The New Norqain Independence Wild One Meteorite 42 (Incl. Video)

In just a few short years, Norqain has positioned itself as an independent watchmaker crafting versatile and adventure-ready watches. It was founded by Ben Küffer in 2018, and the pace at which Norqain has matured as a brand and developed a wide range of collections is rather impressive. It announced a partnership with Kenissi in 2020 and made an impact by aligning itself with industry veteran Jean-Claude Biver. With collections such as the Freedom and Independence, it caters to people from all walks of life. There’s no doubt the Independence Wild One is the brand’s most daring design yet, and it sets the direction for Norqain for years to come. To highlight it even more, Norqain now adds the out-of-this-world Independence Wild One Meteorite Limited Edition to the mix.

The construction of the case for any Independence Wild One is rather unique, utilising a mix of materials and 25 parts. A central titanium movement container is protected from shocks by a rubber casing, which is then sandwiched between Norteq components. This proprietary carbon fibre composite material is ultra-lightweight and ultra-resilient, and comes in a range of colours.

For this 42mm wide by 12.30mm Independence Wild One, we’re dealing with a burgundy Norteq outer case and a grey rubber shock absorber. It cuts down the weight of a stainless steel Independence in similar dimensions by about half, making for a very easy-to-wear watch altogether. The dial and movement are sandwiched between two sapphire crystals, and the whole construction is successfully tested to an impact of 5,000G. Other key design features are the screws on the lugs and the ‘bumpers’ on either side of the case. On the left, there’s a burgundy Norteq plaque signed with the brand’s name.

For this one, it’s all about the face of the watch, as its dial is literally out of this world! As the name already suggests, the Wild One Meteorite comes with an authentic slice of iron meteorite for the dial. Each one of the 300 pieces that will be made is unique thanks to the material’s distinctive Widmanstätten pattern. This natural effect is the result of a meteorite slowly cooling down over millions of years, creating the unique crystalline structure. It’s finished with applied partially openworked markers, finished in black and with luminous dots on the outer tip. The central hour and minute hands are openworked for three-quarters of their length, with a Super-LumiNova insert in each tip. The central seconds hand follows suit, and the dial also displays the brand’s name and the fact that it features a Chronometer movement, all in white.

Speaking of which, on the inside, there is a movement made in collaboration with movement manufacturer Kenissi. Norqain is one of the very few brands with access to Kenissi’s movements, alongside others such as Tudor, Breitling, and Chanel. The company was, in fact, founded by Tudor and is now also partially owned by Chanel. The automatic calibre NN20/1 runs at a frequency of 28,800vph and delivers a steady 70 hours of power reserve. It’s chronometer-certified by the COSC and designed with a transverse balance bridge to increase its stability. A sapphire crystal caseback reveals the beating heart of the Independence Wild One, with a double N-signed central rotor. The sapphire crystal on the caseback is printed with “Special Edition” and “Meteorite” to mark that this one is a little different from other Wild Ones.

Norqain has long stepped away from animal-based material for its straps, and the Independence Wild One comes on an integrated rubber strap. Finished with a fine Milanese-like pattern, it’s fitted with a burgundy Norteq pin buckle. It is limited to 300 pieces and retails for CHF 5,950 in this configuration. There’s also the option of a black DLC-coated titanium folding clasp, which ups the price to CHF 6,300.

For more information, please visit Norqain.com.