The Revival of the Keyring Watch with the Volan Type One

Dutch watch enthusiast, collector and entrepreneur Diederik van Golen is back at it again, reviving a fun historical piece of watchmaking with his newly founded brand, Volan Watches. Inspired by his love for cars, yachting and watches, the goal is to bring back the Keyring Watch, an item that was very popular in the 1950s and 1960s. The concept is relatively simple, but pretty cool! Take a mechanical movement, encase it in a steel house, and fit that inside a treaded black rubber “tyre”! And to mix in his yachting background, there’s also one with a teak and birch wood outer casing. Here’s a first look at the cool Volan Watches Type One!

Dating back to the golden age of motoring, the keyring tyre watch was widespread in the middle of the 20th century. Through Diederik’s research, he discovered almost 50 brands that once produced items similar to this, including names such as Ruhla, Timex and Marvin. The idea is to carry a watch on your key chain, to have the time with you at, well, all times. It was often gifted to people by friends and relatives, to celebrate one’s passion for speed, adventure and life on the road.

The Volan Type One rekindles this concept in two distinct styles: with a black rubber outer tyre or a layered teak and birch wood exterior mimicking the deck of a yacht. The dimensions read 58mm in width and 13mm in height for the exterior, with the steel centre case coming in at 46mm by 11mm. The finishing is pretty nice, with a cool vintage tread on the rubber tyre, and actual vintage teak and birch used for the wooden casing. Both materials feel excellent and are expected to age a bit over time, reflecting your personal journey as you use them.

Time is set through the crown, which is positioned at 6′, right across from the strap attachment. The tyre edition comes with a black dial with white printed numerals and tracks, while the yachting edition has a white dial with black printed numerals and tracks. The applied hour markers get a dose of Super-LumiNova, and the central hour and seconds are brushed, while the minute hand is lacquered in red with a Super-LumiNova spine. Everything is protected from the elements by a sapphire crystal on either side, and of course, the rubber or wood “bumper”.

Inside the case ticks a Sellita SW200 workhorse automatic movement. Known for its reliability and ease of service, it’s a perfect fit for a keyring watch that’s bound to get knocked around a little. It runs at a rate of 28,800vph and delivers a power reserve of 38 hours. It displays the time only, as the date function is left out. The finishing is intentionally basic, as Diederik wants to reflect the tool-like nature of the keyring watch. Again, it’s a given it will get a few marks throughout its life, so why dress up the inside when the outside is bound to build character due to scratches and dings?

The Volan Watches Type One comes with a narrow black or brown leather strap with a steel ring to easily attach it to your favourite key (or set of keys). So whenever you start your prized classic car, take your boat for a leisurely cruise, or fire up your motorcycle to blast off into the horizon, the Volan Type One will keep you on time, every time. Retailing for EUR 785 excluding VAT, the first 100 pieces of each model will be individually numbered. After that, the series continues unnumbered, with the first batch capped out at 300 pieces. Deliveries are scheduled for December 2025.

For more information, please visit Volan-Watches.com.