Marmalade Headshot - A Review

[TimeTexas]

What happens when you pair sleek and clean Danish design with a mad scientist? The Arcanaut ARC II Fordite is the answer. And it absolutely works. The case for the ARC II is a refinement from Arcanauts original case design for the ARC I launched in 2018. The original ARC II  paired with a unique, crushed stone dial (more on that dial later). However, when looking at the ARC II, Anders Brandt (one of the original Arcanaut founders, and James Thompson - the Black Badger) took a step in a much brighter and more colorful direction. 

 

 

After I bought the Fordite (but before I had received it), I had a chance to meet both Anders and James at WatchTime in New York. They were there to attend the events, but also to deliver one of the very first Fordites to Nate Cho. It was an amazing experience and was clear they have an obvious rapport. And they are a great reminder that while watches are serious business, they can, and should, be fun and enjoyable. And that's why I think Arcanaut is on a path for  success. They are both also fantastic storytellers and James is definitely a bit of a mad scientist. One of the reasons I love independent brands is the opportunity to interact and meet the watchmakers and learn what makes them tick. In the case of Arcanaut, its a unique blend of nordic inspiration, crazy canadian experimentation, and alcohol. Joking aside, the pair make a great team and the creative chemistry is very apparent.

 

Back to the watch - Fordite is quite simply industrial paint waste from car factories. As cars leave the assembly line and get painted, the walls of the paint factory build up layers and layers of paint. This buildup on the walls is then chipped off and is commonly called Fordite. As these layers build over months and years, the paint colors change and the distribution becomes uneven. To create the dials, smaller samples are cut to form the dials and then polished, revealing the most amazing array of colors and patterns underneath.

 

Even more interesting is that even changing the location of the cut by just a very miniscule amount results in a different dial as the thickness for the various colors changes. That means no two dials are the same and every single watch is essentially a completely unique piece. If you like things that are different and one of a kind, this is your watch.

The watch case itself relies on Scandanavian design principles, primarily Scandanavian Functionalism, which places the design focus on the functionality. On Arcanauts on website in describing Scandanavian Functionalism, they state, "In the watch industry, it has become commonplace to see watches which are more art than a usable tool."

 

 

As someone who loves art, I think this statement is somewhat misguided. Art is a tool. Maybe not a functional tool like you're envisioning, but a tool for the soul. A tool of expression for the artist and a tool that can bring a range of emotions to the viewer. I love watches BECAUSE they are a form of mechanical art. From the hundreds of inert parts of the movement quite literally springing to life to tell the time, to the curves of the case, to the dial, to the arrangement of the indices and hands. The Fordite, though industrial in nature, is sculpted and polished to reveal the previously hidden beauty of the layers of paint. Like your own personal artwork. And yes, its very good for the soul.

 

The watch itself is a clean, industrial and functional design. There are no major flourishes or dramatic ornamental details other than a polished and slightly raised edge on the side profile. Its a very nice, but clean aesthetic. The case is ergonomically shaped to curve with the wrist on both the top and on the bottom. At the "lugs", the middle section of the case extends while into a hollow insert. It's difficult to describe, but here's some photos to help illustrate.

 

 

What you end up with is one of the most well designed integrated rubber straps I've encountered. It's exceptionally secure, easy to change straps (with the included screwdriver), and fits tightly with the case primarily due to the four screws and the rubber insert into the case itself. The ingenuity in the case and strap integration is exceptional. The strap flows effortlessly from the case with no gap.

 

 

Back to the watch though. The marriage of the clean scandanavian functionality and the seemingly disparate Fordite dial could easily look out of place. But I liken it to framing a painting. Sometimes, a really intricate hand-carved frame is a perfect accentuation of the artwork. But other times, the frame simply needs to encapsulate the beauty within. I think the latter case applies here. The dial is so striking and visibly eye-catching, you don't want the case to distract. And with its clean lines and modern look, it really suits and highlights the dial.

 

Before my ARC II Fordite was delivered, I had the opportunity to see the ARC II D'arc Matter and it has a completely different feel. While its the same case, the dial is a dark, matte grey-black with texture. The overall feel is very clean and modern with both the dial and case adding equally to that aesthetic. Here, the vibe is much more laid back and fun and that's due to the case taking a back seat to the dial. 

 

Its also amazing how much the straps change the dynamic and feel of the watch. While I love the white because its clean and modern and eye-catching, its definitely a summer strap. I think during the colder months I'll probably wear it on the dark olive green and blue straps much more often, both of which I really like. The brown definitely fits on some dials (especially the linear), more than it does on mine. And the black looks good as well, but just doesn't give me the same feelings as with the other options. Almost like its too toned down for such a fun watch. The red strap works as well but for some reason just doesn't resonate with me when I have it on. I reserve the right to change my opinions on the straps over time. Other than the white, I tend to like the deeper colored straps - something that adds to the overall fun nature of the watch but doesn't distract too much from the dial.. I think a deep, burnt orange would look extraordinary on mine (hint hint).

 

The hands are skeletonized and relatively minimalist. I chose the fat hour hand for legibility and I think that's the right decision. I also went with the white lumed tips (instead of blue or orange) because there's enough color on the dial and I didn't want the hands distracting from that. The hands are nicely brushed and do a very nice job of reflecting light to be visible but not distracting. At times they are dark and fade into the background but a quick twist of the wrist brings them into view. Under most conditions this isn't an issue and in actuality its a feature because they don't distract from the dial.

 

 

The crown is another differentiating factor from most watches. Its rectangular in shape and designed to follow the lines of the case. As the photo below shows, the crown has a small notch on the underside which lets you pull it out where you can easily set the time and then push it in one click to rotate it back to the correct orientation before clicking it back into place. 

 

 

Its a small, but satisfying click and ensures the crown is back in position. Just another innovative and functional element in the design. While it is usually hidden on the underside of the watch, here's a photo I took to highlight the crown system where you can see the crown slightly pulled out and rotated to the dial side.

 

Narrator: He didn't notice the crown was pulled out when he took the photo

 

I only have a couple very minor issues with the watch, one being that the innovative crown is almost too easy to turn and set the time. Think of it like loosening a nut. When its tight and you first start loosening it, you have complete control of the wrench. But as it loosens and unscrews more easily, it becomes more difficult to handle the wrench. Same with the crown. Its so smooth and easy to turn that I think a little added tension would actually make it easier to operate. An extremely minor issue and only worth mentioning because I've mentioned it to Arcanaut.

 

Beyond the aesthetics, the watch is extremely comfortable to wear with both the ergonomic curved design and the great integrated rubber strap. It certainly looks great on my 18cm (7")  wrist and I think would wear comfortably on a slightly smaller wrists and could easily accomodate larger sizes as well.

 

The strap is extremely pliable and comfortably and secures the watch to your wrist. It is one of the best rubber straps I've come across. The strap integration into the case is second to none and is not only extremely secure but looks like an extension of the case.

 

A second, again very minor, issue is the AR coating. This won't be an issue for 99% of people, but the blue sheen of the AR coating is visible when taking photographs and trying to capture a good flecto. I understand this is already being addressed and in day-to-day wear it isn't an issue in the least as the watch dial is luckily very visible. So chalk this up to a photography issue and not a watch issue. The reflective coating does a good job of reducing reflection and allowing the dial to

 

The awesome caseback also shouldn't be ignored - Fordite gets its own element within the periodic table. This is one of my favorite casebacks - creative and individual, it also notes the model (in my case No. 19).

 

 

Overall, the watch is extremely well made, and feels very solid on the wrist. While it isn't lightweight the rubber strap carries the weight extremely well. You won't forget you're wearing it, but do you want to? The engineering and implementation of the integrated strap is very well designed and thought out and its great to see a small brand truly innovate. 

 

This definitely isn't a watch for the average person. But the average person is boring. And with limited production, it isn't meant to be. The unique and beautiful dial is spectacular, but not everyone is looking for spectacular in this sense. Time telling is approximate at best, just as it should be when wearing a fun, casual watch like this. You don't need to be bothered with seconds, or even a few minutes here or there. Just enjoy the sun and the beautiful art on your wrist. The design and execution are truly innovative and excellently implemented. This is one of the most dynamic and fun watches in my collection. It is certainly the one that gets the most comments from non-watch people - all positive. Plus you get an opportunity to nerd out about how the dial is made and some of the other cool features. Speaking of the dial, you do get to choose the dial before it goes into a watch, but buying something like this without being able to see it in person is somewhat of a leap of faith. but its a leap I'm glad I made and the watch is one of the standouts of my collection.

 

Kudos to Anders, James, and the entire Arcanaut team on creating such a unique and exciting timepiece. I'm excited to see what Arcanaut has in store for 2023 and beyond. The combination of scandanavian functionalism and mad scientist is definitely an exciting combination.

 

Oh, and about the D'Arc Matter dial material. As anyone who has met James Thompson can attest, he's 50% mad scientist and 50% storyteller, especially after a few drinks. Apparently the material for the D'Arc matter came when he noticed some slate stone from a neighborhood fountain outside his home was starting to flake off. He took some of the flakes, put them in a blender, and created the material for the D'Arc matter. A few minutes (and a sledgehammer later) he had enough material to make more dials. But don't tell the HOA.

 

Lots more shots.

 

 

 

[Nakkdry]

Great review Chris and fantastic pictures! 

I love my d'Arc Matter II, it's unique but yours is even more unique with that super cool artsy fordite dial. Like a painting on the wrist.

That case is one of the best one I have ever seen, fantastic form and built.

I agree with you on the L2L, it's not small and at the very limit for my 16cm wrist. If the strap could be even more curved and thinner at the lug, it would be perfect! (It's already super nice, I'm nitpicking). Should be a small size ones though.

[TimeTexas]

Thanks Mat! I do love the watch and the case design is fantastic. Having this now I'm definitely interested in the  D'Arc Matter. Certainly isn't as unique, but its such a different feeling. Same case, but the watch is just incredibly clean and slick where as you said, this is like art on the wrist. Completely different watches and I don't know what their plan is for making the D'Arc Matter available again. I may have to look at if so. In the meantime, it sounds like they have some really exciting stuff in the pipeline for later this year. No doubt it will be interesting.

The size thing isn't an issue on my 18cm wrist. In fact, its perfect. I was just surprised that the website had 38-39mm. If I hadn't seen that I wouldn't have even mentioned it. But since people don't get an opportunity to see these in person before they order them (for the most part), I felt it was important to mention. I understand why the rubber strap has to extend, but I do wonder if it the stiff portion of the strap could be shortened slightly just 2-3mm on each side, so that the strap would start to wrap around the wrist a little earlier.