The Studio Underd0g Salm0n, The First Model in the Swiss-Powered 03SERIES

Why so serious…? This was somehow the idea Richard Benc had in mind when he decided, in 2020, to create his watch brand, Studio Underd0g. From there, the brand managed to gather the attention of watch enthusiasts with its fun, colourful watches at accessible prices – think about an April Fool’s joke becoming a reality, or a chronograph with pizza-inspired dial… More recently, Studio Underd0g went multiple steps up by announcing a collaboration with high-end indie watchmaker H. Moser, revealing Project Passion. Alongside a perpetual calendar was Underd0g’s watch, a Swiss-powered monopusher chronograph announcing the launch of the 03SERIES. This now becomes a stand-alone collection, with the introduction of the new Studio Underd0g Salm0n. 

Studio Underd0g started with the 01SERIES, a compact, truly accessible and appealing chronograph powered by a hand-wound Seagull ST-1901 (a Chinese clone of the Venus 175). Multiple versions would be done, all flying like hot cakes. Last year, the micro-brand introduced its second watch, the Field 02SERIES, once again a playful, brightly-coloured take on a watchmaking classic this time powered by a Swiss hand-wound Sellita movement. Now it’s time for the 03SERIES to fully materialize, after having been teased by a collaboration with H. Moser & Cie – an unexpected team that made quite some noise during Geneva Watch Days 2024.

A step up in specs and perceived quality, the Monopusher 03SERIES retains the familiar look of the 01SERIES with an upgraded movement, but doesn’t lose the light-hearted creativity that has been key for the brand since its creation. So, we’re looking at a salmon monopusher chronograph… sounds pretty serious, right. Well, yes and no. As Richard Benc explains, “Every reputable brand must have a salmon dial watch in their product assortment if they wish to be taken seriously.” But Benc had to add its playful twist. So instead of a classic pink-gold-toned dial, Underd0g’s vision of a salmon watch takes inspiration from a salmon fillet. I’ll come back on that in a few.

Let’s start with the case, as the Monopusher 03SERIES retains the qualities of the inaugural collection with a compact steel case, measuring 38.5mm in diameter, 13.6mm in thickness and 44.5mm lug-to-lug. It’s topped by a double-domed sapphire crystal and features a see-through caseback to see what’s inside, a new Swiss movement. It’s simple, well-proportioned and classic.

What’s far less classic is the dial. As said, the concept of a salmon dial has been pushed to another level here. The centre of the dial, with its grained texture, emulates the shimmering skin of the fish with its greyish gradient effect. The varied size and colour of the sub-dials are offset by the branding and movement details, which allows the central chronograph seconds hand to pass through uninterrupted. The true salmon colour is used for the sunray lower dial with a metallic finish, displaying a tachymeter scale and the oversized 30-minute counter.

What makes this Studio Underd0g Salm0n compared to the previous chronographs is the movement. From the Seagull found in the 01SERIES the brand now moves to a hand-wound Swiss Sellita SW510 in the 03SERIES. This cam-operated monopusher chronograph shares its base architecture with the Valjoux 7750 but brings a solid 63-hour power reserve. The large bridge on top has been specifically decorated with ruthenium coating for an anthracite colour.

This new watch, assembled in Great Britain, is worn on an Epsom Calfskin strap made by The Strap Tailor. Also, Studio Underd0g partnered with Horologium who will carry out a full independent QC inspection on all watches before they’re shipped out from the UK. The process includes demagnetisation, accuracy/rate review (3 positions) and regulation wherever necessary. It comes with a 2-year warranty.

The Studio Underd0g Salm0n Monopusher Chronograph will be made available for pre-order on the 17th of September 2024, during a 9-hour window (between 3PM and 12AM BST) via underd0g.com. All orders placed during this window will be guaranteed a watch. The first 400 watches will be delivered in October 2024, with any further orders to be delivered from January 2025. It is priced at EUR 1,800, GBP 1,700 or USD 2,000.