If you were alive two years later, you for sure remember when that challenge was met by the people of East and West Germany. Pramzius, a young micro-brand based in the US is releasing a watch this fall just in time for the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Pramzius successfully funded the watch through pre-orders and Kickstarter.
Every element of the watch ties back to the story of the wall coming down. Actual pieces of the wall are visible in the crown and are provided by John Gaps, the photographer on the ground when the wall came down. He also signed a certificate of authenticity. Craig Hester, co-owner of Pramzius (and an editor at About Time) has been friends with Gaps for more than 20 years.
The dial is made of genuine marble in honor of the statuary on the top of the Brandenburg Gate and the gate is also etched on the case back. The image on the dial is from the actual graffiti that is still on the wall today at the East Side Gallery, the world’s largest open-air museum rebuilt in 1992 and painted by more than 100 artists from around the world.
The watch is driven by either the NH35 from Seiko or a 2824 Swiss ETA depending upon the package and there is a bracelet and two strap options available. There is a full-color version of the graffiti and one where the word Berlin is etched on the dial. The 8 and 9 are reversed and enlarged on the dial. The lume is 15 silk-screen layers of Swiss Superluminova including the 89. The watch is a limited edition of only 1989 pieces.
The watches will be out in September and will be available at pramzius.com and R2Awatches.com. Pramzius is also represented in the UK by Watch Base and will be on Ideal World TV there. Retail is $699 for the bracelet version and $649 for one with a leather and nylon strap.
