Having made its debut two years ago with the Schwarz Etienne-powered HN00, Havid Nagan returns with Classic One, a chronometer-certified dress watch with a multi-layered dial. Available in two dial finishes, ebony or ivory, the Classic One takes the nascent brand in a new, more traditional direction.

The Havid Nagan brand was launched on Kickstarter in 2019 by Aren Bazerkanian, who at the time was working as Director of Operations at the FP Journe boutique in Los Angeles. One of the guiding principles of Havid Nagan is an emphasis on slimness, which is an obsession that Mr Bazerkanian picked up from his time working for Mr Journe.

Initial thoughts

The original HN00 and subsequent HN01 were thoughtful and appealing watches, but the Classic One feels like a more mature product. In my opinion, the debut models were a bit overambitious with their proprietary strap system, which, though sleek and attractive, result in the risk of not being able to find replacement straps in the future.

The Classic One, on the other hand, is more traditional in its construction, with classic lugs that can accommodate a variety of straps (the watch comes standard with straps from Jean-Rousseau).

As a result of being more classical in orientation, the central feature of the Classic One is its multi-part dial with an unusual construction made up of clear sapphire sandwiched by brass discs. Finished with applied Calatrava-style hour markers, the overall effect is dynamic and attractive.

In terms of size, the watch is firmly in the goldilocks range, at 38 mm in diameter and 9 mm thick. This means it’s small enough to be dressy, while remaining just chunky enough to hold its own when worn with short sleeves. The 50 m water resistance rating and 4 Hz rate mean it should easily tolerate almost any situation.

Speaking of the beat rate, the Classic One features a bespoke movement from AMT, the division within Sellita that specialises in creating custom movements for small independent brands. Visible through the transparent case back, the COSC-certified AMT6600 is manually wound, revealing attractive openworked bridges and contrasting ruthenium and rose gold finishes.

While the brand is based in Los Angeles, the production takes place in Switzerland, hence the US$9,000 price. While this pricing is not unreasonable considering the technical content and construction of the watch, it does force the Classic One to go head-to-head with products from more established luxury brands.

Leaving established brands aside, however, Havid Nagan also faces competition in its own niche segment. There’s been a proliferation of startup independent brands, almost all relying on the same suppliers, vying for the same consumer. While the Classic One is more thoughtfully executed than many of its peers, it is competing in a crowded market.

A complex dial

The dial is essentially three layers: the base layer is a brass disc with a simple guilloche pattern, topped with an almost imperceptible disk of sapphire crystal, on which the seconds track and minute markers are applied. Finally, the top layer consists of another brass disk, galvanised to either an ebony or ivory colour.

The dial is produced for Havid Nagan by Cadranor, a specialist supplier that works with a variety of brands. In terms of construction, the multi-layered dials are complex and appealing, differentiating the Classic One from peers.

The dial base is a brass disk that is engraved with a flat-topped clous de paris guilloche pattern, likely stamped or engraved using a CNC machine. The dial base is galvanised to a dark grey colour for the ivory dial, while the ebony dial features a warm silvered dial base.

On top of this sits a disk of sapphire crystal, on which the seconds track and minute markers are printed. This layer is further elaborated with applied five-minute markers.

The top-most layer is a galvanised brass disk that is set with applied Calatrava-style hour markers, which help anchor the design to its historical inspirations. The alpha-style hour and minute hands are slightly faceted along their length, an appealing detail that will help them catch the light, improving legibility and lending the dial a more dynamic and interesting appearance.

AMT-powered

The Classic One is powered by an AMT6600, a manually wound movement produced by Sellita’s bespoke movement division. While at first glance the layout may look similar to that of the ETA Unitas 6497/8, a common movement favoured by independent watchmakers, the AMT6600 is a different animal.

Substantially smaller than the Unitas at 30 mm, the statutory maximum size for wristwatch movements during the days of observatory competition, the AMT6600 beats at 4 Hz and runs for 63 hours on a full wind.

Another pleasant surprise, the movement is chronometer certified by COSC, an extra step that is uncommon among upstart brands, especially those running anything beyond the typical Sellita SW200 or SW300.

Mr Bazerkanian noted that the movement finishing, in particular the openworked ruthenium-treated bridges and contrasting 5N rose gold plating, was inspired by a pocket watch Derek Pratt made for Urban Jurgensen. While industrial in its construction, the movement is nonetheless quite attractive thanks to its thoughtful design, visual depth, and contrasting textures.

The movement shown is a prototype, hence the less-than-perfect cleanliness

Key Facts and Price

Havid Nagan Classic One

Diameter: 38 mm
Height: 9 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: AMT6600
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Manual
Power reserve: 63 hours

Strap: Leather strap

Limited edition: No
Availability: Direct from Havid Nagan
Price: US$9,000

For more, visit havidnagan.com.