ARCANAUT ARC II — FORDITE LINEAR
HISTORY FOR YOUR WRIST
The Arc II — Fordite series features dials handmade from "Motor City Agate".
Our love for avant-garde materials is no secret, and this Badger-led project is no exception. The ARC II Fordite uses dials made from 40-year-old layers of car paint from the automotive Factories of Detroit, perfectly encapsulated by the ARC case frame in a minimalistic yet unique style that is like nothing else.
There are four types of Fordite dials crafted by Arcanaut: The “Linear” variety seen here, is particularly challenging to make as the grain of each lump of Fordite has to be identified and then cross-sectioned with unflinching precision to ensure a perfectly linear result.
FORDITE
Known also as Detroit or Motor City Agate, Fordite is a fascinating material created as a byproduct of the automobile industry. When it came time for bodywork panels to be sprayed, they were mounted to specially made jigs in painting chambers.
Over time, the overspray would build up on the jigs and need to be chipped off so they could continue to be used. Initially considered nothing but a waste product, these lumps of layered paint, resprayed and baked repeatedly for years, were discarded until someone realized the incredible beauty that resided within.
Nowadays, genuine Fordite (which is far more compact and durable than synthetic or homemade Motor City Agate) is used in jewelry production. Arcanaut’s materials maestro, James Thompson, was the first to refine the process for using it in high-end watch design, and now the Arcanaut ARC II - Fordite pieces form an important cornerstone of our collection.
There are two types of Fordite dials crafted by Arcanaut: “Groovy” variety cuts straight through the layers, revealing inimitable patterns of paints fused together.
The “Linear” variety is particularly challenging to make as the grain of each lump of Fordite has to be identified and then cross-sectioned with unflinching precision to ensure a perfectly linear result.
Each piece is entirely unique, with hundreds of stories revealed by every slice. Sadly, modern car production techniques mean Fordite is no longer produced in such enduring quality, so these pieces are the first and last of their kind.
CASE
316L stainless steel case, CNC milled north of Copenhagen with tolerances down to a micron (a thousandth of a millimeter or about the same size as a bacteria). The case has a matte micro bead blasted finish, with hand-polished highlights applied by our watchmakers in Copenhagen. As with all our watches, the case features our signature "Pentablock" crown, which is shaped to follow the form of the case perfectly.
HANDS
Our laser-cut micro-welded steel hands are made and hand-finished in Denmark.
STRAPS
There are eight strap colours available for the Arc II case. Our strap types are Axe Red, Void Blue, Fett Green, Rex Brown, Kakarot Orange, Bondi Blue, Replicant White, and Black (just black).
Technical Information
Name: Arcanaut ARC II — Fordite
Dimensions: 40.52 mm (excluding crown)
Materials: Micro-blasted and brushed stainless steel case
Water resistance: 100m
Dial: Genuine hand-finished Fordite, each piece Unique
Hands: Laser-cut stainless steel
Movement: Soprod A10 — Swiss mechanical movement
Functions: Time only
Power reserve: 42 hours
Operating frequency: 28,800vph
Glass: Domed sapphire antireflective coating
Lume: Badgerite — based on Super-LumiNova®
Limitation: 25 pieces produced per year, pre-order available
ABOUT ARCANAUT
Arcanaut is a pan-Scandinavian watch brand founded in Copenhagen Denmark by enthusiasts for enthusiasts.
We’re a team of makers, designers and not least die-hard watch geeks, all of whom have set out to create beautiful mechanical watches with an experimental and unconventional approach to Scandinavian design and craftsmanship.
Our team is led by Chief Designer Anders Brandt (Denmark), and Chief of Materials Development James Thompson (Sweden), supported by Rob Nudds, Head of Brand Development (Germany).
Arcanaut watches are manufactured in Denmark, using mostly Scandinavian materials and components. We’re always on the lookout for new inventive ways to develop, manufacture, and incorporate Scandinavian parts in tune with our design philosophy.
We chose to focus on our own distinctive design language instead of drawing upon the usual watch stereotypes such as dive or aviation watches (because we most certainly aren’t divers or pilots ourselves), or tying their brand to any specific type of gimmick or marketing ploy.
Arcanaut is the abbreviation of the word “Arcane” (hidden knowledge) and “naut” (meaning traveler), which as Chief Designer & Brand Owner Anders Brandt explains is “The fanciest way of calling ourselves nerds, without actually calling ourselves nerds”. But now we’ve gone and done it anyway.
All our customers are invited on this journey of discovery as we explore uncharted waters within design, materials, and craftsmanship, with plenty of beer in the hold to lubricate those creative cogs.
THE BACKSTORY
Arcanaut is an independent watch brand founded by two Danes, Anders Brandt and Simon Goldeman. The idea for the company came when the two met at a bar in Copenhagen back in 2015, and Anders called out Simon’s newly bought Swiss watch for having an overcomplicated dial design, poor ergonomics, and an eye-watering price.
This beer-fueled conversation turned into a nightlong debate about watches and Danish design traditions, which would eventually lead to the two starting a new watch brand centered around the simple idea: a high-end watch with an understated yet unique design language inspired by the traditions of Scandinavian design.
The idea took three years to develop. After thousands of experiments and lots of failed attempts, the company finally released the Swiss-made ARC-I in 2018, a small “proof-of-concept” series which sold out almost immediately.
Building on this success, the next model, the ARC-II D’Arc Matter (now also sold out), marked the beginning of an entirely new series of models with a strategic aim to push the boundaries of locally based Scandinavian manufacturing while staying true to the Scandinavian design tradition.
In 2020, industry heavyweight and renowned exotic materials expert James Thompson (also known as Black Badger), joined the company as part-owner and Chief of Materials Development.
Arcanaut watches are characterized by their focus on simple aesthetics, ergonomics and honesty in materials. These core principles give our watches a distinctive look and feel. To the best of our knowledge, we’re the only watch brand in the world to have a fully integrated and motionless square crown design, which protects the movement, heightens wearing comfort, and gives the case design its distinctly sleek look.
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