In a League of Its Own: The Unconventionally Classy Wolkov W22 Wristwatch

A watch so unique to look at, Ed Sheeran’s probably in love with the shape of it…

Even as a kid, William Volcoff was an ardent watch-enthusiast, looking for different watch designs that would capture his fancy. Sadly though, there are just a handful of companies that really try to build unique watches. Most high-end watchmakers capitalize on their brand and their craftsmanship rather than on allowing their designers to go wild… but Volcoff realized that if he had to come across a watch that was TRULY different, he had to build it on his own. The W22 is the result of that realization, with a design that questions every aspect of a watch’s design, from its shape, its lug-positioning, and even the layout of its dial.

Designer: William Volcoff

The Wolcov W22 sports a Carre-shaped watch body, and ditches the conventional lug placement by positioning them on the sides of the watch instead. The lugs are connected to the watch strap via metal arms that accentuate the W22’s Carre shape, and the watch crown gets moved to the 12 o’clock position, creating an incredibly unique appeal that makes the timepiece recognizable from a mile away.

This unique arrangement opens the Wolcov W22 up to a variety of explorations that accentuate its novel silhouette. The watch itself comes in three styles – Neige, Fumée and Onyx. The W22 Neige stands out with its fresh and neutral color tones, creating a striking appearance. The dial’s tone-on-tone design adds a touch of elegance without overwhelming with excessive technical details. The W22 Fumée, on the other hand, is Wolcov’s take on the classic blue fume dial. With its multi-layered design and captivating sunburst finish, this dial is sure to spark engaging conversations. For people looking for a balance between eye-catching and minimal, the W22 Onyx is a fine pick, offering a discreet dial design that’s finished in matte black.

The straps are perhaps the watch’s most defining feature with the way they embrace the watch body from all sides. The W22 features regular and pilot-style straps across a variety of materials that allow you to customize your watch to fit your mood, style, and occasion. The straps snap on rather easily and are available in polyamide as well as different types of leather including cowhide, monitor lizard, crocodile, stingray, and even python. Each strap attaches to the watch using a pair of metal arms that outline its shape beautifully, reinforcing the W22’s unconventionally charming design.

The watch itself features an automatic Sellita SW200 movement encased within an incredibly glossy 316L Stainless Steel body. The front is capped with a sapphire crystal that’s coated with an anti-reflection film, while the watch’s back features an exhibition window, covered with red-tinted mineral glass, making it look unusually interesting no matter which angle you look at it from! The W22 is water-resistant up to 3ATM (although those fancy leather straps aren’t) and you can choose multiple straps with each watch, allowing you to build your own timepiece for every occasion!