Disclaimer: this video/review was not sponsored by Vitreum or any other entity. This watch was generously loaned to me by my friend @watchsymmetry. Please check out his Instagram to see more photographs of this watch and other exceptional pieces.
Video
Review
It is hard to talk about the world of accessible enamel dial watches without mentioning Anordain. They are perhaps one of the earliest brands to operate within the micro-brand landscape and successfully deliver a truly artisanal product. It should come as no surprise that they are always sold out, with build slots typically booked many years in advance. But Anordain is not the only brand capable of bringing together artists to create beautiful works of enamel art; there are a few others in this space as well, one of which is Vitreum.
They have been working on their products for several years now. I remember first hearing about this project at least three or four years ago during a conversation with the founder, Kasper Reisner. This Danish watch brand has a similar story to Anordain but offers a dial that is arguably more involved, requiring hand-carved dial base layers upon which multiple layers of enamel are skillfully applied.
Vitreum has a Rare Handcrafts catalog that features more complex designs and dial configurations, priced around 5,000 USD. This particular watch, the FH01 Arctic Blue, is from their Core Collection, which includes slightly less intricate base layers along with a standard set of colors and textures. These watches were originally announced at around 2,250 USD and are currently priced at 2,750 USD. Unfortunately, all Core Collection pieces are now sold out, but the Rare Handcrafts models are still available to order. You can also reach out to Kasper to stay updated on future releases.
Let’s check it out!
Case
I measured the case to be 39.5 mm in diameter, 46.25 mm from lug tip to lug tip, and 9.55 mm in overall thickness. The case is made entirely of stainless steel, with a sapphire crystal and a closed steel case-back. The design is very traditional and feels like it lacks unique characteristics that would give it a more distinctive personality.
The case is finished well, with a rounded and polished bevel, brushed sides, polished lugs, and a good amount of visual interest created by the contrast in finishing styles. However, when designing a watch whose fundamental premise is artisanship and creativity, perhaps a signature case design would have been appropriate too. But maybe I’m asking for too much from a watch that already delivers plenty.
The watch has a 20 mm lug width but appears broader due to the thickness of the lugs. There is a 5.6 mm push-pull crown at the 3 o’clock position that is easy to grip and operate. Flipping it over, you’ll find a solid steel case-back with the brand’s logo etched into it. The brand’s website does not specify a water resistance rating, but their GPHG submission notes a 50 m rating, which seems realistic for a watch like this.
Dial
The dial is the star of the show here and is where the brand truly delivers. The FH01 lineup features Grand Feu enamel dials, each with different hand-engraved base layers. This Arctic Blue variant has a sterling silver dial base, hand-engraved with a finish that resembles shattered glass. Multiple layers of powdered glass are applied over this base and fired in a high-temperature oven between 800 to 900 degrees Celsius. The process is repeated until the desired depth is reached, fusing the enamel with the silver substrate. The result is a dial that looks absolutely magical in person, with a sense of depth that is hard to beat.
There is a printed outer track in white paint with numerals at each hour marker. These numerals are no ordinary design; they are inspired by the 1310 book Haukbók by Icelandic lawman Haukr Erlendsson. Pad-printed on the enamel surface, they appear to float above the dial and cast beautiful shadows onto the textured layer beneath.
The handset is highly polished with a strong three-dimensional structure, giving it excellent legibility. The hands are well finished and their design works nicely with the rest of the watch. While a more unique hand design might better match the distinctive numerals, I still think it looks quite good as is.
Overall, the dial is stunning and the craftsmanship is excellent. These dials are challenging to produce and require much more human effort, artisanship, and time than typical watch dials, which are mostly machine-made and finished. It’s great to see a brand creating dials of this quality and offering them to a broader range of collectors who may not want to, or be able to, spend five or six figures on a high-end Grand Feu enamel dial from a major brand.
Movement
The FH01 uses a hand-wound version of the Sellita SW200, the SW210-1, which is a solid movement, unlike its automatic counterpart, and does not suffer from the same rotor winding issues as the SW200. Additionally, the SW210’s slim profile helps keep the overall case height at a very comfortable 9.5 mm.
Vitreum does not specify what grade of the caliber was used, and the closed case-back makes it difficult to estimate, but I measured the watch’s accuracy over the few days I had it, and it was keeping good time within +/- 10 seconds per day. Personally, I love manually wound movements, so this choice is a delight for me, particularly in a watch like this.
On The Wrist
At 39.5 mm in diameter and 46.25 mm from lug tip to lug tip, the Arctic Blue wears very well on my 6.75″ wrist. The overall thickness of 9.55 mm is also excellent. These dimensions make it suitable for a wide range of wrist sizes, and I appreciate the somewhat broad lug design, as it gives the case a sporty flair.
The wrist presence is excellent, thanks to the striking blue dial and the incredible depth created by the hand-carved dial base and the rich hues of the enamel. This is a very fun watch to wear.
Wrapping Up
Overall, there’s not much to say about this watch other than that it is a truly beautiful piece at a price that’s hard to argue with, given the amount of human involvement required to make this dial possible. It’s easy to compare this watch to Anordain, who really championed the world of accessible enamel dials, but I think, with sufficient time, this Danish brand will settle into its own unique design language, which we’re already beginning to see in this piece.
Given the challenging nature of working with dials like this, I believe the market has a strong appetite for such watches. This is confirmed by the fact that Anordain is consistently sold out and that Vitreum had no trouble selling out their Core Collection pieces.
