Watch Giveaway: Fly Into The New Year With A Dekla Flieger On Your Wrist

When it comes to brands using “fauxtina” (no, not the name of your side-eyed high school stalker – weird story, different time) I believe there to be a matter of perspective and design choice. You can can try to make a watch look old (like modern westerns filmed on digital camera equipment) or it’s an artistic choice to use it as tone and color to give warmth and depth. In the case of brands (Dekla and the like) allowing this level of customization it gives you an experience that while you are not literally holding the screw driver and assembling your piece, you get to call into the studio and make some major choices. You are the director of your wearable experience and when the watch arrives you can feel a sense of participation in a process that is otherwise divorced entirely of your personality. That said, Dekla and others that do this give some pretty killer choices to add some extra joy to the hobby itself and the experience of being there on there when the designer meeting happens.
And as far as the brand DNA thing is concerned, I think the key is changeable consistency. You can make variations not fonts, case types, crowns, hands and even movement finishing. That said in the universe every component is DEKLA and that is something imbedded within their expression with your expression combined.

First of all i would like to say that i’m a big flieger fan due to the fact that i descend from military aircraft mechanics and crew members and i’m also one.
Second of all from the 4 or 5 original flieger original flieger brands only 2 of them (Stowa & Laco) are affordable, nevertheless you have to pay around 1000€ for one.
In my opinion customization is not only a good strategy to the present, but to the future too.
And in my opinion not only doesn’t put at risk the brand DNA, because they can still offer their traditional style brand watch, but also shows to potencial customers that the brand is adapting to their needs.
Regarding customization, and the flieger model, in my opinion the brands don’t go to far if they say true from some original specs like the type A or B dial, and the onion or diamond crown.
In my opinion the specs that can be customize in order to appeal to a wider customer base are the size o the case and the bezel, the movement, the dial, the crystal, the hands, and strap and buckle.
They are a few good brands with price quality relationship like Archimedes and Steinhart watches but in my personal opinion the best brand in the market is Dekla. They offer an hight quality watch, fully customized for a fair/ achievable price.

Before I start off, let me be perfectly clear: I do not wish to win this Dekla. It’s a lovely thought, a give-away, but I eschew watches with dials that feature the re-seller’s, journo’s, club’s or jeweller’s logo on it, and this Dekla is by no means an exception.

That said, in my head your question about the desirability of customisation options has three different answers. Firstly, there are well recognised designs out there that should not be customised or modded at all. This goes for watches of all price ranges. You don’t screw with the looks of a Lange Saxonia any more or less than with the looks of a JLC Reverso or a Seiko SARB033. Those watches are all classics. they are recognisable icons and to customise or mod them would diminish them.

Then there are public domain designs of generic watches. IWC’s pilots, both the German and RAF designs, are after all public domain, as are all Marine chronometer-style or railroad-style watches. Whether you want a historic/sterile dial or a branded one, have an opinion on dates or lume colours, I see the added value of being able to source a Flieger, Marine watch or Railroad watch to your exact taste. I went with a Tourby Marine, but replaced the leaf handset with the more classic chronometer handset, and I chose an Archimede Pilot without date and with a branded dial. I like both of these a lot, they’re exactly as I would want these designs executed.

Then there are independent watchmakers where I can swing both ways. On the one hand there is a small brand like Ketelaars who will make your watch together with you based on your input (for as long as that still goes), and to my mind this is a desirable option. On the other hand, if he starts seeing his designs as a piece of art, there is something to be said for respecting the artist’s vision.

So the answer is, as always, it depends. Mileage may vary per watch or brand. One man’s sell-out can be another man’s stroke of genius.

Just had another play around with the Dekla customisation and find I can get a configuration on the Pilot and Dekla Watches that I really like but would love more options on the Bauhaus model. The Bauhaus with more option would be a great alternative to either Nomos or possibly Habring2.