Klokers Klok-01 Blue Note Watch — Designed In France; Made In Switzerland
Sometimes a few press images are enough to know if the watch you were going to receive would hit that sweet spot for you or not. This does not happen often, but it certainly was the case with the new Klokers Klok-01 Blue Note. I got the watch, and it was everything I expected. And then some.
The watch came in stylish but straightforward packaging, just what you expect from a brand that makes watches such as the Klok-01 Satin Blue. Still, the essential part is the feeling when you strap it on your wrist for the first time.
If you do not know much about Klokers, let me bring you up to speed. We have featured the brand in the past on Fratello. If you want to check out the sister of today’s watch, the Klok-01 Midnight Blue, make sure you give this article a read. Klokers came to the market in 2015 as a French crowd-funded project. The brand successfully blends Swiss Made watchmaking with exciting design in an innovative new look. While the basic idea behind every Klokers timepiece is the same, there are many models to choose from. However, what makes the brand attractive is not only the looks but the clever way one can swap between straps on a Klokers timepiece. The brand’s patented system enables you to turn your watch into a table clock or a pocket watch.
Klok-01 Blue Note
The new Klok-01 Blue Note is the latest interpretation of the brand’s first model. The Klok-01 model family consists of three main lines: Héritage, Métal, and Minimal. The Klok-01 Blue Note is part of the Métal line, which, as its name suggests, comes in a 316-steel case. Yet this is not what makes it so unique. It is the fact that the Blue Note is Klokers’ first watch in a black case. The Blue Note looks virtually the same as any other Klok-01 Métal timepiece. Instead of the polished steel case, this time, we have a PVD-coated matte black finish. Klokers offers the Klok-01 Blue Note in five variations. The difference is the strap the watch comes on. You can choose from four different straps or get the watch head alone. If you already have Klokers straps, thanks to the interchangeability, you can use them too.
PVD black
At 44mm, the Klokers Klok-01 Blue Note is a substantial watch. Nevertheless, due to the dark color and the fact that it’s only 12mm thick, it wears well. Despite the size, the watch does not look odd, even on a smaller wrist. The reason behind this lies in the case design. Since the watch connects to the strap with the patented fixing system on the back of the watch, there are no lugs that could visibly lengthen the watch case. The steel Klokers crown is located at the 3 o’clock position.
Furthermore, at 8 o’clock, a push-button releases the watch head from the strap. By pushing this red button, the system releases the watch head, which you can pull of the hook by sliding the watch towards the 12. The back is fixed to the case with screws and displays the watch’s most important attribute.
Counterclockwise
The case or the fixing system is undoubtedly a significant part of the Klok-01 Blue Note. Nonetheless, the dial is equally exciting. The concept between every Klokers timepiece is the same; three circular discs display the seconds, minutes, and hours respectively. The inspiration for the watch’s dial came from the slide rule — a mechanical analog computer. You read the time with the help of the vertical axis that runs from the center of the dial to the 12 o’clock position. Each disc rotates counterclockwise. The Blue Note’s base color is metallic blue paired with white markings for the scales, numerals, and texts. You can find the brand name over the center axis of the dial.
A nice touch is the words minutes, hours, seconds printed on the corresponding discs in three languages (EN, DE, FR). I did not have a problem reading the time on the Klokers Klok-01 Blue Note; you get used to this time displaying the system very quickly. It’s worth mentioning that I had trouble reading the time from a distance. However, that might just mean that my vision is getting worse…
Ronda inside
The Klokers Klok-01 Blue Note has two patents: the fixing system for the case and strap and the aforementioned display (WO 2017/042456). So what else do we need? Well, a movement, of course. In the case of this model, we have a quartz movement — a Ronda high precision quartz movement to be precise. Even though Klokers follows in the footsteps of iconic French watch designs like the LIP Mach 2000, it is Swiss Made. The watch is assembled in Switzerland.
Raised strap
Due to its funky design, strap versatility, and quartz movement, the Klokers Klok-01 Blue Note is a grab-and-go watch. If you want to swap the strap, you can do it in three easy steps. The quartz movement makes sure that the watch is always on time. There is no need to wind it or set it. Lastly, its design is definitely out of the ordinary yet easily readable. The only thing I miss is the lack of lume on the dial.
On the other hand, the price is attractive at €585 for the Klok-01 Blue Note. The non-PVD coated steel models are even cheaper than this. Yes, Klokers is a fashion watch company but not your average brand. The timepieces are Swiss-made, the design is distinctive, and the strap fixing system is certainly fun. Perhaps I found my favorite summer watch so far. If you would like to check Klokers’ collection feel free to follow this link.
