ARCANAUT ARC II — D'ARC MATTER BADGER BLUE
The Arcanaut Arc II — D'Arc Matter Badger Blue is one of four exciting new colours joining the D'Arc Matter family in 2023.
Inspired by the beguiling natural patterns of Scandinavian slate, James Thompson, AKA The Black Badger, created the D'Arc Matter composite material first seen in Arcanaut's 2021 D'Arc Matter Limited Edition release. Now, that same material returns with our new stainless steel "Grand Paw" handset (laser-cut and hand-finished in Denmark), and colorful Super-LumiNova, specially developed for Arcanaut by our Swiss partners RC Tritec.
Housed in a 316L stainless steel case CNC-milled and assembled in Copenhagen, the Arcanaut Arc II — D'Arc Matter Badger Blue has a matte micro bead blasted finish, with hand-polished highlights applied in-house by our Danish watchmakers. The case features Arcanaut's signature "Pentablock" crown, the shape of which follows the form of the Arc case perfectly.
Powered by the Swiss-made automatic Soprod A10, the Arcanaut Arc II – D'Arc Matter Badger Blue has an operating frequency of 28,800vph and a power reserve of 42 hours.
The D’Arc Matter Badger Blue will only be produced in small annual batches. The complement available for 2023 is just 25 pieces and is available from Arcanaut directly and the brand's trusted retail partners.
THE D'ARC KNIGHT RISES
When James Thompson, AKA The Black Badger, first encountered the crumbling masonry of a beautiful fountain he walked past every day on his way to work, he never imagined it would eventually inspire the creation of D'Arc Matter, a material that alerted the watch media worldwide to Arcanaut's arrival...
WHAT IS D'ARC MATTER?
D’Arc Matter is an entirely new composite material made for the Arc II, developed by feeding Swedish slate stone through an industrial coffee grinder and then casting it under high pressure in a vacuum chamber. The result is a stone surface with a dark matte finish that limits reflection on the dial and enhances the distinct look of the Arc II.
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 Danish watchmakers. 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. You'll have a chance to choose your preferred colour after payment and before delivery (we'll contact you). 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 — D'Arc Matter Colours Collection
Dimensions: 40.52 mm (excluding crown)
Materials: Micro-blasted and brushed stainless steel case
Water resistance: 100m
Dial: D'Arc Matter slate stone composite
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 in 2023, 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.