When Lorenzo Buffa, founder and CEO of the Analog Watch Company, and Andi Maddalo, co-designer with Buffa, approached me about writing an article about a brand new concept, the “first watch made with wine”, I was intrigued, yet honest. I never write about a product unless I have it in my hands (or in this case, on my wrist) for personal review. She understood completely and about a week later, my unique timepiece, one that I had chosen from several in the collection, arrived.
Various wine types inspire each watch: Rosé for rose gold, Cassis for black, Chardonnay for gold, and Sake for silver. The five band options include red and blue choices dyed with wine and natural, white, and black corks. Gorgeous all, watch lovers are able to “mix and match” bands with cases.
But what about those bands dyed with wine? Lorenzo Buffa, Designer, explained that “it’s the tannins in wine that give it a complex flavor, but also cause the pigment producing chromogens to stain your teeth. We’re using a property of wine, that most people don’t like, to their advantage.” If wine can stain your teeth, why can’t it stain the cork watch band? It can! Brilliant!
Its latest jaunt (on my wrist, of course) to a wine event garnered some “Hey, that’s cool!” remarks as well as more than a few “How do I get this watch?” queries. Luckily, Andi and Lorenzo have launched a Kickstarter project (click here for the direct link to read all of the details and gush over all of the photos) so that everyone can appreciate and support the workmanship in each special watch. As of October 2, the collection is offering a limited early bird price of $75 for the first 100 supporters then $80 for the remainder of the campaign. The project will be funded if it reaches its goal of $10,000 by Tuesday, November 6.
Still wondering whether to be an important part of the project and purchase an exclusive watch? The video below will convince you that the craftsmanship, creative design, and cool factor in each are exactly what you’ve been waiting for. Promise to watch the entire video for more than a few surprises… and cringe-worthy, hilarious scenes.
The creative duo, who find inspiration from nature itself, has crafted uniquely designed products that have been featured in the MoMA, Guggenheim, and Smithsonian Museums. As Lorenzo Buffa has stated, “We believe a timepiece is more than just a functional object – it’s a wearable work of art. It is our pleasure to infuse a little bit of nature into the everyday”.
Cheers! ~ Cindy
