The AnOrdain Model 1 Fumé Comes Full Circle — The Perfect Scottish Watch?

I recently had the chance to go hands-on with the anOrdain Model 1 Iron Cream. It made quite an impression on me and my colleagues. So much so, Daniel Müller of Fratello fame added it to his collection. Throughout that review, I expressed my preference for the Model 2 Fumé from anOrdain, largely thanks to the exquisite dial. Now, with the release of the anOrdain Model 1 Fumé the cat has been thrown among the pigeons…

Truth be told, my decision between the Model 1 and the Model 2 was always a quick one, but neither the cases nor dial layout played a part in my decision. It was all about the enamel. The fumé style, which anOrdain reputedly stumbled upon entirely by accident, placed the Model 2 so far ahead in my estimation, you could have sold that dial to me, cased in a shoebox and I still would’ve raved about it. I wanted the dial. I didn’t care that there were interesting differences between the Model 1 case and that of the Model 2. Until the fumé dial cropped up in a Model 1 case, I could not be swayed from my course.

And then this happened and I had to revisit my original position. Now there was a choice to be made. With the exclusivity of the fumé now gone, the Model 2 was vulnerable to legitimate comparison with the Model 1. What this comparison has turned up so far, are a host of little details that made me appreciate the older brother a lot more.

A whole new light

First things first, a couple of the colors in which the new Model 1 Fumé is offered are quite distinct from those seen in the Model 2 Fumé. The blue and the green make a welcome appearance again. But the new colors, dubbed “Plum” and “Payne’s Grey” are really something else. The plum is just a delicious, fruity shade that I could imagine working well on both male and female wrists. The Payne’s Grey dial, however, is a brooding, altogether more masculine option. It is perhaps the most masculine fumé dial ever offered by the brand. Moreover, it sticks out to me as a perfect brand representative.

Talk about model evolution! Color me impressed…

Based beneath the slate gray skies of Glasgow, the anOrdain workshop is perhaps best known for its experimental use of color. We’ve seen all kinds of rainbow-friendly shades crop up on dials in the past. But in the same way the Iron Cream dial of the model one that now calls Comrade Müller’s wrist home expressed a more somber, grown-up character, so too does the Payne’s grey dial offer something entirely different. Talk about model evolution! Color me impressed…

Perhaps the common problem faced by enameled dials, in general, is that they can often be a bit “too much” for many (men especially) to consider a daily wear. The Iron Cream solved that problem handily. Better, though, is the way the Payne’s Grey blends the artfulness of fumé with a versatile color.

The perfect Scottish watch

Scotland doesn’t have the grandest watchmaking reputation worldwide. That might be about to change, however. AnOrdain has struck upon a style and a commitment to artisanal crafts that could change that. The Model 1 Fumé in Payne’s Grey ticks a lot of boxes.

Technically speaking, it is as credible as the rest of the range. It is powered by a Sellita SW200, which, in this price bracket with that kind of handwork on the dial, is the perfect choice. Stylistically, however, it manages to blend delicacy and industrialism in a way rarely seen.

This grittier hue works brilliantly with the rich dial printing and the edgy dial color.

The blued hands of the Model 1 Iron Cream are gone. In their place, we have “browned” hands, heat-treated in the same way but to a lower temperature. This grittier hue works brilliantly with the rich dial printing and the edgy dial color. The combination has become more and more exciting to me during the course of writing this release article. I can not wait to see it on the wrist. That’s something I will have to sort out as soon as possible, so we can see how this thing reacts to natural light. I can imagine the result will be stunning.

A true comparison

Priced at £1,750 plus VAT where applicable, the Model 1 Fumé broadens the appeal of the Model 1 collection. Now the fumé dials have made their way into the updated original case, customers have a true comparison with the Model 2. Many people I’ve spoken to prefer the sleeker Model 1 case. As a longtime fan of the NOMOS Glashütte Club model, the Model 2 (which reminds me of that piece) always sat comfortably on my wrist.

But now, I must admit, my head has been turned. I certainly won’t be turning my back on the Model 2, and hope to add the turquoise dial to my collection soon. But the Payne’s Grey dial is something totally different. Rather than cannibalizing the existing Fumé options, I am convinced that the presence of fumé dials in the Model 1 line is good news for everyone unless you happen to be a wallet. To wallets everywhere, I apologize on behalf of anOrdain.

However, if it is any consolation to wallets and their owners, I’m sure the anOrdain team will gladly help drown your sorrows with a wee dram poured from one of the whiskey bottles printed with the special kind of ink that the brand uses to decorate its dials. Really — you can’t get much more Scottish than that. Just 12 of these pieces will be produced before Christmas. If you want one, get in touch with the brand directly. Learn more about anOrdain and this rather special dial creation process here.