Atelier Holgur Introduces The Frømand Edition Fumée — A Follow-Up To Last Year’s Inaugural Model
One of my favorite releases of 2022 was the Atelier Holgur Frømand. This stylish dive watch was the debut model from the new Singapore-based brand. Atelier Holgur’s founders Matthew de Bakker and Asbjørn Simonen-Andersen were dedicated to creating a modern and handsome diver’s watch that stood out from typical offerings. The Frømand turned out to be a fresh take on the genre that was as much at home in the water as on land. As a follow-up to last year’s inaugural model, the new limited-edition Frømand Edition Fumée sees a variation of the watch with two gradient dials, making it look even chicer.
As I explained in last year’s introduction article of the Atelier Holgur Frømand, we see many new brands pop up almost daily, and we’re not often impressed by their debut releases. But the Frømand was seriously impressive. For Atelier Holgur, it would have been easy to come up with a good-looking dive watch that took inspiration from all the others around us. But the Frømand combines the specs of a contemporary dive watch with a take on the military designs of the past. This results in a fantastic modern daily wearer with quite a dashing look and hardcore specs to back it up. In the next step, Atelier Holgur now introduces two limited versions that feature red and green fumé dials. Can the brand make a stylish diver even more stylish?
Getting used to the Atelier Holgur Frømand Edition Fumée
When I first laid my eyes on the two new Frømand models, I had to let them sink in. I was a fan of the stealthy look of the original model. It made it the stylish piece that I loved so much, kind of an under-the-radar statement for people in the know. And by introducing two new fumé dials, the overall aesthetic changes quite a bit. But after letting the looks sink in, the two new models make sense to me. We are still looking at that same handsome diver, but with the two new dials, the adaptability of the overall design shines through.
The new Frømand Edition Fumée is available with both a green and a red fumé dial. Both versions will be produced in a limited run of only eight pieces each. When it comes to the story of the colors, we have to go into the world of scuba diving. Both De Bakker and Simonen-Andersen share a love of scuba diving and the conservation of marine life. This was the inspiration for the creation of the Frømand, and it is also the inspiration for the two new dial colors.
The story behind the new dial colors
As most of you know, not all colors are visible at all depths underwater. The electromagnetic spectrum comprises colors of different wavelengths ranging from red, orange, and yellow to green, blue, and violet. The different wavelengths give off varying levels of energy that cause colors to disappear as the depth increases. This inspired both men to pick two colors of the spectrum that fade to black, creating the fumé effect and mimicking the descent to greater depths when diving.
The first is a Fire Coral dial that transitions from a lively red in the center to black on the outer edges. The second color is Ocean Emerald, which goes from a nice shade of yellow-green to black on the dial’s periphery. Both show a nice contrast between the vivid center and the black outskirts of the dial. Red has a long wavelength on the electromagnetic spectrum, whereas green has a shorter one. As a result, green remains visible underwater when red hues have already transitioned to black. As I said, these hues work well with the overall design and give the Frømand a lively injection of color.
The differences between the regular Frømand and the Edition Fumée models
But the new colors are not the only differences between these new Frømand editions and last year’s debut version. The new dials also lose the beautiful circular graining pattern, replacing it with a smooth canvas for the sunburst effect. The small seconds display at 6 o’clock, however, keeps the fine concentric circles to contrast the main dial. What stayed are the typical indices and sword-style hands that light up brightly thanks to the impressive amount of Super-LumiNova. The same goes for the diving scale on the black DLC bezel, which ensures that it is easy to read underwater.
Other than that, the watches are similar to last year’s model. Both feature a 40mm Grade 5 titanium case that is 13.5mm thick and water resistant to 300 meters. This angular case feels modern and dons a black DLC 120-click unidirectional dive bezel. The case also lacks classically styled lugs and instead utilizes integrated strap bars. The “shrouds” over them ensure that the straps visually integrate perfectly with the case. In terms of finishing, the two models follow last year’s release with a beautiful mix of micro-blasted and polished finishes that accentuate the shapes of the case nicely.
New straps with a hint of color
Speaking of straps, both of these new models come with two of them, both of which are made from recycled ocean plastic. The first is the familiar two-piece strap fitted with a hook-and-loop closure and pins for the fold-over flaps. The second is a pass-through loop strap with hook-and-loop closure and edges matching the dial color. My favorite of these options is the two-piece strap. It allows you to get a glimpse of the beautiful movement.
Both watches house the same Schwarz-Etienne ASE 200 caliber that powered last year’s model. This skeletonized automatic movement consists of 198 parts. It operates at a 21,600vph frequency, has 33 jewels, and delivers 86 hours of power reserve. The caliber features a micro-rotor for bidirectional winding as well as a micro-blasted finish with hand-polished beveled edges. The architecture and looks match the overall style of the watch perfectly, creating a beautiful complete package.
Impressions of the new Atelier Holgur Frømand Edition Fumée
It is nice to see these two new editions of the Frømand. They are a great change of pace from last year’s black-dialed edition. My favorite of the two is the green version with its gorgeous hue. I find it works even better with the case and dial designs than the red one does. But overall, I think this is a great move for Atelier Holgur…even if it does come with a steep price. The regular model is currently available for CHF 9,850 (excluding local taxes) after being bumped up by CHF 1,000 this past July. The two new Edition Fumée models will be available for CHF 11,500, also excluding local taxes.
Honestly, it’s quite a step up from the regular model for what are, essentially, new dial variants. Yes, I understand that having a tiny number of special dials and straps produced comes at a cost. On top of that, overall production costs have significantly increased across the industry. But with a price in the €14K–15K range after taxes, these are two pricey pieces in a field with very strong competition. This raises the question of whether you would pay that kind of money for the new Frømand Fumée Edition. The answer to that is very personal. I expect Atelier Holgur to find 16 buyers for these new limited editions because the Frømand is still a great standout in today’s world of dive watches.
For more information, visit the official Atelier Holgur website. Let us know what your thoughts are on these two new Fumée Editions in the comments below.
