More Than a Pretty Face

Ad Astra Per Aspera

Image courtesy of Barrelhand

For the past couple months, I’ve been wear-testing a prototype of an incredibly innovative watch, the Monolith, from a company—Barrelhand—most people, even watch enthusiasts, haven’t heard of. Its concept is ambitious, its form is unlike anything that currently exists, and its purpose is entirely forward-thinking—futuristic, one might even call it. The company’s founder doesn’t come from a traditional watchmaking background, but rather from a NASA research lab, which might tell you a little something about his goals and priorities. I can’t write much about the details, nor can I post any personal photos of my prototype tester (it has a dummy dial on it anyway), but what I can say is, it’s refreshing to see a watch that is not at all concerned with repackaging the past and trading on nostalgia to sell a few units. It is a watch aiming to meet the needs of future adventurers.