Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Fashion & Style
  3. News

This NORQAIN limited-edition watch design is inspired by an animal sanctuary in South Africa

The watch's design is reminiscent of King Dexter, a lion that has lived at the sanctuary since he was a cub

NORQAIN Wild One watch face
NORQAIN

If you’re on the lookout for a watch that’s more than just a timepiece, something that tells a story, this limited-edition NORQAIN watch might just be your next obsession. Inspired by the wilds of South Africa and the noble cause of wildlife conservation, the NORQAIN Wild One Hakuna Mipaka Limited Edition is more than just a watch; it’s a statement piece.

Watches for men have a unique way of encapsulating history and sentiment, and this NORQAIN timepiece is no exception. It’s not just another luxurious accessory; it’s a tribute to the untamed beauty of the South African landscape and a symbol of hope for its majestic inhabitants.

Recommended Videos

The NORQAIN Wild One Hakuna Mipaka Limited Edition watch is the fruit of an unexpected connection between Swiss watchmaker NORQAIN and Dean Schneider, a wildlife ambassador dedicated to the Hakuna Mipaka Animal Sanctuary in South Africa. This is an alliance that gave birth to a watch design that’s truly one of a kind.

The watch specs that command attention

The Wild One Hakuna Mipaka Limited Edition is not your average timepiece. Priced at $5,590, it’s a 42 mm statement with a personality that can’t be ignored. It features a brown NORTEQ cage, a nod to the sanctuary’s wildlife residents. The sand-colored rubber shock absorber? It’s filled with sand from the Hakuna Mipaka oasis itself. That’s a level of connection with the inspiration that’s truly unique.

The watch case is sandblasted titanium, ensuring not only durability but also a distinct rugged elegance. It’s not fragile; it’s built for the adventurer. With a diameter of 42 mm and a thickness of 12.3 mm, it’s a watch that holds its own without being overbearing. The water resistance is up to 200 m, making it not just a timepiece but a companion for your aquatic adventures. These watches are not designed to stay on your wrist while at the office or backyard barbecues, but they’re your partner for exploring unknown, faraway places, even if just in your fantasies.

The double anti-reflective, scratch-proof sapphire glass not only adds a layer of protection but also ensures that you can admire the intricate details of the watch without worrying about smudges or scratches.

NORQAIN Wild One watch case back
NORQAIN

Peek into the soul of the watch

What sets the Wild One Hakuna Mipaka Limited Edition apart is its open case back. Adorned with scratch-proof sapphire glass featuring the “HAKUNA MIPAKA” logo and the “HAKUNA MIPAKA ONE of 300” mention, it’s like a window into the soul of this watch. But let’s not forget the screw-down crown, over-molded with sand-colored rubber, and the NORQAIN watch logo. It’s not just functional; it’s a design element that’s a nod to the inspiration behind the watch.

The Wild One Hakuna Mipaka Limited Edition is not just about looks. It’s powered by the NORQAIN Manufacture Calibre (NN20/1) by Kenissi. With a mechanical automatic movement, it’s not just a watch; it’s a certified chronometer, ensuring precision and accuracy. With 27 rubies and personalized bridges showcasing NORQAIN’s core values — “Adventure, Freedom, Independence” — this is a watch that’s designed for the rugged individualist who craves the thrill of adventure.

The look that roars

The brown dial with its stamped “lion fur” pattern and the “HAKUNA MIPAKA” logo is a tribute to the animal sanctuary. It’s a reminder that this watch is not just a luxury item but a symbol of your connection to something greater.

The diamond-cut flat skeleton indexes, red gold-plated with white X1 Super-LumiNova spots, ensure that this watch is not just for show; it’s functional in low-light conditions.

NORQAIN Hakuna Mipaka
NORQAIN

A strap with a message

What’s a watch without its strap? The Wild One Hakuna Mipaka Limited Edition comes with an integrated sand-colored rubber strap adorned with a “lion fur” pattern and the “HAKUNA MIPAKA” logo. It’s a strap that’s not just comfortable but a statement in itself. And it’s fastened with a brown NORTEQ pin buckle, ensuring that your watch stays secure on your wrist.

What makes the Wild One Hakuna Mipaka Limited Edition more than just a watch is the bigger picture. It serves as a reminder that even the most unlikely connections can result in beauty and meaning. It pays homage to South Africa’s untamed landscape, the magnificent animals that wander the Hakuna Mipaka refuge, and the drive of people like Dean Schneider, who devote their entire lives to the cause of wildlife conservation.

Buy Now

Sarah Veldman
Sarah has been a freelance writer for over 7 years now, having started while she was living out of a suitcase and traveling…
Topics
Swatch’s new gold MoonSwatch is priced like it’s 1969
The Mission to the Moon 1969 packs 11 grams of real 18K gold — priced at the 1969 gold rate.
Wristwatch, Arm, Body Part

Guess what? It's another MoonSwatch — but this isn't just another colorway. The new drop from the Switzerland-based watchmaker, the MoonSwatch Mission to the Moon 1969, is the first to use real gold across the dial, hands, crown, and pushers.

The watch marks the anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on July 21, 1969.

Read more
Breitling’s new Top Time is a wearable tribute to the Aston Martin DB5
The new watches rep the iconic Bond car right down to subdials shaped like its dashboard gauges.
Car, Watch, Man

Breitling just released a trio of heaters: the Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 Tribute to Aston Martin DB5, a three-edition collaboration with the British carmaker. The connection between the Swiss watchmaker and the British car company runs back to 1965, when a Top Time ref. 2002 appeared on Sean Connery's wrist in Thunderball, worn alongside the DB5 — the first Q-modified watch in the Bond series. It's a nice bit of trivia that the DB5 and that Top Time shared the screen in the same film, and both went on to outlive the movie by decades.

The car cues go deeper than the "squircle" gauge-shaped subdials: a wooden inner ring nods to the DB5's steering wheel, and each edition rides on a hand-colored gradient calfskin strap meant to read like automotive upholstery. All three run on Breitling's in-house Manufacture Caliber 01, a COSC-certified automatic chronograph with a 70-hour power reserve, visible through a sapphire caseback and finished with an Aston Martin-engraved rotor. The case measures 41mm. The editions are divvied up by material and rarity. Stainless steel with a silver dial is limited to 1,022 pieces and sticks closest to the original ref. 2002, while steel with a platinum bezel and black lacquered dial drops to 315 pieces.

Read more
Look to the sky for these space themed watches
These 5 space themed watches will have you seeing stars
Accessories, Strap, Wristwatch

It was the 1960s. We were in the middle of a Cold War with Russia, and instead of escalating to an actual war with bullets and bombs, we took the conflict to the sky. We created a war of economics, science, and morale in a race to the sky to be the first nation to reach the moon. While the race picked up throughout the decade, it came down to the wire before the USA won the race by landing on the moon (if you believe that sort of thing and don't believe Stanley Kubrick directed the greatest ruse of all time). In any case, no race can be run without a good timekeeper. And watches were a must-have for all involved. Ever since, chronophiles like me have been obsessed with space-themed watches and, in particular, moon mission watches.

That is why I happened to have this list in my head. Five watches that bring the space race and the great beyond to the forefront of thinking to build a collection that is out of this world.

Read more