGLAS was the "daughter" brand, as inside DOUGLAS watches the movements and parts were signed WOLBROOK. This practice was common, with other renowned watch brands in the 1960s, where cases, movements and parts were shared among sister brands.
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Vintage Douglas and Wolbrook from the 1960s
Under WOLBROOK brand, DOUGLAS watches will embody the professional line; with key features like Hesalite glasses. DOUGLAS timepieces (the "Skindiver WT Pro" during this campaign) will use essential colors for bezels and dials while WOLBROOK ones (the "Skindiver WT Auto" and the "Skindiver WT Mecaquartz" during this campaign) will use more flamboyant combinations. Once more the dials will be signed Douglas while the other components will be signed WOLBROOK.
With your help our mission is to bring back the Skindiver "Worldtimer" and Wolbrook as an independent watchmaker and a viable company to offer continuous support for yesterday's watches and to develop the ones of tomorrow's.
D. THEY MENTIONED US
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Check our watches on:
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Skindiver WT Auto with beads of rice bracelet
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After being asleep for 50 years, WOLBROOK is being resurrected in France and once again these “incredible” SKINDIVER watches will be assembled there. To lead the way and to commemorate and celebrate mankind’s incredible achievements, with the X-15 and the Apollo 11 programs, the Skindiver “Worldtimer” is re-edited in 3 versions:
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See the details and other color combinations further below.
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A. SKINDIVER WT PROFESSIONAL - X-15 EDITION
1. The X-15: The NASA Ultimate Hyper-sonic Rocket-Powered Aircraft
At the premises of the space race, before men looked up to the Moon, the first frontier was outer space. In 1960, to carry on aerodynamic researches, NASA engineers defined the requirements for an ultimate plane: a hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft capable of near space flight. The X-15 program was born.
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The X-15: The NASA Ultimate Hypersonic Rocket-Powered Aircraft. Here attached to a B-52 Mothership. PHOTO CREDIT: NASA
From 1959 to 1968, through 199 flights reaching the maximum altitude of 107.8 km (67.0 mi) and the top speed of 6,206 km/h (3,856 mph) the NASA X-15 planes laid the ground work for spacecraft navigation. The 12 test pilots from the program were from the US Air Force and NASA, among these audacious and highly skilled pioneers where the man who would set the first foot on the Moon in 1969.
The Skindiver WT Professional tool-watch X-15 Edition celebrates this incredible plane by featuring an engraving of the X-15 aircraft on its caseback, the iconic aeronautical industry line: “The proof is in the flying”.
2. Skindiver WT Professional – Specs
With an Hesalite glass, 5 color combinations and an automatic Citizen / Miyota movement, this version is the most faithful reedition for the watch passionate and space conquest fan. Like all professional line watches from WOLBROOK, these models boast DOUGLAS logo on the dial. We use three layers of pure C7 Super-LumiNova Lume which is the best solution without killing the daytime look.
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The Skindiver WT Pro is numbered and limited to 1969 pieces.
3. Skindiver WT Professional Combos
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Each Combo is numbered and limited to 1969 pieces. The watch and bracelet combos are fixed. As it's too heavy logistic wise, the watch comes with the strap presented above by default. If you wish another bracelet, it is possible to add an additional one.
4. FOCUS ON: Hesalite, The Space Glass
While the WOLBROOK watches are fitted with scratch-proof sapphire crystals, the DOUGLAS - Skindiver WT Pro - models are equipped with an Hesalite glass. While the harder and more resistant to scratches sapphire crystal is a great choice for everyday adventures on earth, Hesalite glass has critical properties for space explorers.
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The Skindiver WT Pro is equipped with an Hesalite glass
Starting with the Apollo program, NASA selected and provided watches to its astronauts that were sporting Hesalite glasses. Why? Hesalite has high impact resistance and does not shatter as glass does. In zero gravity, the possibility of having tiny bits of glass floating around in the cabin was considered an unnecessary risk for the crews and their spaceships heading to the Moon.
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5. FOCUS ON: Miyota 8215 Automatic Movement
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In-house modified Miyota 8215 with a “roulette” style date disk and a solid movement holder
The in-house modification of the Miyota 8215 with a “roulette” style date disk – red for even days and black for odd ones on white background – and a setting of the 8215 at a tolerance of ±15 seconds per day (against -20/+40 when delivered by Miyota) are concrete examples of the uncompromising willingness to do things properly from what can be seen to what is barely observable.
Why choose the Miyota 8215? We selected the 8215 as it's an acclaimed work-horse movement and a consistent choice with the tool-watch spirit we want to achieve while making sense on the industrial side: secured access for us (lead time and quantities) and can be modified in-house easily with a custom date disk "roulette" style and later on could be turned into a hand-wound only, etc... Higher specs movements would have increased the price, added availability risks or make the adventure a one-shot which is incompatible with our goal to bring back Wolbrook watches as a viable company.
6. Skindiver WT Professional on the Wrist
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Wrist size on the picture is 18.5cm. The straps presented are optional.
B. SKINDIVER WT AUTOMATIC
1. Celebrate The Moon Landing of 1969
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While walking on the Moon was quite something, successfully and manually land (on the Moon) the Lunar Module baptized Eagle was one of mankind's greatest achievements. PHOTO CREDIT: NASA
On the SKINDIVER WT AUTOMATIC watch APOLLO 11 EDITION, we celebrate and honor this endeavor with a case-back engraving of the Lunar Module “Eagle” in the landing configuration with both ascent and descent stages.
2. Skindiver WT Automatic – Specs
With a sapphire glass box crystal, 12 color combinations and an automatic Citizen / Miyota movement, this version is the modern reedition for the everyday gentleman. On the dials using white and vintages indexes, three layers of BGW9 Super-LumiNova Lume are applied. On the dials using green indexes, three layers of pure C7 Super-LumiNova Lume are applied which is the best solution without killing the daytime look.
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Each Combo is numbered and limited to 1969 pieces.
3. Skindiver WT Automatic Combos
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Each Skindiver is numbered and limited to 1969 pieces. The watch and bracelet combos are fixed. As it's too heavy logistic wise, the watch comes with the strap presented above by default. If you wish another bracelet, it is possible to add an additional one.
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Each Skindiver is numbered and limited to 1969 pieces. The watch and bracelet combos are fixed. As it's too heavy logistic wise, the watch comes with the strap presented above by default. If you wish another bracelet, it is possible to add an additional one.
4. FOCUS ON: Double Dome Sapphire Crystal
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Double dome sapphire with outer cyclops lens above the date and inner anti-reflective coating
The Skindiver WT Automatic is fitted with a double-domed scratch-proof sapphire crystal with an outer cyclops lens above the date window and inside anti-reflective coating. This is the very best of watchmaking in terms of sapphire crystals.
5. Skindiver WT Auto on the Wrist
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Wrist size on the picture is 18.5cm. Some of the straps presented are optional.
C. SKINDIVER WT MECAQUARTZ
1. Celebrate the 1st Moon Take-Off
On the SKINDIVER WT MECAQUARTZ wrist-watch APOLLO 11 EDITION, we celebrate and pay tribute to the successful take-off from the Moon with a case-back engraving of the Lunar Module “Eagle” in the taking-off configuration with the ascent stage only.
2. Skindiver WT Mecaquartz – Specs
With a flat sapphire crystal, 6 color combinations and a sweep second Mecaquartz movement from Seiko, this version is the present-day interpretation for the daily adventurer. On the dials using white and vintages indexes, three layers of BGW9 Super-LumiNova Lume are applied. On the dials using green indexes, three layers of pure C7 Super-LumiNova Lume are applied which is the best solution without killing the daytime look.
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Each Combo is numbered and limited to 1969 pieces
3. SKINDIVER WT MECAQUARTZ COMBOS
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Each Combo is numbered and limited to 1969 pieces. The watch and bracelet combos are fixed. As it's too heavy logistic wise, the watch comes with the strap presented above by default. If you wish another bracelet, it is possible to add an additional one.
4. FOCUS ON: Seiko VH31 Mecaquartz Movement
The Seiko VH31 movement is a quartz movement with a sweeping central second hand moving in 1/4 of second increments which is similar to the one of a mechanical movement. The result? The best of both worlds: a watch with a sweeping second hand that won't stop for at least 2 years (Approximately 2 years of battery life).
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Seiko VH31 - "Mecaquartz" movement, a quartz movement with a sweeping second hand
5. Skindiver WT Mecaquartz on the Wrist
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Wrist size on the picture is 18.5cm.
6. FOCUS ON: Assembled in France
WOLBROOK and DOUGLAS watches were originally assembled in France and Switzerland. With the recent rebirth of the centuries-old French watch industry and proven industrial viability, it made total sense for WOLBROOK watches to be made once more in France. All the Skindiver watches presented as reward in this campaign will be assembled in France.
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With assembly in France, Wolbrook goes back to its original roots
7. FOCUS ON: The Straps and Bracelets
All Wolbrook leather straps are using Italian and vegetable-tanned leather, meaning no chemicals were used in their processing. The best and right choice for your skin and our environment. On the launch of the campaign the following straps and bracelets are available:
a. One-piece 20mm nylon with leather parts
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Extra Nylon Strap with leather parts: Add 29€ / ~32$ to your pledge to get it as an additional strap.
Wolbrook nylon & leather one-piece watch strap is inspired by U.S. Military specifications and is available in black and army green with brown leather. Delivered in standard with the Skindiver WT Pro and the Skindiver WT Mecaquartz. Update: Dark blue color was a stretch goal, and it's now unlocked! Add 29€ / ~32$ to get it as an additional strap.
b. One-piece 20mm vegetable-tanned Italian leather
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Extra One-Piece Leather Strap: Add 39€ / ~43$ to your pledge to get it as an additional strap.
These one-piece leather watch strap is inspired by U.S. Military specifications and comes in black, brown, or camel colors. Delivered in standard with the Skindiver WT Automatic. Update: Dark blue color was a stretch goal, and it's now unlocked! Add 39€ / ~43$ to your pledge get it as an additional strap.
IMPORTANT UPDATE ON 2020.03.29: As these are made of vegetable-tanned Italian leather, they are now planned for the 1st week of June.
c. Two-Piece 20-16mm Vegetable Tanned Italian Leather Strap
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Extra Two-Pieces Leather Strap: Add 39€ / ~43$ to your pledge to get it as an additional strap.
With hand stitching in black, brown or camel colors. Optional and compatible with all the Skindivers. Update: Dark blue color was a stretch goal, and it's now unlocked! Add 39€ / ~43$ to your pledge get it as an additional strap.
IMPORTANT UPDATE ON 2020.03.29: As these are made of vegetable tanned Italian leather, they are now planned for the 1st week of June.
d. “American” / Pilot Plate
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Extra Bund Plate: Add 19€ / ~21$ to your pledge to get it as an additional item.
Made of vegetable-tanned Italian leather, in black, brown or camel colors. Optional and compatible with all straps. Delivered in standard with the Skindiver WT Pro. Update: Dark blue color was a stretch goal, and it's now unlocked!
IMPORTANT UPDATE ON 2020.03.29: As these are made of vegetable tanned Italian leather, they are now planned for the 1st week of June.
e. 20mm Mesh Band
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Extra Mesh Band: Add 49€ / ~54$ to your pledge to get it as an additional strap.
Optional and compatible with all the Skindivers. 316L Stainless Steel. The mesh is a stretch goal and will be available if we reach the funding level of 50K€. UPDATE: We reached the 50K€ funding level and thus these bands are available! Extra Mesh Band: Add 49€ / ~54$ to your pledge to get it as an additional strap.
f. Beads of Rice Solid Band
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Extra Beads of Rice Bracelet / Solid Band: Add 89€ / ~99$ to your pledge to get it as an additional bracelet.
The beads of rice bracelet is compatible with all the Skindivers tool-watches. 20-16mm width, 316L Stainless Steel, Riveted solid links and end-links, double lock deployant clasp with 5 micro-adjustment positions, and easy-bar system for quick strap change.
IMPORTANT UPDATE ON 2020.03.29: Unlike the watches, the beads of rice bracelet is more impacted in terms of delays. The extra development needed for this custom bracelet was slowed down by the Covid-19 situation, these are now planned for the end of June.
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Extra Beads of Rice Bracelet/ Solid Band: Add 89€ / ~99$ to your pledge to get it as an additional bracelet.
IMPORTANT UPDATE ON 2020.04.28: The beads of rice bracelet is now available in black PVD.
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Extra Black PVD Beads of Rice Bracelet / Solid Band: Add 99€ / ~109$ to your pledge to get it as an additional bracelet.
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Pre-production beads of rice bracelets on pre-production watch cases
g. Stretch Goal - "Tropic" Style Rubber Straps
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Extra Rubber Strap: Add 69€ / ~77$ to your pledge to get it as an additional strap.
Made of genuine natural rubber and inspired by the classic rubber Tropic strap from the 1960s in 20-16mm. Optional and compatible with all the Skindivers. Update: The black rubber strap was a stretch goal, and it's now unlocked! Add 69€ / ~77$ to your pledge get it as an additional strap.
IMPORTANT UPDATE ON 2020.03.29: The extra development needed for this custom strap has been slowed down, these are now planned for the end of June.
8. FOCUS ON: The Travel Pouch
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All the Skindiver Watches will be delivered with a travel pouch made of canvas and vegetable-tanned leather. Included with the purchase of any Skindiver.
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D. REWARDS SUM-UP & SPECIAL PACKS
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*Every watch includes the strap presented in chapter "III. THE RETURN OF THE SKINDIVERS". For logistic reasons, this strap is by default. If you would like another strap, you need to add it to your pledge.
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A. Watch Rolls
Wolbrook 4 slots watch roll is available in camel, blue and green canvas with brown vegetable-tanned leather. It can fit watches of 43mm diameter and smaller. Like our watches, it is closed by our signature buckle.
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Camel Watch Roll - Add 39€ to your pledge
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Camel Watch Roll - Add 39€ to your pledge
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Camel Watch Roll - Add 39€ to your pledge
B. Wolbrook Swiss Knife
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Available with the Pack 5 is the Wolbrook customized Swiss knife. (Not available separately or outside of this pack).
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Some straps or combo options require extra-costs for tooling and molding that are financially too heavy unless we reach certain funding levels or ordered quantities defined by the Stretch Goals.
Thanks to our backers, we have been able to unlock these extra options for straps and watch combos as follow:
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PHOTO CREDIT: NASA
We are watch industry veterans who are sharing a common passion for timepieces. With key in-house skills like design, engineering, components procurement and of course watchmaking, we have the know-how, the industrial solutions, the structure and the resources essential to craft quality timepieces and critical to the success of such enterprise. The team is composed of:
Maximilien - The passionate brain behind the rebirth and relaunch of Wolbrook and the guy with a French accent on the video and 8 years experience in the watch industry. He loves vintage watches - mostly mechanical but as occasional crush on quartz -, burgers, and cats but not mixed together. He hates the watch designs that make no sense.
Elva - Aka the "Big Chef" - She has 14 years of watchmaking experience and knows how to industrialize a watch concept like magic. With contacts in Switzerland, France, and China, she makes things happen anywhere, anytime. She loves lady timepieces from the 1960s. She hates cactus.
Daniel & Kenneth - Daniel learned design from Sir Dyson himself and takes care of the art direction while Kenneth, his magical side-kick, makes sure all design details work out. Kenneth's magical powers extend to photos and videos. Have you checked our Instagram?
Sean - Our engineer. Experienced. Smart. When you asked "Can we have a Hesalite glass box?" he answers "With inner or outer cyclops?". He likes molecular cooking.
Jessie & Amélie - In the trenches, they make sure the components suppliers deliver the expected quality on-time. They can spot a quality defect on a sapphire crystal like owls spot mice in pitch black from 50m. They love cheese fondue.
"Mouss" - Our head watchmaker taking care of the assembly of the watches with his team of watchmakers. He engineers watch movements in his spare-time.
Louis - Engineer and self-taught geek. He is our digital wizard. Words he hacked NSA on a lunch break once. Loves Serrano ham. Hates bad code.
Marion - Our admin person. On the ground, she battles with the French administration to get the company up and running. She likes Thai salads with Chicken meatballs. She hates when the chicken meatballs are forgotten in her salad.
Wolbrook & Douglas - Our two adopted stray cats. A mother and her daughter...
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A. GENERAL PLANNING
UPDATED ON 2020.05.09:
With more than 30 years watch manufacturing experience shared in the team (with direct Kickstarter or Indiegogo experience on helping brands on that particular side), we were confident we could meet the deadlines of our "Flight Plan" further below and start to ship the watches from France by the end of May 2020 as follow:
- May 15th, 2020 - Skindiver WT Mecaquartz
- June 15th, 2020 - Skindiver WT Automatic
- July 15th, 2020 - Skindiver WT Professional
In between, the Covid-19 happened! While we planned for the usual production issues, we could not predict that one. This unprecedented situation has cost us most of our time margin.
With France getting slowly out of the confinement period and a slower / more complicated logistic than usual, we had to re-organize and consolidate the assembly schedule and take into account the delays of the leather raw parts, “beads of rice” bracelets and rubber straps, we re-organized it as below:
- June 20th 2020 - Skindiver WT Mecaquartz & Skindiver WT Automatic (both without beads of rice bracelet or rubber strap)
- July 10th 2020 - Skindiver WT Mecaquartz & Skindiver WT Automatic (both with beads of rice bracelet or rubber strap)
- July 25th 2020 - Skindiver WT Professional
As you can see, the Skindiver WT Mecaquartz are pushed back while the Skindiver WT Automatic are a little bit back on track (for these without “beads of rice” bracelets and rubber straps. We also expect the Skindiver WT Professional to be back closer to the original planning.
Please be noted, that the situation linked to the Covid-19 is evolving day by day and extra delays might happen when we get to the assembly stage in France – where the virus is getting momentum - by the end of April / early May.
Note: Why are the Skindiver WT Automatic and the Skindiver WT Professional planned later?
The Skindivers WT Automatic are planned later because their double-domed sapphire with cyclops lens needs more time to be crafted. The Skindivers WT Professional needs extra time to have their water resistance increased from 6ATM (like originally planned - that's why you may see 6ATM in previous communication) to 10ATM (as our engineer and Hesalite manufacturer found the way to make it happen). The case and Hesalite need to be re-engineered and thus we need to make new tooling and moldings which require an extra month.
All and all, good things take time, especially quality watchmaking, and we can assure you our Skindiver worth the little extra waiting. These days, we all tend to forget the pleasure of waiting for something great.
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B. PRODUCTION STATUS OF THE WATCHES
Currently, the components of the watches are in production. We have received the hands and the dials.
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Dials drying up after the layering of the Super-LumiNova.
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Production run dials and hands with C7 and BGW9 Super-LumiNova pigments on the testing bench. Check!
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Second hands
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Minute hands - Day time and night time
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Broad arrow hour hands with vintage lum
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We need your help to spread the word about our pre-sales and bring back Wolbrook and the Skindiver “Worldtimer”!
Share one of our post or a story on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/wolbrook/), on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/wolbrook/), the link to the Indiegogo pre-sales page (Short link: https://igg.me/at/wolbrook-mechanical-automatic...) or a radio message. Take a screenshot and once the campaign is over, share it with us by email and we will add a watch tool to your pledge (value 10€)! Easy!
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A. SHIPPING & WARRANTY
Worldwide shipping is included in our pricing. Please be aware that you are responsible for duties, fees, and taxes applicable in your country.
Our watches are delivered with a 3-year warranty that covers the repair of any material or manufacturing defects.
B. DISCLAIMER
As mentioned in Wolbrook's story: a Skindiver “Worldtimer” model was owned and worn by a famous test pilot and engineer. His Skindiver tool-watch was recently auctioned and his brother confirmed its authenticity.
As we have no certainty, we are not making any statement on any specific mission or plane. Our special editions are humbly paying tribute to outstanding mankind's achievments. We are sticking to the facts: this Skindiver "saw action" and by the look of it - wear and tears, faded marking on the bezel, along with a replacement military specs nylon strap - it did not stay in a drawer. As many test pilot, astronaut or regular man through the 1960s and the 1970s owning a personal, extra or back-up watch on top of your standard issued watch was common sense and practice (Source: Hodinkee)
C. Environmental commitments
Long-lasting design
These watches can last a lifetime and more as long as they are: 1. Properly revised and maintained by a qualified watchmaker every 5 years. 2. Used in a normal way, for instance, they can't be used as a nutcracker.
Reusability and recyclability
All watches are delivered with a pouch made of canvas and vegetable-tanned leather. All our packagings are using recycled cartons and can be recycled themselves. We choose not to use a traditional box that would be wasteful and costly for our environment. We also worked on the size to ensure efficient shipping and "low cost" for the environment.
Sustainable materials
We selected stainless steel as a base material for the watches. For now, we can not guarantee 100% the impact of the mining and transformation but at least all the metals used in our watches can be recycled. For our straps, we selected vegetable-tanned leathers that are less impactful on our environment than traditional leather that is tanned with chromium. For the nylon straps, we are using recycled nylon. For our packaging, all our watches will be delivered in a travel pouch made of eco-friendly canvas and vegetable-tanned leather, wrapped in a recycled carton.
Environmentally friendly factories
While we are strong believers that the watch industry as a long way to go, for our components, we choose factories with proper waste management. As seen, above we also tried to select the best raw material too. As a new player, we will try our best to move the status quo and environmentally friendly solutions will always our favor.
Sustainable Distribution
We will try to have two to three shipping hubs to rationalize shipping: Europe, North America and Asia. We will update our backers on that point when we are ready to ship.
Something else
We believe all these are baby steps but they are at the very core of our values and we will try our upmost to enforce them. One small step...
