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Lebond This is an unusual brand for many reasons, but perhaps chief among them is the fact that famous architects design each of their watches. While having architects design watches is nothing new, having this element at the heart of a brand’s DNA certainly is.
Lebond was founded by architect Asier Mateo, and its first watch launched in 2023 was designed by Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza. He drew inspiration from the Leça swimming pool he designed in 1966 when he was 28 years old. This is a very attractive watch with an unusual diamond-shaped case and attractive hands and hour markers.The second watch launched this month is designed by a famous architect Eduardo Suto de MouraLike Siza, the Portuguese is also a winner of the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize. However, his watch designs are completely different.
Souto de Moura chose to retain the traditional round shape for this watch, officially known as the Lebond Soto MoraAs pure as it gets, but gave it a real twist when he rotated everything 30 degrees clockwise. The result is a driver’s watch with an architectural structure where legibility is key. However, Souto de Moura would not be one of the world’s leading architects without a wealth of iconic designs. Like his architecture, he was a master of making a difference through just a few details. Although the hour and minute markers are relatively common, he changes the perception of the design through two clever details. The first is the size of the hour hand, which is much smaller than usual. This, in turn, increases legibility because there is more distinction between the two hands. Souto de Moura chose to use a longer hour-marker at twelve o’clock, placing the two beside it. This makes twelve o’clock a magical moment for Lebond – when the hour markers, hour and minute hands form a long line from the center to the end of the dial.
As an architect, Souto de Moura is part artist, part creator of environments. In addition to being beautiful, his buildings also serve as places for people to work, live and relax. His watch is identical and therefore equipped with a date window. It adds a practical feel to the design, as the true purpose of the watch guided him when he was writing down his ideas about what an ideal timepiece should be.
While the design itself is eye-catching, it’s the way Lebond brings it to life that truly sets it apart. The watch features a very refined case structure, with Vendôme lugs hidden beneath the disc-shaped case surrounding the center of the sapphire crystal case back. The top is signed by Souto de Moura, and the bottom is a beautifully decorated ETA 2892-A2.
Other details, such as the tapered metal used to accentuate the crown, provide a nice look on the case while also providing some practical benefit with a small cutout that helps make pulling the crown easier with your fingernail. The crown itself looks sophisticated, with the Lebond logo on the side, and its grooves making operation very easy and pleasant. The crown and case itself are made of grade 5 titanium and have a micro-sand matte finish. Combined with a diameter of 38.5 mm, this watch is pleasantly light and comfortable to wear. Although the Lebond has a modest height of only 7.6 mm, it is slimmer to wear due to its case construction. Also, the fact that they chose a domed sapphire crystal instead of a double-domed sapphire crystal also helps with this issue.
Extra credit goes to the excellent folding clasp. This one is also made from grade 5 titanium and has a micro-sandblasted finish. It’s great to see a new brand actually putting resources into developing a great folding buckle instead of buying something generic. This is one of the details that makes this Lebond exceed its price. Souto Moura is available in two versions: the first is the “Original Edition” with beige lacquered dial and blue Nappa leather strap; the second is the “Dark Edition” with matte gray lacquered dial and black Nappa leather Watch strap. Both products are priced at €2,700 (approximately $2,900 as of this writing).
While the brand’s first watches were almost over the top, Souto de Moura’s latest design impresses with a subtle twist, giving the watch its own unique style in the most traditional of shapes. Lebond combines near-flawless high-end execution to create a striking case for watch lovers who value well-designed and well-made watches.
For more information on Lebond, please click here
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