Upon unpacking the box just arrived from London on a snowy day in December, the first thing I note is that the White Watch's strap smells like Christmas. Though it ended up not having much to do with the watch in itself (turned out to be perfume), I notice that the pleasant smell hits a feminine chord in me that I can't quite place. The strap, which is crafted in calfskin tailored to the smaller dimensions of a woman's wrist without changing any of the inherent attributes of the popular 3-Timer, did much the same for my feminine side – which is rarely afforded the chance to rear its head in the line of my chosen profession.
The second thing I note is that I have a bit of trouble getting the screw-down crown between my fingernails. This is due to it being nestled inside two prominent flanks that both protect the crown and serve as the landing base for the attachments for which Linde Werdelin actually created the 3-Timer: the little sports computers meant to be worn on top of the watch – at best doing some overly strenuous activity. These little sports computers, respectively known as the The Rock (the “land instrument”) and The Reef (the “dive instrument”) record and provide information for skiers, mountain climbers, and divers. They can be snapped onto the top of the watch, immediately turning it into an extremely versatile instrument. Regardless of the fact that this model's coloring is aimed to please a feminine eye, it remains first and foremost an instrument that is water-resistant to a full 300 meters. Its matte stainless steel 46 mm case fits snugly on the wrist and actually seems to weigh very little. The size is also not noticeable thanks to the snug fit and its low overall weight. The trusty automatic ETA 2893-2 movement that powers the White Watch kept perfect time while I wore it and even allowed me to see three different time zones with the help of the 24-hour scale engraved on the bezel.
This watch really isn't feminine, nor was it purpose-built for women. However, the addition of the white strap and – I can't help but describe it this way – pretty white dial really transform this watch, whose origins lie in the 3-Timer. “We produced this model after receiving many requests from women who like wearing Linde Werdelin watches,” the dynamic duo, Jörn Werdelin and Morten Linde, explain. In general, it is men who will be attracted to the sporty look and feel of these dynamic watches. The White Watch should open up a whole new clientele for this niche brand, which has managed to make quite a name for itself in the space of ten short years.
The White Watch, limited to a total of 51 pieces, is destined to remain quite rare. Perhaps this was a factor in determining the asking price of $5,580. My own adventures in the snow wearing the chic and sporty White Watch made for an extra-special Christmas this year –and would probably do so even in July.
