After being in quarantine for most of 2020, our sense of time has gone haywire, right? Days blended and memories blurred. Time seemingly has gone from a sloth's pace to warp speed at various intervals of the week. It definitely feels Twilight Zone at times. So with time being so up in the air these days, it's quite fitting that this product review of a timepiece came about.
Recently, I was made aware of the Danish brand, Nordgreen, who produces minimalist style watches for both men and women. With a very purposeful mission, they believe in sustainability and a precise design aesthetic - something that we at STORY SPARK admire and try to pursue ourselves. Thus when Nordgreen offered to provide us with their Philosopher Men's Watch to personally review, I was happy to check it out.
When the Nordgreen Philosopher watch arrived, it was housed in a subtle and sophisticated drawer box with minimal branding. The drawer slid in and out with a nice amount of traction thus showing the level of detail put into its package design.
The Philosopher watch was nicely displayed inside the box and came with a special adjustment tool for the metallic mesh wristband. I would have expected the tool to be placed beneath the box insert (where the instruction manual was located) so that the watch would give a more striking first impression, but that's my preference.
From afar, one may think the watch is pretty basic. However, upon closer examination, you begin to appreciate the level of detail and simplicity that went into its development. Having been designed by award-winning Scandinavian designer, Jakob Wagner, it all makes sense. I really like the clean lines and minimal contours of the design. You can tell there's an intentional decision to make the watch face as clear as possible in order to immediately see what time it is.
After taking the Philosopher watch out of its box and trying it on, I was impressed by its weight and the way it feels. This men's watch has a 40mm diameter face (there's also a 36mm) and is made of stainless steel, so it felt substantial without being overly heavy or bulky.
Being a techie at heart, I loved the smooth metallic finish of this Nordgreen watch and its gunmetal color that parallels the refined design sensibilities of my MacBook Pro. Furthermore, the interchangeable mesh strap gives a cool techy aesthetic to a nondigital gadget. Plus, it's smooth, thin, and easy to adjust while using the adjustment tool that was included in the package.
One other note to mention (which I was not aware of until I read the manual - yes, I like to be thorough), is that Nordgreen has a Giving Back Programme. It states that every Nordgreen watch will contribute to one of three causes that the watch owner may select. Basically, you choose a cause, enter your info, watch serial number, and identification number listed on the included certificate of authenticity.
Learn more about the importance of a certificate of authenticity.
Nordgreen then claims that you're contributing to that cause, which feels good and great for awareness of the charitable organization, but I'm a little unclear in terms of what the contribution means. Perhaps I will receive a followup in future emails to come.
Overall, I'm impressed with this minimalist timepiece in terms of its quality, design aesthetic, and user experience. With a variety of sophisticated colors and wristbands, the Nordgreen Philosopher watch has versatile options that can be perfect for anyone who appreciates simplicity and subtle style. I definitely recommend that this can be an awesome graduation, holiday, or birthday gift for the techie in your life - or simply for yourself. Perhaps going with something with such thoughtfulness can help us take a moment to pause and return to simpler days.
Thanks for checking out this review, and if you have thoughts regarding this watch or experiences with Nordgreen, please feel free to add your comments below. Would love to hear them!
