In the often-earnest world of horology, it’s refreshing when a brand embraces a bit of absurdity and turns it into something genuinely cool. Studio Underd0g, a young brand known for its vibrant, playful designs and accessible manual-wind chronographs, hit a truly unexpected milestone in early 2024: they were homaged.
Not by a watch in their existing catalogue, mind you, but by a piece that seemingly copied a Studio Underd0g watch that didn’t even exist yet. A brand that shall remain nameless (but yes, it rhymes with Roxima) launched a watch with a product title so long and descriptive it barely fits on a screen, featuring a ‘Watermelon Dial’ despite Studio Underd0g having never made a watch in that colourway.
This bizarre turn of events sparked a brilliant idea within the Studio Underd0g camp: an “uno reverse card.” They asked their engaged community if they should homage the homage and, unsurprisingly, the response was a resounding yes. The result is the highly anticipated Studio Underd0g The Unoriginals Collection – creating the ‘original’ watches that were supposedly copied.
The collection features two distinct watches, the Av0cado and the Guacam0le. The Guacam0le is described as a “mash-up,” staying true to the brand’s signature colour-blocking and design principles.
While specific dial details beyond their names are hinted at, the underlying technical specifications shared by both models underscore Studio Underd0g’s commitment to delivering well-specced mechanical chronographs.
Both watches feature a compact and highly wearable 316L stainless steel case, measuring Ø38.5mm in diameter, 12.9mm in height, and a comfortable 44.5mm lug-to-lug, with a 20mm lug width – dimensions that are increasingly popular among enthusiasts. The case utilises a classic 3-part construction and offers a practical 5 ATM water resistance.
Beneath the sapphire crystals (both front and back, implied by the use of “sapphire crystals”), the dials feature a combination of textures: a satin sandblast base-dial beneath a coarse dégradé top-dial, promising visual depth and interplay with light. Legibility is enhanced by Super-LumiNova C3 lume on the key elements.
Powering these chronographs is the bespoke ST-1901B Seagull Manual Winding calibre. This mechanical chronograph movement beats at 21,600 vibrations per hour and offers a power reserve of up to 50 hours when the chronograph is off, dropping slightly to 45 hours when the chronograph function is engaged. It handles the essential functions of hours, minutes, and seconds, alongside the chronograph and a tachymeter scale for measuring speed.
The movement is wound clockwise via the crown and promises accuracy within -10 to +15 seconds per day – solid performance for a manual-wind chronograph at this price point. The watches are fitted with Italian Epsom Leather straps, tapering from 20mm at the lugs to 16mm at the signed 316L stainless steel buckle, featuring quick-release spring bars for easy strap changes.
This unique, story-driven collection, offering a manual-wind chronograph with signature style and quality materials, is available for $675. The Unoriginals Collection is a testament to Studio Underd0g’s character, turning an odd situation into a creative, community-backed release that delivers on their promise of fun, accessible, and well-executed mechanical timepieces.
