Split Watches is a new watch brand with a noble cause.
Each watch sold donates an hour of therapy to a mental health charity, and is designed to spark meaningful conversations.
"Watches aren't meant to tell the time, they're meant to tell a story."
It's the sort of pretentious tripe which would cause you to stop engaging with lesser brands. But having just heard Split Watches co-founder, Edward Marguiles, explain why the brand exists, it proved to be a tear-jerking moment of collective clarity.
The brand has just debuted its first piece, with one clear aim – to get more people talking about their mental health. It's a noble cause, and one which clearly struck a chord with Marguiles personally. During his speech, he opened up not just about his own struggles, but the alarming rate at which he found other chaps in the same boat.
"The fruit and veg guy at Portobello Market, other parents in the playground and even my closest friends – they all opened up about their own struggles as I detailed mine", he said.
Now at this point, you might disregard it as a bit of a gimmick, but Split has ensured its success will also do some good. Partnering with the Anna Freud Foundation, the brand is donating an hour of therapy for each watch sold.
The charity specifically works with younger people and families, to help guide them through tough moments.
So, to the watch itself. The model sports a neat square-ish case shape, which is decidedly retro.
The case itself is 42mm across, and is crafted from a material called Ceramod+. That's derived from ceramic, and offers thermal properties designed to keep you comfortable in wear.
That theme continues with the colour-matched FKM rubber strap. It's resistant to temperature, water, chemicals, sweat and bacteria, for a more hygienic option.
The case does sit slightly tall at 15mm, though in my brief moment with it on the wrist, I wasn't too concerned. It may well be one of those designs which defies its measurements when strapped on.
The real magic happens inside, though, with a Seiko N86A movement powering things. That's a bi-compax, automatic chronograph movement, and looks really neat.
Priced at £1,800, this actually represents pretty good value for an automatic chronograph in the modern age. You don't find many of those below the £2,000 mark, making this something of a unicorn.
Still, it's one of those things which only works with balance. The watch itself is nothing without the meaning and the story behind it, and the story isn't as strong without the watch. Put the two together, though, and magic happens.
Split Watches is definitely one to keep your eye on over the coming months.
