aBlogtoRead.com » Gustafsson & Sjogren

Gustafsson & Sjögren Damascus Vile Watch & Oden Knife Set

admin — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 07:09:05 +0000

This is the set that should have been for a while now. Swedish watch maker Gustafsson & Sjögren (GoS) will soon release this limited edition watch and knife set. Johan Gustafsson is actually a bladesmith who specializes in creating beautiful Damascus steel. His work has been transformed into watch cases and dial in the GoS brand, but now you can get one of their watches and knives together in a beautiful set.

Artisan type work with this aesthetic is either something you love or hate. You can't deny the incredible level of detail and work that goes into creating the complex patterns of this type of folded and then blacksmithed metal. What I really like is that between the knife and watch you get a range of different Damascus steel styles and patterns. The set really does include a large range of GoS's capabilities. Plus, given the nature of Damascus steel, no two pieces of metal look exactly the same.

The watch has a rather funny name and is called the GoS Vile. Yea, don't ask why - must be a Swedish thing. I don't think they are going for the English meaning of vile. The knife on the other hand is the Oden. So this is the Vile & Oden watch and knife limited edition set. Actually, according to Nordic mythology Vile and Oden where gods and brothers. The Vile watch (heehee) is 42mm wide in steel. The dial, crown, and lug screws are in Damascus steel. Inside the watch is a Swiss ETA Unitas 6498-1 manually wound movement. While different in style, the GoS Lapland Sky watch that I reviewed here has more pertinent details on what the watch itself is like. Different for the Vile is the dial design, the case style, and the reindeer strap stitching decor. I really think all watches should have Damascus steel crowns - they are beautiful and feel so good when polished up.

While not much of a knife collector (though I love a good knife), I know a lot my readers are. I learned this a few years ago and I think it makes sense that if you are into watches, chances are you also like knives, guns, planes, cars, gadgets, etc... The Oden knife is a standard folding-blade style piece completely done in Damascus steel. You can see that the blade and handle parts are all done using different styles of Damascus steel. I think it is really neat looking. Damascus steel belt sheath maybe? We will see.

GoS will produce just 5 sets of the Vile & Oden watches. Each will come in a special Swedish box made by Sture Nyberg. Price per a set will be about $20,000 each.

Tech specs from GoS:

Watch - GoS Vile

Case: Stainless steel 42mmx10mm

Lug width: 22mm

Glass: Flat sapphire glass with anti reflection treatment

Movement: Swiss manual ETA 6498

Movement refinement: Refinished and improved by the Swiss company Soprod.

Dial: Hand-forged damascus steel

Index ring/rehaut: Hand-shaped and polished grade 5 titanium

Hands: Polished silver finish

Crown: 8mm in fine-grained Damascus stainless steel

Case finishing: All high-gloss polished with Gustafsson & Sjögren logo on case side.

Strap: Handcrafted in black reindeer leather with traditional Sami tin-thread decorations

Knife - GoS Oden

Blade size: 150 mm, 4.49 inches

Style:Mosaic Damascus folder

Blade thickness: 3 mm, 0.12 inches

Total size: 250 mm, 9.75 inches

Blade: Flower Damascus and explosion

Bolsters: Flower Damascus

Handle: Nordic fossilized coral

Liners: File-worked grade 5 titanium

Presentation Box Watch and Knife set

Individually crafted box in svepask technique of birch wood colored with natural pigments mized in linseed oil covered with high grade natural wax and polished to a deep finish

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Gustafsson & Sjogren Lapland Sky Watch Review

admin — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 07:03:07 +0000

There are few designs less polarizing in the "I would wear this department" than a watch like the Lapland Sky" from Sweden-based Gustaffson & Sjogren (hereinafter known as "GoS"). While many people can appreciate the beauty of their in-house made Damascus folded steel metal, this is a watch to be worn on the right type of wrist only. I feel confident that I have the guts to pull it off, do you?

GoS is comprised of a pair of 'metal turnin' fellows that actually play heavy metal music. I mean, really what else is there to do in Sweden? I sort of mused on that as a joke when I first wrote about the brand here due to the style of the watches. The GoS guys then proudly confirmed to me that they indeed are fans and composers of heavy metal as I playfully suggested. How cool is that?

Their mainstay is making cutlery, including Damascus steel knives and swords, among other metal goods. To be more accurate, Gustaffson is a knife maker while Sjogren is a watch maker. In the past they made watch dials for a few other brands until they finally decided to start making their own. If you want something with a lot of (hardcore) artisanal spirit that has a very limited production, then you aren't off something from Gustafsson & Sjogren.

On my wrist here is one of their Lapland Sky watches. Part of a limited edition of just 5 pieces, it is a good representative of their mid-range watches. The case is 44mm wide in steel with a stylized, but not overly complicated case. In this instance, the case is not Damascus steel, but watches like that are available. The case is a combo of sandblasted and polished steel, while the crown is Damascus steel. Inside the watch is a top-grade Swiss ETA 6498-1 manually wound movement that has desirable upgrades such as perlage and Cote de Geneve polishing. It also has a swan neck fine regulator and blued steel screws. GoS uses their swirly blade logo on the dial subsidiary seconds dial - which of course means that it spins.

This watch has polished steel hands, but other models have un-polished, rugged looking Damascus steel hands, All of them have a total heavy metal design to them. Each time I look at the watch I hear a quick guitar riff. The Lapland Sky has a wonderfully colored Damascus steel dial with applied hour indicators (also Damascus steel). Another model - the Lapland Ice has a colorless Damascus steel dial.

Often times people say that Damascus steel looks as though it has a wood grain. This is especially true here, though they aren't related to wood at all. The process here takes various metals which are folded over one another in a blacksmith shop. The manner of folding as well as the types of metals and chemicals used dictate what the metal will look like after polishing. Of course that is a simple answer, but you get the idea. The point is that Damascus steel involved a unique and labor intensive process to yield results. The same grain is never seen twice, so the dials of each of the watches are unique.

Through the caseback of the watch you can see the movement via the sapphire exhibition window. There is another sapphire crystal over the dial. Quality is pretty nice given the artisan style of the design. It is also quite comfortable on the wrist. I always get a kick out of the strap - very much a local "flavor." GoS uses reindeer leather straps with unique designs stitched into them. Each model has a unique design. These are made specially for GoS from a local leather maker in their area. They have a unique feel to them being soft, and almost quilt-like.

There aren't many GoS Lapland Sky watches. These were made as a limited edition of only 5 pieces. Price for this model would be $8,300, and there are ones similar to it. For those who love the metal, the style, and the Scandinavian spirit of the watch, you can't go wrong with a Gustaffson and Sjogren - there just isn't anything else out these like them.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Gustafsson & Sjögren Blizzard and Aurora Watches Are So “Metal”

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:34:13 +0000

Everyone's favorite metal working watch makers Gustafsson & Sjögren (GoS) are back with two new watch models. The line continues to evolve in a conservative manner (aside from the Damascus steel that is). Patrik Sjögren and Johan Gustafsson have found that their customers prefer more classically styled watches - who'd have thought? It is actually true though. There is a tendency for us watch lovers to enjoy reading about wild timepieces, but when it comes down to it we want to wear something more conservative. Does this observation fit with your habits?

I previously discussed the G0S Dragon watch, where you can look for a bit more details about the brand. GoS are essentially fine metal workers who still have a robust shop making blades. Because the popularity of the artistic metal work lends itself to other fine creations (and because lots of knife and sword lovers also like watches), their talents with metal apply to watches well. As such, GoS makes some of the most wonderfully artistic dial and automatic rotors out there - if you enjoy the aesthetic that is.

The two new models are the Blizzard 010 and the Aurora 009 watch. The numbers seems to indicate what model the watches are in chronological order. You can tell that GoS is newer, and is careful about releasing models. Both of the watches share the same thick 44mm wide steel cases and have either mesh metal or leather straps. The differences are in the dials. Both employ unique forms of Damascus metal forgery. The Blizzard has a titanium chapter ring cut like jagged teeth that double as the hour markers. There is a small signature circular blade shape that is the subsidiary seconds dial. Really no two of the watches will ever look alike. The blued steel hands are a nice chilly scene to go with the "Blizzard" name. Next is the Aurora 009 watch that has a more classic look mixed with the chemical tones of steel with dark hues and greens. Instead of a titanium chapter ring, the Aurora has titanium cylinders on the dial that make up the hour markers like raised columns.

Both watches have GoS forged crowns as well that have an embedded diamond in them. Note the special strap on the Aurora model that has an interesting pattern of contrasting white embroidery. The strap is actually reindeer. I love the Nordic mythic styling that these watches have. The part of me that likes heavy metal rock music wants to say that these watches are "very metal." In homage to this concept I have placed an image of the cartoon band Dethklock from the show Metalocalypse. Gustafsson & Sjögren may just be the new quintessential "metal" watch.

Inside the watches are Soprod modified ETA made Unitas 6498-1 manually wound pocket watch movements. The modifications place them in chronometer range accuracy as well as provide decoration. Overall the watches comes in nice cohesive packages that demonstrate a clear refinement of the aesthetic and features of the Gustafsson & Sjögren watch brand. Prices for this limited edition models are $6,300 -$6,400 each - available direct form Gustafsson & Sjögren's website.

Watch specs direct from Gustafsson & Sjögren:

Specifications Blizzard - GoS 010:

* Case: 44mmx12mm
* Lug width: 22mm
* Glass: Flat sapphire glass (case back mineral)
* Movement: Swiss manual movement ETA 6498-1
* Modifications by Soprod
* Cote de Geneve finishing
* chronometre grade adaptations, screwed balance
* Dial: Hand forged Damascus steel with a hand shaped chapter ring in grade-5 titanium
* Crown: Oversize in Damascus stainless steel with optional large gold fitted diamond
* Hands: polished steel finish
* Polished stainless steel mesh strap

Specifications Aurora - GoS 009:

* Case: 44mmx12mm
* Lug width: 22mm
* Glass: Flat sapphire glass (case back mineral)
* Movement: Swiss manual movement ETA 6498-1
* Modifications by Soprod
* Cote de Geneve finishing
* chronometre grade adaptations, screwed balance
* Dial: Hand forged Damascus steel with grade-5 titanium index markers.
* Crown: Oversize in Damascus stainless steel with large gold fitted diamond
* Hands: Polished and blued
* Handcrafted and naturally tanned reindeer strap with traditional Lappish tin ornamentation

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Gustafsson & Sjögren Dragon Watch Available On James List

admin — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 07:13:47 +0000

I recently discussed the Arlanch watch, another Swedish timepiece. That watch and this "Dragon" from Gustafsson & Sjögren (who call themselves GoS for short) couldn't be more opposite. One a distinct bore (Arlanch), while this one (GoS) a distinct work of art. Their real contribution to the work of horology is their uses of Damascus steel that they develop themselves. You might not like all the watch they do, but you have to admire their talent and dedication to their artistic pursuit. What started as a talent for collector's knife making eventually found its way into working on watches. They have a few models, each similar in tone with the specially created and polished metal being the main attraction. Plus, all the Damascus metal they make is done by hand.

The Dragon model has a dial done in the pattern of what looks like bubbles under a microscope, with the shape of a dragon in the center. It is all done with the pair's special metal working magic. Damascus steel is essentially layered metal that has been polished in a special way as to reveal the various layers. When using different metals or chemicals in the process, you can present a world of different colors. Art like this is least impressive in images, as seeing it really allows you to appreciate how nice it can be. Further still, due to the relative "organic" nature of how the metal is produced, no two pieces are alike. Thus, each in the limited edition made will look a bit unique. There is no specific number for the limited edition I believe, but GoS won't make too many of them. Their main characteristic work is on the watch dial, crown, and automatic rotor for the movement (done in what they call a "wood grain" Damascus finish).

The case is 42mm wide in steel, ad hefty. The back in engraved with details about the watch in G0S's fun looking "Jurassic" style font (as I think of it). Movement is a "chronometer grade" Swiss ETA 2824-2 automatic, that is viewable through the caseback. The crystal over the dial is flat and sapphire, which should allow for the best view of the dial. I prefer flat crystals over domed ones. The reason is that a domed shape attracts like and glare much easier.

GoS fits most of their watches on mesh metal bracelets which seen to compliment the look pretty well. The exposed movement is nice, but other than the fantastic rotor, there does not seem to be much decoration. They should have placed a bit more on there. The dial attempts to look simple with only four hour markers, but I would have preferred all 12 of them. The hour markers are done in gold dial with diamonds. Not in the Dragon, but in other GoS watch models, you'll find another diamond used as a cabochon at the end of the crown.

Watches such as this are very hard to get and usually need to be arranged directly through G0S. Good news one of their dealers is located on James List. You may be able to bypass the wait, and give for the retail price of $8,600. Pricey maybe, but uniquely Nordic in fashion, and certainly unlike most watches out there.

See the Gustafsson & SjögrenÂ Dragon watch available here on James List.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.