We at Holthinrichs Watches create unique three-dimensional wrist sculptures inspired by architecture. Our expertise combines innovative manufacturing technologies with in-house traditional craftsmanship, allowing us to present daring design concepts and groundbreaking aesthetics.
“I want people to experience the emotional sensations that architecture can evoke through its spatial, structural and artisanal complexity: architecture on the wrist. That is why our watches are called after the architectural ornament”
Michiel Holthinrichs, founder of Holthinrichs Watches.
The brand Holthinrichs Watches is the brainchild of architect turned watchmaker Michiel Holthinrichs. During his studies in Delft he developed a strong interest in watches and watchmaking. After years of collecting he decided to dedicate his life to watch design.
After four years of pioneering into new 3D metal printing technologies Michiel was able to create a timepiece that featured an unprecedented skeletonized case shape. It proved the technology could be used to create exceptional designs in horology, and it marked the introduction of our signature sculptural design language. The brand was launched in 2016, together with our first and most classical timepiece, the Ornament 1.
Today Michiel is supported by a passionate and highly skilled team from various creative and technical backgrounds. A dogged determination fuels the process of creating timepieces that are characterised by tasteful, original designs that make use of high-level technical development and extensive manual finishing. With this wide skill set we are able to make and develop many components in-house, from case designs, to movement components and dials.
Our watch designs are strongly inspired by the elegant and three dimensional shapes of the Art Nouveau, clear lines and proportions, materialistic expression found in Art Deco and early modernism. Great architects like Victor Horta, Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Eero Saarinen, Santiago Calatrava or car designer like Battista Farina all show us that a holistic approach, exceptional sense for spatial composition, simple but refined lines, clear materialistic expression and craftsmanship can result in pure art.
Michiel and his team developed an obsession for detailing and for the artistic expression and craftsmanship found in the ornament. The Holthinrichs Watches are therefore named after the ornament, for it does to the wrist of the wearer the same as beautiful ornaments does to the building: it is a small but powerful expression of the sophistication of a developed taste, with a strong impact on the appearance of the whole.
Stands for our approach in watchmaking, in which we utilise state-of-the-art 3D printing technology combined with artisan craftsmanship to realise our creative, ornate and sculptural watch designs.
Through extensive experience we've discovered that pioneering with production methods meant we required extensive manual finishing to create the most convincing and appealing timepieces. An apparent contradiction that we soon started to embrace and love. No computer controlled machine can reach the flexibility of the human hand and deliver us the sharp details we want.
In our watches we use the intrinsic beauty of textures derived from the 3D printer and smooth finishes made by the human hand as contrasting aspects that empower each other, and elevate our designs. It is our ambition to excel as a creative brand, which includes excelling in manual finishing. For this purpose we even developed our own training programs.
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