If you do this job for any significant length of time (or, honestly, even an insignificant length of time) you’re almost certainly going to be asked about great brands that fly under the radar. Because there are always brands that do great work but for whatever reason don’t catch fire and become viral sensations in the broader watch world. This is a question that we literally get on just about every Q&A podcast in one form or another. And I’m not saying listeners and readers should stop asking. On the contrary, we love talking about brands that don’t always get the credit they deserve and perhaps exposing them to a broader audience. But because of the nature of the industry, which whether we like it or not runs on a certain amount of hype, I sometimes feel stumped when it comes time to provide an actual answer.
Heinrich is one of those brands that should just be a stock answer when this comes up. The German brand consistently produces some of the most interesting, accessible watches of their type. And if you’ve had a chance to handle any of their watches over the years, you know that they’re made to a very high standard in terms of their machining and finishing. Their watches do a great job of embodying that high grade, German quality that many people inherently associate with watches coming out of that country, particularly at more accessible price points. It’s the reason brands like Sinn, Nomos, and others have always been darlings of the forums – there’s a real enthusiast appeal in the way these things are made.
The latest Heinrich release is another experiment in color and texture. The Radiance Guilloche takes the Radiance platform, the brand’s most stripped down design and their twist on the classic dress watch, and adds a deeply textured and evocative guilloche pattern. Heinrich notes that these dials use a CNC process to apply the guilloche pattern, which of course won’t touch the handcrafted feel of an engine turned dial, but is several steps what you’d find in a stamped guilloche dial. There will be an element of “perfection” in CNC guilloche that might turn some traditionalists who crave the sign of a human touch off a little, but in terms of on-the-wrist appeal for casual day to day wear, there’s no denying the quality and drama of a nicely made CNC guilloche dial. There’s a reason so many brands have turned to this process in recent years.
The Radiance case measures 38.5mm in diameter and is just 8mm tall thanks to the use of slim, manually wound ETA 7001 movement. The case incorporates a mix of brushed and polished surfaces throughout, and is mounted to a vintage inspired multi-link stainless steel bracelet with a butterfly clasp. Two dial colors will be available at launch: burgundy and turquoise. Both appear to be quite vibrant, and I imagine they do a better job of showing off the guilloche pattern than a more standard black, white, or silver dial would. This release is a limited edition of 100 pieces, split equally between colors.
The Radiance Guilloche is available for pre-order now at a price of $1,120. The first batch of watches is expected to ship in December with delivery in time for the holidays. Remaining watches will ship in January. More information can be found on the Heinrich website here.
