Selten has quickly become known as one of the foremost brands for bringing high-end materials and techniques at price points usually reserved for microbrands and entry-level luxury timepieces. Selten impressed us with the M1 Moonphase and its detail-orientated approach to every aspect of the watch. Seen below with his wife, Kristine Lam, Selten’s founder, Leonardo Tsai, now brings his well-respected work ethic and pedigree to the new Enamel series – their first entry into their Métiers d’Art Collection. I got to see a handful of the prototypes for this series last year, and we will now go into what you can expect as an owner of one of these watches.
The Wearing Experience
Like the M1, the Enamel series has perfect proportions that cater to the ideals set forth by modern dress watches. At just under 40mm, the wonderfully contoured case is slim in scale but significant in its presence. This is due to the dial, which was made through a painstaking process that draws your entire soul into its 700 carefully hand-crafted lines.
Owning and wearing a Selten means that you get to enjoy an object that has an unprecedented level of attention given to every detail for something in its price range. This time, this also extends to the rotor, which you can also have hand engraved. Mr. Tsai offers something unexpected with every single release and does not disappoint with this new series.
Selten Grand Feu Enamel Collection Specs | |
Case Width 39mm | Lug-to-Lug 45.5mm |
Case Thickness 10.9mm | Lug Width 20mm |
Water Resistance 50m | Strap HasNoBounds Leather Strap |
Crystal Sapphire | Lume None |
Movement Soprod M100 | Price $1,899-2,199 (Pre-Order) |
The Dial
Mr. Tsai partnered with the Hong Kong-based specialist Qin to make each one of these dials not only with grand feu enamel but also craft every detail by hand. You can see a video of how this is done here, and each dial takes anywhere from four to five hours to make. The two prototypes I got to wear last autumn dazzled and seemed to make the entire room more enjoyable with their aura and Avante-Guard stance.
Two dial variants are available in five colors. The first variant features straight hand-carved lines, which are a little less labor-intensive than the hand-carved spiral dial, which is reflected in its asking price. The Rustic colorway interests me the most, for red dials are not as common, and I have come to trust Mr. Tsai’s tastes regarding the unconventional.
The Strap and Bracelet
Each watch can be paired with an excellent strap from HasNoBounds or two kinds of bracelets: the first with a standard butterfly clasp and an upgraded option with micro-adjustments. We have gone on record about our adoration for Mrs. Lam’s HasNoBounds straps, but we highly encourage you to get at least one of the bracelets.
Final Thoughts
After our experience with Selten’s previous releases, finding a reason not to recommend any of their watches is tough. The level of cohesive thought and effort in every facet and aspect of their offerings is something that all businesses should aspire towards. The new Métiers d’Art Collection offers museum-quality timepieces for under $3000 USD. For those of you who are tired of standard “parts-bin” watches that echo the works of others or a catalog from previous decades, we strongly urge you to add one of these hand-crafted enamel watches to your collection.
Pricing:
Pre-order Price: From US$1899 (Flare), US$2199 (Spiral)
Regular Price: From US$2599 (Flare), US$2899 (Spiral)
Add-on
Stainless Steel Bracelet with Butterfly Clasp ($80)
Stainless Steel Bracelet with on-the-fly Micro Adjustment ($150)
Hand Engraved Rotor ($100)
You can read more about Selten watches here and purchase the new Grand Feu Enamel Series here
