It’s time for an update on the next Draken: the Aoraki (“au-ra-kee”).
For a lot of you, this might actually be the first time you’ve heard about it.
Being a tool watch company, we’ve tended to produce watches in larger sizes. We’ve done dive watches, a pilot watch, a military-style watch and a chronograph, all of which have been between 42 and 44mm in diameter.
The one essential tool watch we have not done is a field watch. Historically, they have tended to be smaller diameter watches with a 3-hand layout.
In my mind, the three characteristics of a true field watch should be:
- Below 40mm, so it wears well with and without cuffs
- Affordable, so that it can be mass-produced and be accessible to everyone, and
- Clear, with a high contrast simplified dial design
I am always grateful for the feedback we receive from customers. And a lot of Tugela and Kalahari customers have made requests for a smaller Draken. I hope the Aoraki will scratch that itch, and then some. It will retain the same design identity, the same level of ruggedness and QC while adding a more versatile option to your collection.
The size also allows us to connect more directly with our female fans. Their numbers pleasantly surprise me always, and if you are one of them, I look forward to your thoughts on the piece when it is launched.
The name
The Aoraki – the Te Reo Māori name for Mount Cook, the tallest mountain in New Zealand – was the testing ground for Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to climb Mount Everest.
As a South African expat, I have typically named our models with reference to some South African geographical feature, be it a river (Tugela), desert (Kalahari), ocean (Benguela) or reserve (Kruger).
Naming the Aoraki marks a milestone as my roots become more established here in New Zealand.
Just as importantly, this will be the first Draken watch assembled here in New Zealand. So it seemed only fitting that it should have a New Zealand name. To commemorate this achievement, the rehaut of the watch will have ‘ASSEMBLED IN NEW ZEALAND’ engraved on it.
Movement
The movement, of course, is why we all gravitate towards a mechanical piece in the first place.
I did consider the NH35A, a workhorse we have used before that is prolific on the micro brand scene.
With the Aoraki, the goal was to try something different on multiple fronts.
I really liked the history and story of the Dirty Dozen, which many of you will know were the WWII watches that served on the wrists of many British soldiers, My intention was to create a more modern interpretation of these, and this affected the movement I went with.
The Dirty Dozens stand out stylistically because of the small seconds at 6h, adding a bit more interest to the dial than you would see on a typical field watch, such as a Hamilton Khaki for example.
Though there are many Swiss manual winds out there that fit the design brief, they are not very affordable. Plus I really wanted a movement that was automatic, in line with our mantra of making reliable, low-maintenance pieces that won’t let you down in the field.
The Miyota 82S5 automatic ended up the winner, with its headline recent upgrades of hacking and hand-winding, the lack of which has been a bugbear for many collectors who have enjoyed its otherwise über-dependable tool watch worthy performance.
To accommodate for some of its eccentricities we made a couple of adjustments.
Take the small seconds subdial for example. Since it is positioned at an odd angle, we needed to rotate the movement to bring it to 6h.
It also comes default with an open-heart view of the hairspring and balance wheel, which of course has been covered up with the dial.
Other features of the 82S5:
- 41 jewels
- 42 hours power reserve
- 21600 vibrations per hour
- Côtes de Genève finishing
- Since we do plan to have a solid caseback, you won’t see this. But it’s nice to know that it’s there!
- There are only a handful of other microbrands that have used this movement, so I like that it is a bit more unique in that regard.
Case
As with our other models, the case of the Aoraki will feature our trademark tapered design. This also determined the dimensions of the watch. I wanted it under 40mm in diameter, and eventually settled on 39mm knowing that it would wear more like a 38mm due to the tapered sides.
To make this a super user-friendly watch, I managed to add drilled lugs. Because we are rotating the movement to bring the small seconds to 6h, the crown would sit between the 4h and 5h position (39.04° from 3h). This is a bit of an awkward position for the crown, but we are confident that the size and knurling will help with making it easier to use.
In another first for Draken, the finishing on the case will be brushed. For the past 6 models, we have gone with fully bead-blasted cases. I love the tool-like aesthetic that bead blasting brings, but for the Aoraki, rather appropriately, I felt that it was time to explore a bit, opening up the style to a wider audience. I’m very curious to see how this finish shows up on the prototypes. If it doesn’t meet the requisite standards, we can go back to bead-blasting.
Yes, the side of the case will still have the DRAKEN engraving. Yes, I get that this puts a lot of people off because it makes them think of Invicta. The engraving is a design element that subtly breaks up the height of the watch, which is very geometric (essentially puck shaped). It also makes our watches instantly recognisable.
At this stage the case back is blank except for the typical watch information: the steel type, model name, serial number and water resistance. On that last point, the Aoraki will have a screw-down crown and case back, giving it a go-anywhere-do-anything 100m water resistance.
Dials and handsets
Probably the thing I am most excited about with this model is the dials. When most brands launch a new model they do colour variations to create choice. With the Aoraki, we are doing four completely different dial and handset combinations, all in high-contrast velvet black. Markings will be painted in white and indices/Arabics in either BGW9 or X1-C3 SuperLuminova (or a combination of the two). Three of the designs take inspiration from different historic field watch designs, while the forth is our own modern re-interpretation.
Each dial will have a unique hour/min handset, diamond-cut in steel and brushed to align with the case finish. These will be filled with X1-C3 too for maximum night legibility and contrast with the dial.
The small seconds hand will be the same for all variants. I really liked the matte-finished ‘CD rings’ of the Kruger, and we’ll be following the same design language here, albeit with slightly different second markings per variation.
I’ll go more into the design of each dial/handset in a separate post, but for now these are the working titles: Zulu, Vector, Flieger and Milspec. See if you can match the name to the design!
Straps
To keep the watch affordable, it will not be available with bracelet, it will come with two zulu style straps. By default, it will come on a leather strap, plus there will be a ribbed nylon for a more military look. Below are some examples of the straps although the hardware and finish might be a little different.
Durability
As with all our watches, we’ll be using Viton™ gaskets on the case back (and perhaps even on the crown) for increased long-term durability.
Another Draken first with the Aoraki will be the extremely practical built-in anti-magnetism. The movement will be surrounded by soft metal (Faraday Cage) to reduce the effects of magnetism on the movement (20,000 A/m). This is another reason why we’re going with a solid case back as there will be an extra piece of metal between the movement and case back.
Packaging
The Aoraki will come on the laser-cut bamboo insert inside our new MOLLE pouch package, with a custom velcro patch on the outside, similar to below:
Price
This is still TBC, but it will be in the region of $350 USD.
Release Roadmap
The prototypes should be ready in December and I want to get them straight out the door again for pro photos.
Reviews will come a little later as I want to put this into production before launching to reduce the lead time between launch and shipping. If there are no major issues with the prototypes, we should be able to launch in April and shipping in May.
Thank you for reading this. Designing and overseeing a production process can often be challenging, and it means a lot to me to know that out there, there are obsessives like me who are willing to put in the time to join me on this journey.
Kia kaha.
Michael
Looking forward to this and can’t wait to preorder.
Small seconds is a great complication.
Thanks so much Justin and sorry for the delayed reply.
looks great
Thanks David!
Sounds bloody fantastic!👌
Thanks for reading Will!
Fabulous concept Michael. I’ll be having one. You should consider putting up a critique review of the prototype for us sticky beaks. Cheers Vin Molony.
Lookin’ pretty good🤜🤛Well done Kiwis
Cheers mate!
Great looking watch – looking forward to it. As a fellow South African living in the USA, your collection names really resonate with me. Plus great designs as I’m a fan of Sinn and Oris and can see the tool themes coming through.
Cheers Will. Yep, Sinn an Oris are two of my personal favourite brands.
Thanks Mike
This is a seriously exciting evolution for Draken and for New Zealand. The nod to Mt Cook/Aoraki and the history of those who have climbed it adds to the cool factor.
I’ll be on the list for one of these in 2023!
Love your work
Murray
Cheers Murray! Looking forward to having you on board!
Good looking watch, I always have wonder why you haven’t released a Field watch well it looks like I’ll have to add another draken to the collection.
Cheers
Daniel Kini
Thanks Daniel. Yes, it’s taken a while. I think the time is right for the field watch. We wouldn’t have come up with these designs with out the pst experience of the Kruger and Peregrine.
Congrats on another winner Mike.
I enjoy reading the updates and following the journey. Many fans are looking forward to this one!
Cheers mate. Thanks for following and can’t wait to share the photos of the protos. Might have to arrange a little GTG for all the AKL fans!
I really like your candour re. considerations you’ve made. Great result too! I will keep my eye on this one.
Cheers Joost. Thanks for reading.
Great looking watch. Looks like 2023 will see me adding a Draken to my collection.
Cheers Jeff. Would be great to have you on board. Perhaps it’s the first of many?
Brilliant Mike
I’m buying one. I’ll be interested in the finish as the bead blasting has always attracted me in the past.
Great piece.
Richard Hall
Awesome! Would love to have your support. Yes, I’m curious to see how the finishing on the case works out too. We might go back to blasted if it doesn’t look good.
Great stuff! I discovered your brand earlier this year when I first saw the Kalahari, unfortunately, the model I wanted never came back in stock. However, this model looks great, so it might be the first Draken watch I get.
Thanks Tobias. I am working on the Kalahari v2 but it’s still a while away from production. Stay tuned and we would love to have you on board with the Aoraki.
This could be my third! Would it be possible to offer a bead blasted case?
Cheers Kevin. I think it’s going to either be brushed or blasted. Will make the call once we see the prototypes.
Hi Mike this Dana Lambert can we pre-order at all . I have 2 watches from you and I love them I’m sure i would love that one too, thanks Dana
What happened to the agulhas?
Love the look of this. I don’t have a field watch in my collection and am keen as when they are released. Love the idea that it is NZ assembled too!
Looking forward for the launch and availability. Something I can celebrate my 70th birthday next year with.
kind regards,
Michael Greig
Looking forward for the launch and availability. Something I can celebrate my 70th birthday next year with.
kind regards,
Thank you Mike. You described this time piece in auch detail that I can wven ceel it on my wrist. If I matched the names the right way, I will buy the vector for starters. I love the cleanness of the design and the aozw will match my wrist perfectly. The single pass leather strap seems practical and will keep the watch closer to the wrist as compared to a nato style leather strap. I rwcenrly traveled witj my Tugela GMT and it peeformed wonderfully. Keep up the great work. Just let me know when will the Aoraki available for pre-order… I will
Be ready to say “TAKE MY MONEY”. Cheers!
Looks awesome, such a cool direction for Draken to go next. I agree with your design reasoning, and I’m actually really looking forward to the brushed finish! Wry interesting and diverse dial options
Great looking watch and evolution of your designs Mike. Looking forward to watching this unfold and further updates. Put me down on the list!
Oh wow! Those are gorgeous.
I have a weakness for small second sub dial. And to top it off the anti-magnetism feature.
Congrats on the project!
Hiya Mike, I fully get it with regards Dial Balance, by positioning the small second’s at the 6 position. I have 2 No. Seiko Sumo’s and a Smiths Mini Willard, whilst the Sumo case is sort of OK as the Crown is quite big/knurled /signed, the Smiths is a pain in the derriere frankly. the acute position, is less easily useable and a pain. If the Crown was re-positioned to the 3, I don’t think the Sub-Dial would look so offensive as to be wholly unacceptable, it is a Field Watch, so it could be considered a quirk or flair feature; of the Aoraki, helping it stand apart from the run of the mill competition. I think the ” cross hair’s ” and or outer circle ring complete the Sub-Dial.
Regards, Greetings from The Antipodes
Interesting comment Michael. It’s a tricky one a) because I really like symmetry in my designs, and b) because so many people identify with the dirty dozen watches and the way watches of this era had the sub-dial position at 6h. In saying that, I’m not completely against the sub-dial being at its original position. It would be a hell of a lot easier from a production POV. Possibly another version of it in the future?
So, if the movement wasn’t rotated would the seconds register be at the 3h? Or would it be at 4:30h? That would be interesting either way, terrible for symmetry, but unique for sure
Yep, it would be around the 4.30 position. Yes, a did consider using it like that but it just looked too weird, ha ha.
Looking forward to this one! Can’t wait to see what they look like when you get the prototypes. Thanks for your passion and hard work!
Mike H.
Thanks for reading Mike!
Very interesting timepiece!!!
Thanks Jonas!
From one of your female fans – exciting, now I can have one! My partner’s Drakens are way too big for me. How fortunate, my birthday is in May. . .
Yes! Thanks so much for the comment Petra – it really reassures me that I’m on the right track with this one.
This looks freaking awesome!
Cheers Robert! Thanks for commenting!
If you could send us some images in high resolution for a news article on Crownat4.com it would be appreciated. Thank you very much
I love this style, size and movement. Personally I’d love to see a date window. Would make it really useful as a field watch, I also like the dual time markings, both 12hr and 24hr under. Can’t wait to see the production version.
Anxiously awaiting this one. Good luck!
Anxiously awaiting this one! Good luck!
How do I sign up? That is a lovely field watch!
How do i get one? The look fantastic, especially that 2nd dial
Very excited about this. Please keep us updated!
I’m in!
When can we spect production
Production has started. Hoping to launch in April and ship in May.
Gawddammitt Mike!
I had promised myself not to get any new watches in 2023 and then U come out with this…
I’m on, there is always room for one more dragon… 🙂
Cheers from Finland and greetings to the wife and the doggie
Petri
Ha ha! Cheers Petri. It would be wonderful to have your support on this one again.
Can we get an update on rproduction? Its mid May so just looking for ballpary.. my Vector is on order
We just sent out an email update. We’ve got a 2 week delay. Shipping is now expected at the end of the month. We may be able to get some out sooner though as they come off assembly.