Paulin Neo
Glasgow design brand Paulin Watches presents Neo, a Scottish-made mechanical watch created in partnership with anOrdain and contemporary jeweller Helen Swan.
Founded by three Scottish sisters – Eleanor, Charlotte and Elizabeth Paulin – in 2013, Paulin is known for its clever watch designs and versatile approach. With design shops in both Glasgow and Edinburgh, Paulin supports local creative talents through collaborations, exhibitions in its shops and showcase campaigns on the Glasgow Subway. The other watch models by the brand are Commuter Numerical, Commuter Automatic and Geo Mini. Paulin also produces straps, small leather goods, and wall clocks.
To create their latest timepiece, Paulin has partnered with Helen Swan for manufacturing anodised aluminium dials. Helen Swan is a jewellery designer-maker based in Glasgow’s West End, specialising in bespoke contemporary jewellery in a variety of precious and semi-precious materials and metals, including anodised aluminium.
Traditionally, watch dials are made from brass blanks that are coated in colour and printed. The Paulin Neo uses aluminium instead, with dials that are first cut to size and then anodised in an electrochemical bath to give them their deep, inimitable colour and finish. The colored aluminium dials are laser cut near Ayr, anodised and dyed in Helen’s studio and then printed in the anOrdain workshop.
The bold forms and rich tones of the Neo dial reflect a variety of influences, from Neo architecture to Memphis Group interiors. The ‘Wim’ numerals font, designed in-house, is inspired by the grid-based typeface styles of the legendary Dutch graphic designer Wim Crouwel.
anOrdain, founded by Charlotte Paulin’s husband Lewis Heath, is an independent watch company that has established an international profile by combining modern design with colourful, traditionally made ‘grand feu’ enamel dials. These are painstakingly crafted in anOrdain’s Glasgow workshop, where enamellists work alongside watchmakers, designers and product engineers. Presently, anOrdain offers two watch collections: Model 1 and Model 2.
The Paulin Neo is an automatic watch with a 38mm diameter case made from 316L stainless steel. The watch is topped with a Hesalite box-crystal. Powering this timepiece is the Calibre Seiko NH35A. This 24-jewels, 21600 vph, automatic movement provides a power reserve of 41 hours.
The Paulin Neo is a three-hand watch (hour, minute and central seconds) with a date window at 3 o’ clock. Its self-winding movement can be admired through the transparent caseback. The watch is water-proof up to 5 ATM.
The Paulin Neo is available in three dial color versions: butterscotch yellow, sky blue and white.
Recommended retail price is £395.
Technical details
Movement: Seiko NH35A (Automatic)
Crystal: Hesalite box-crystal
Water resistance: 5ATM
Case: 316L stainless steel
Case diameter: 38mm
Case thickness: 11.6mm
Strap width: 18mm
Warranty: 24 months
