Fromanteel watches, designed in the bustling heart of Amsterdam and crafted in the serene shadow of the Swiss Jura mountains, blend unique Dutch design language with legendary Swiss craftsmanship. In the new Fromanteel collection named “.BLU,” the brand has created a line of watches meant to help you escape the fast-paced digital world and reconnect with a slower analog rhythm of life. The .BLU collection is available exclusively for pre-order and offers exceptional value across all models, from an affordable bicompax quartz chronograph to impeccably crafted Swiss automatic three-hand and chronograph watches.
While the lion's share of praise in watch innovation goes to the Swiss and the English, the Dutch have their own story. Indeed, it was the Dutch inventor Christiaan Huygens who invented the pendulum clock in the 17th century. Shortly after, the renowned Dutch watchmaker Ahasuerus Fromanteel and his son John began implementing the revolutionary pendulum mechanism into their standing clocks, bringing global fame to Dutch watchmakers. For the next several decades, the brand thrived under the Fromanteel family until the company ceased operations in 1722.
In 2009, when Dutch entrepreneurs and longtime friends Martijn van Hassel and Alfredo Silva decided to establish a watch company, it was fitting to pay homage to the celebrated watchmakers who brought Dutch horology international recognition. For over a decade, Fromanteel has been developing its brand and creating its unique style, honoring Amsterdam's rich horological history.
Why .BLU? From the name to the color, everything in the new collection is conceived as an antidote to the fast pace of modern life and the flow of digital information. Fromanteel disrupts this constant flow with a period at the beginning of .BLU. This period offers time to pause, time to reflect before moving forward. After the pause, Fromanteel introduces the color of calm: blue. As a bold touch, the letter “e” is left unattended, as a reminder that not all areas of life need to be subjected to the electronic world. Unsurprisingly, this color of calm is present in all the .BLU collection's products, both on the dial and the hands.
The collection starts with the most accessible watch in the lineup - Chrono .BLU. Available at a starting pre-order price of just €449 including VAT (€600 retail).
Chrono .BLU is a bicompax chronograph with a quartz engine, featuring a running seconds counter and a 30-minute register located off-axis, between 2-3 and 9-10 o'clock, respectively. It's a small touch, but it gives Chrono .BLU a unique personality, especially when paired with the brand's logo above the date at the “6 o'clock” position. The Chrono .BLU model is available with a deep sunburst blue dial or a white dial with blued hands. Whichever color you choose, both exude a sense of leisurely calm. The quartz movement in Chrono .BLU provides a thin case height of just 10.36 mm, which easily slips under a cuff. A 42 mm diameter provides ample wrist presence while remaining comfortable and versatile, especially paired with a 20 mm black leather strap.
The next in the collection is the Pendulum .BLU model - automatic watches in a classic style featuring either the signature deep sunburst blue dial or a white dial with blued hands. As a timeless touch, Fromanteel chose a sub-seconds dial above the “6 o'clock” mark. However, “timeless” does not mean “standard”: the Pendulum .BLU model adds a sporty character with a red number 60 on the sub-seconds dial and Arabic five-minute markers.
The Pendulum .BLU model is equipped with a Swiss-made Sellita SW-261 Mini-Sweep automatic movement. Like its sibling, the Sellita SW-200, the SW-261 is a proven and reliable movement. The self-winding mechanism operates at 28,800 BPH, has 31 jewels, hacking seconds, a date function, and a 41-hour power reserve. Like other watches in the collection, the Fromanteel Pendulum .BLU model features a 42 mm stainless steel case and sapphire glass. And, of course, the crown is topped with Fromanteel's signature yellow pattern.
The Pendulum .BLU model is already available for pre-order at a price of €999 including VAT, with a final suggested retail price of €1500.
The new .BLU collection concludes with the Pendulum .BLU Chrono model. The Pendulum .BLU Chrono model certainly stands out in the collection. The classic three-register chronograph Pendulum .BLU Chrono is powered by a Swiss-made Sellita SW-500a automatic chronograph movement with an impressive 62-hour power reserve. The Pendulum .BLU Chrono model, with a blue or white dial, combines elegance and functionality: day and date at the “3 o'clock” position, running seconds hand at the “9 o'clock” position, 30-minute register at “12 o'clock,” and 12-hour register at “6 o'clock.”
Despite its impressive technical features and superb finish, the Chrono .BLU model is available for pre-order at a price of €1999 including VAT (€2500 retail).
The pre-order campaign for the .BLU collection from Fromanteel will run until the end of the year, with shipping and delivery expected by the end of 2021. Order now, as pre-order prices will increase over time. For more information on Fromanteel watches and the .BLU line, be sure to visit the brand's website.