Vieren Makes Swiss Watches For Those Who Value Style And Mechanics

Several fashion brands such as Dior and Fendi have upped their watch game recently, creating timepieces that not only look good but are powered by serious mechanical movements. Now two Canadians have started a watch company from scratch that combine traditional Swiss watchmaking skills with a fashion sensibility.

The company’s name is Vieren, and it’s based in Toronto, Canada. It was founded three years ago by Jess Chow, whose family has been in the watch business for more than 40 years. She calls this venture “a love letter to her family.”

The company’s defining moment came when she met well-known fashion designer, Sunny Fong, the 2009 Project Runway Canada Winner. He had ideas for designing a watch and together they created timepieces with automatic movements specifically for millennial men and women who value style and substance. These are unisex pieces designed with a modern to contemporary aesthetic. The designs also have a bit of an edge, which is just one way these watches stand out from the crowd.

The timepieces are made in a watchmaking studio in La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, one of the venerable Swiss watchmaking regions. This allows Vieren to design every component of each piece while delivering high quality Swiss craftsmanship, Chow says.

All of the watches have thin rectangular cases (9.2mm in thickness) made of 316L stainless steel that are 41.5 x 27 in size and are framed by a thin inner gold ring. All of the watches have the Vieren logo at 12 o’clock and an octagonal-shaped crown. They are all are powered by the ETA-2671 automatic movement with a 44-hour power reserve. ETA is a Swiss watch movement company owned by the Swatch Group.

From this canvas, the partners fashioned four watch collections. The most recent is also the top of the line for the brand, called, “Stereo.” Design elements include a semi-skeletonized dial with a high-polished finish, beveled inner-ring and a “volume” date disc, inspired by vintage knobs on audio equipment. There’s also an exhibition caseback that provides an additional view of the movement.

The three newest editions of the Stereo collection are known as “Stereo Diamond,” which celebrates the Disco era with the high-polished dial studded with 93 diamonds, reflecting light in a way that is reminiscent of a mirror ball used in dance halls.

Fong says it reminds him of the live concert experience. “I’ve always been inspired by powerful performers looking to step into the spotlight, so we created three metallic styles with totally different vibes that all demand attention.”

The three new models are “Gold Stereo Diamond,” “Steel Stereo Diamond” and “Black Stereo Diamond.” They all have the same stainless-steel case and single-link seven-row stainless-steel bracelet. The case and bracelet of the gold version is finished in gold PVD and the black version is finished in black DLC (diamond like carbon, a highly durable anti-reflective coating).

The gold and diamond details serve as lucky charms for Chow and Fong’s Chinese heritage.

“We think of wristwatches as talismans of time, so we’ve included elements that bring good luck and fortune,” Chow said. “The Vieren logo resembles a bat, a symbol for longevity and happiness in our culture. It sits on an octagonal crown that is inspired by the Bagua, used to ward off bad energy in feng shui. There are 93 diamonds decorating the dial, an angel number sending you guidance and support on your life path.”

The three new models complement two models from the Stereo collection released in March: Gold Sunray, in which the gold PVD dial has a traditional sunray finish and “Gold Mirror,” in which the highly polished PVD dial has a reflective quality.

The company also produced three other collections: “Leather,” with crocodile leather used for the dial finish and strap; “Matte,” with a muted and subtly decorated dial finish, and “Diamond,” in which 11 hour markers are lined with 31 diamonds.

The watches are available on the company’s website.