Sognator Viziorie – a watch collector’s dream to make luxury watches available to the masses. Read on to know his story.
A brand for those who strive to make dreams and visions a reality. “Sognator” being Italian for dreamer, and “Viziorie” is Slovak for visionary. A pilot in training, 25 year old Jerfersen Chew has had a knack for collecting timepieces since he was 18. His dream was to create avant-garde luxury watches at an affordable price point, where like-minded collectors would be able to purchase them and still not break the bank.
Image credit: @sognatorviziorie_ , Instagram
He wanted to use the most unique materials and pair them with unique and complex designs with the manufacturing cost in mind so that the everyday person would be able to appreciate the intricately sculpted work of art that rests on their wrist. Citing an over influx of minimalists and diver watches by microbrands in the market, his idea was to create a daily wearable which has the ability to stand out during important events.
In essence, he was a visionary, a dreamer who dared to create an affordable luxury timepiece that rivals even the big players in the industry. Think Hublot, Audemars Piguet, Tag Heuer and the works. And I’d say he pretty much nailed it with his first design.
Having spent a couple of months travelling around Europe, the inspiration for the first sketch of his watch dawned at a sleepy cafe in Amsterdam. Dubbed “The Meteorite”, it sported an intricately patterned dial made of, as you can guess, meteorite itself. The crystalline structures of a meteorite dial require very special conditions to grow in this particular way – they specifically cool at a slow pace over millions of years. While it is possible to fake or imitate its look, the actual process of forming the meteorite cannot be artificially reproduced in a laboratory due to the time taken for it to be formed this way.
Jerfersen had to interact with nearly 100 manufacturers for his signature meteorite dial. Furthermore, a huge barrier he faced was that most companies didn’t have the ability to cut meteorite, much less treat it so it doesn’t rust. Some manufacturers simply coat the meteorite dial thickly, and as a result, the unique Widmanstätten patterns that each dial has would be barely visible. This wasn’t ideal, as the beauty of a meteorite dial lies in its complex and unique patterns; no two dials being identical.
Image credit: @sognatorviziorie_ , Instagram
Wanting an automatic movement for his watch, he opted for the brand Miyota due to the reliability and accuracy of its automatic movements. The Meteorite specifically uses the open hearted Caliber 82S0 movement. With regards to the bezel and straps, the watch uses genuine leather straps with a folding clasp to give it a more luxurious look while its bezel is mirror polished stainless steel. It currently comes in two colours – rose gold and silver.
Image credit: @sognatorviziorie_ , Instagram
Sporting a mineral glass open back design, there is great attention to detail put into the creation of this watch. Engraved on the top is Jerfersen’s signature quote for his brand, “Designed and built by visionaries“. A reminder for every person who dons this watch that any vision can become a reality. Literally. The time taken from the design idea that came in Amsterdam to this watch becoming a physical reality was only eight months. Eight months for a watch to go from paper to being able to wear it on one’s wrist. If that’s not determination and perseverance, I don’t know what else comes close.
Image credit: @sognatorviziorie_ , Instagram
Jerfersen aims to do an official launch via Kickstarter, at the end of this year. Read on for a little Q&A session!
Q: What is the starting price point for “The Meteorite“?
A: About 400 to 500 euros.
Q: Would being a pilot influence the designs of Sognator Viziorie in the future? Perhaps an aviator?
A: I guess being a pilot helps me know what aviators would want in their watch. Because when I fly, I understand what type of design and functions would be helpful in the cockpit. And I’m going make a GMT watch for sure. That’s one of the designs I’ve been thinking about actually.
Q: Why did you choose to use the quote “Designed and built by visionaries”?
A: In a sense, this watch wasn’t simply designed by a commercial designer and lacks soul. On the contrary, it was designed by the same type of people that the brand is based on which supports and are for all the dreamers and visionaries out there.
Q: How has COVID-19 affected your progress?
A: Well, COVID-19 has surely halted the progress as lots of manufacturers in China are closed. We are postponing the launch to late this year due to the lockdown imposed on certain countries.
Q: Any plans for upcoming models?
Sognator Viziorie has definitely blown me away with its’ classy and timeless design. For a small brand, Jerfersen’s choice of materials for his first watch as well as movement is unlike any other. I’m looking forward to seeing what he comes up with next.
You can follow Sognator Viziorie’s progress on Instagram @sognatorviziorie_ .
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Here’s another brand using a meteorite dial.