KOMONO’s Crafted Collection Launches Your Favorite Affordable Watch

By Beau Hayhoe Published April 10, 2017

Craftsmanship often implies spending an arm and a leg, but the new KOMONO Crafted Collection is producing your favorite affordable watch for fall.

Known as The Walther, the sleek and stylish watch options join the brand’s previously released Crafted sunglasses — but if your focus is on finding a stylish casual timepiece, you’ve met your match. Available in either leather or mesh, the leather offerings start at $179.95 — a step up from the brand’s more standard pieces like the KOMONO Winston Herringbone, which retails for just under $100.

KOMONO watches — The KOMONO Walther in Cognac. Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you prefer something with a bit more durability, the super-sharp mesh Walther is worth a look, too. Available in silver, rose gold or all-black, you get subtle style and personality in each version. The all-black version would add a bit of refined cool to a stylish bomber jacket this fall, whereas the rose gold iteration could team with a classic blue Oxford — all for just $20 more than the leather Walther.

KOMONO — Minimal, sleek and well-designed watches. Image used with permission by copyright holder

With that being said, the leather iterations of the Walther are worth shopping in particular. From a rich cognac leather, blue dial combination to a suit-worthy burgundy leather watch complemented by a rose gold case, each piece is thoughtfully designed and premium in nature. Other leather options include a striking camel-colored strap, offset by a sharp white face, blue hands and double chronograph functionality — also in blue.

Recommended Videos

If you prefer a straightforward, no-nonsense classic, the Walther Tobacco is about as timeless as it gets — the rose gold case and brown leather strap are a handsome one-two punch.

The chronograph functionality is a subtle design nuance that strays away from being too technical — that’s a positive considering watches can often be overloaded with extra features nowadays.

With a just-right 40mm case diameter, these watches are slick enough to wear to a business casual office and clean enough to wear with a stylish fall cardigan and blue denim as part of your weekend coffee date attire. Oh, and at a very agreeable price point for either the mesh or leather Walther, you’re going to have plenty left over to splurge for a second coffee on that date.

Former Contributor

Beau Hayhoe is a freelance men's style writer, consultant and PR pro based in Brooklyn. Beau's menswear and gear writing has…

Topics

Watches

Fashion & Style

IWC expands top gun collection with mojave desert ceramic pilot watch

Desert inspiration: IWC's sand-colored ceramic pilot watch honors naval aviation heritage

IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 TOP GUN Mojave Desert

IWC Schaffhausen is expanding its military aviation collection with the Pilot's Watch Automatic 41 TOP GUN Mojave Desert, the latest addition to the brand’s "Colors of TOP GUN" series. This watch features ceramic construction that pairs desert-inspired aesthetics with Swiss precision, drawing inspiration from navy flight suits and the rugged terrain surrounding the China Lake air base in California’s Western Mojave Desert.
The 41mm case showcases IWC’s forty years of ceramic expertise, rendered in their proprietary "Mojave Desert" color—a muted earth tone blending beige and khaki. This distinctive shade does more than look good; it directly references the flight suits worn by navy pilots and the arid landscape where US Navy aviators train at China Lake.
IWC’s ceramic process highlights how complex achieving this subtle color actually is. Artisans form ceramic from powdered raw materials into "green body" shapes, machine them closer to their final form, and then fire them in a kiln. This high-temperature process makes the ceramic exceptionally hard and scratch-resistant. The Mojave Desert color is achieved by carefully mixing zirconium oxide with metallic oxides.
The challenge increases because the color changes during firing, requiring extensive testing to achieve the exact tone. This meticulous approach reflects IWC’s long-standing dedication to advanced materials—a legacy dating back over 150 years, making them pioneers in both titanium and ceramic watchmaking.
The watch’s design maintains a unified color scheme. The brown dial features understated minute scales and numerals that glow with Super-LumiNova for legibility in low light, matching the ceramic case. A beige rubber strap with a fabric inlay and a titanium pin buckle completes the look, adding both durability and comfort.
Technical excellence is evident in the IWC-manufactured 32112 caliber. This automatic movement uses a pawl winding system to deliver a 120-hour power reserve. Its 4Hz frequency ensures precise timekeeping, and the bi-directional rotor efficiently stores energy from even the smallest wrist movements.
The titanium case back is engraved with the TOP GUN logo, underscoring the watch’s connection to naval aviation while also reducing weight. The choice of titanium further demonstrates IWC’s expertise in working with advanced metals, complementing their mastery of ceramics.
This watch joins a growing Mojave Desert collection, which includes the Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN Edition, the Pilot's Watch Chronograph 41, and the Big Pilot's Watch TOP GUN Edition. All feature the signature sand-colored ceramic, but offer different functionalities and case sizes.
IWC’s commitment to sustainable luxury is evident in their careful sourcing of materials and efforts to minimize environmental impact, ensuring these watches embody both technical mastery and responsible craftsmanship. The brand’s focus on transparency, reuse, and care results in timepieces built to last for generations.
The Pilot's Watch Automatic 41 TOP GUN Mojave Desert demonstrates how military inspiration can be transformed into civilian luxury, blending professional tool heritage with contemporary design through advanced materials and renowned Swiss watchmaking expertise.

Fashion & Style

anOrdain launches handcrafted porcelain watches

From fire to clay: anOrdain's porcelain revolution brings accessible artistry

anOrdain launches handcrafted porcelain watches

AnOrdain, a Glasgow-based company, built a loyal following—it made excellent hand-enameled watch dials and offered clear customer service. The Scottish maker then moved into a new material: porcelain. The company introduced its Model 2 Porcelain collection after three years of focused study. This collection gives customers a way to experience anOrdain's handmade dial art.
Work with porcelain began in 2022. At that time, anOrdain saw a need to broaden its selection. The company also wanted to keep its standards for handmade products high. Instead of buying porcelain dials from others, the company chose to learn this old art itself. AnOrdain's team spent three years with master potters from Stoke-on-Trent—a town known as a center for English pottery—learning how to make watch dials from English clay.
Making porcelain dials requires different methods than working with enamel. AnOrdain’s well-known grand feu enamel dials use glass powder on metal discs, which are baked at 840°C. But the new porcelain dials use English clay. Workers paint them with glass-like coatings and fire them at much higher temperatures, up to 1300°C. To achieve the black finish seen in the collection, the company experimented with many glaze mixtures, finally using a high amount of iron oxide.
After this hot firing, each dial shows slight differences. Small dips and dots appear as a sign of the handmade process. AnOrdain says these natural variations mean no two porcelain dials look the same. This celebrates the human touch in making fine watches.
The Model 2 Porcelain keeps the well-liked size and look of anOrdain’s enamel collection, but with some updates. The 39.5mm steel case holds the La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement, which performs well. The hands have been significantly improved. White glowing material now fills loops that were previously empty, finished with fine gold frames. The seconds hand is more striking, with a bright red outer coat and a white tip.
Production capacity is small—anOrdain can finish about 30 pieces each month. The price is $2,440, which is $750 less than the enamel versions, even though they use the same cases and movements. The current wait time is six months, and customers can buy only one watch each. The Model 2 Porcelain shows anOrdain's commitment to preserving traditional crafts in modern watchmaking. It also offers affordable luxury through transparent dealings with customers.

Fashion & Style

Want to upgrade your favorite watch? Start with these smart tweaks

Transform your timepieces: The smartest $500 investments every watch lover should make

Awake eco friendly watch blue background

There’s never a need to spend more than is necessary when it comes to elevating your favorite timepieces. In fact, well-embellished vintage watches can look glorious with the right upgrades, and it may not have to be more than a great custom strap to take the aesthetic up a notch. The following are a few ways that you can maximize your favorite watches.

A high-grade strap