In April, Norqain — arguably the youngest brand in the history of the fair — will make its second appearance at the prestigious Watches and Wonders. To mark the occasion, Norqain will present, among other highlights, two new models from the Independence Skeleton Chrono collection, as well as a total of four new models from the Independence Wild One range, all distinguished by a striking and colourful palette. Here is everything you need to know about the new models and the young brand behind them.
Norqain’s rapid ascent from a start-up to an established watch brand, now selling over 10,000 timepieces annually, ranks among the most remarkable success stories in the watch industry in recent years. This ascent culminated in 2019 when, after just one year of existence, Norqain was added to the portfolio of Wempe, one of the world’s largest and most respected jewellers — a process that would typically take decades.
This meteoric rise is, not least, the result of deep roots in the Swiss watch industry, which the Norqain founding team can proudly demonstrate. In addition to Norqain co-founder Ted Schneider, also Norqain founder and CEO Ben Küffer brings a wealth of industry experience. His father, Marc Küffer, served for many years on the board of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry and is co-owner of private-label manufacturer Roventa-Henex in Tavannes — one of the leading producers for prestigious watch brands. The founding team is further supported by well-known Swiss ice hockey players Mark Streit and Roman Josi.
Yet the combination of fresh capital and industry ties alone is not sufficient to explain the success of this young brand. Through a well-thought-out marketing concept and high-quality products positioned in the mid-price segment, Norqain has succeeded in bringing a start-up spirit into the traditionally conservative Swiss watch industry — launching timepieces that embody this ethos through unconventional colours, unusual designs and innovative materials. With its Independence, Adventure, and Freedom collections, Norqain seeks to express this philosophy under the credo: “my life, my way.”
Following its launch in New York last year, Norqain now unveils two new editions of the Independence Skeleton Chrono 42mm in Grade 5 titanium. I had the opportunity to examine these new sports watches in advance. While wearing them, it became clear to me that Norqain is attempting to bridge the gap between bold, vibrant colours and the classic expectations placed on luxury timepieces — and, in my opinion, they are succeeding. This approach becomes particularly evident when looking at the skeletonised dial: Norqain has incorporated the silhouette of the Swiss mountains not once, but twice — both in the logo and in an adjacent cut-out — with both elements colour-coordinated to match the strap.
By thoughtfully extending these colour accents to details such as the scales of the 30-minute counter and the small seconds subdial, the colours never appear out of place, but instead blend harmoniously into the overall design. The result is a fresh, well-balanced aesthetic that complements the strap. The two versions available are finished in vibrant violet and jade green, both featuring diamond-cut indices filled with X1 Super-LumiNova.
As your gaze falls upon the logo, some of you may find yourselves wondering: what does the name Norqain actually signify? After all, this invented term stands out in an industry where the most renowned brand names are, by and large, family names steeped in tradition. The ‘NOR’ in Norqain stands for ‘Northern’. The ‘QAI’ represents ‘Quality, Adventure, Independence’ — core values that lie at the heart of the brand’s identity.
Just as Norqain impresses with the materials and design language of its timepieces, it also demonstrates strength when it comes to movements. Following its partnership with Kenissi — established in 2020 — the brand took the next major step. Kenissi, a movement manufacturer founded by Tudor, the sister company of Rolex, is known for supplying movements only to a very limited circle of external brands. Now, Norqain has unveiled its first proprietary chronograph calibre in collaboration with AMT, the high-end division of Sellita. This calibre carries the name 8K.
The movement features a flyback function, a 62-hour power reserve, and is equipped with a column-wheel mechanism, allowing for smooth and precise activation, stopping, and resetting of the chronograph. The name ‘8K’ is a nod to the fourteen ‘eight-thousanders’ — the world’s highest mountains — and speaks directly to Norqain’s target audience: young, adventure-seeking individuals with a preference for entry-level luxury timepieces.
And speaking of price: the new Independence Skeleton Chrono — limited to 500 pieces in the jade green version — is available for CHF 6,350 in the violet edition and CHF 6,550 in jade green.
The case of the Skeleton Chrono is particularly well-executed, available in either stainless steel, Grade 5 titanium, or Grade 5 titanium with a black DLC coating, depending on the version. Measuring 41.80 mm in diameter and 13.90 mm in height, it is by no means small — yet it still offers excellent wearing comfort, thanks in large part to its ergonomically designed lugs. With a water resistance of 100 metres, these timepieces are well-suited for almost any type of underwater activity.
No other model represents Norqain as emblematically as the Wild One from the Independence Collection. With this model, Norqain made a lasting impression on the watch world in 2022 — accompanied by considerable fanfare. This is due, above all, to the man who played a key role in the development of both the model and the concept behind it: Jean-Claude Biver.
The pandemic era, during which the world — and the watch industry along with it — came to a standstill, became a turning point for the young brand. As founder and CEO Ben Küffer once shared with us: on Good Friday, at 6:15 in the morning, Ben Küffer glanced at his phone — and saw the name of none other than Jean-Claude Biver on the screen. The very industry legend who once transformed Hublot into a global powerhouse and resurrected Blancpain from obscurity.
Biver had heard about the young brand through a mutual friend and now wanted to form his own impression of Norqain and its founder and CEO. When asked if they could meet, Küffer’s reply was immediate: “Anytime!” Biver’s response was equally swift: “Tuesday, 8:00 a.m.”
When Jean-Claude Biver finally stepped into Küffer’s office, a conversation began that Küffer would later describe as a true fireworks display. He spoke with great enthusiasm about his vision and passion until Biver suddenly said: “I see something here that I have never seen before — youth! The youth of the watch industry, making things happen!” Two weeks later, Küffer’s phone rang again. On the other end was Biver, who said: “Deal. If you create a watch that looks like nothing else in this industry — I’m in.” With clear directives such as “No steel, no titanium!” and “Ultra-light — sports watches must be ultra-light!” Biver made his vision clear. And so, the Wild One project was born. In spring 2022, Biver joined Norqain’s board of directors as an advisor.
The latest iteration of the Norqain Independence Wild One is presented in four vibrant colourways that truly live up to the model’s name — each one seemingly outdoing the last in visual impact. The timepieces derive their bold accents from the 25-component case construction, into which a coloured rubber shock absorber is integrated. This not only serves a protective function but also carries the vivid colours — Hyper Pink, Sky Blue, Mint, and the new Purple Ice Blue — outward along the sides of the case.
Encasing the shock absorber is an in-house developed carbon fibre composite known as Norteq, which is three and a half times lighter than titanium. Thanks to this advanced construction, the Wild One is capable of withstanding shocks of up to 5,000 G, while weighing a mere 64 grams. All new Wild One models are also water-resistant to 200 metres.
As demonstrated by the Independence Skeleton Chrono, the use of bold colour accents continues on the dial of the Wild One. Not only are the hour and minute hands colour-matched to each model, but the indices are also coordinated with each design. In addition, the skeletonised construction of the Wild One models offers a deeper view into the movement’s mechanism. From the dial side, both the balance wheel and the mainspring barrel are visible, working together to deliver a power reserve of 41 hours.
The Hyper Pink, Sky Blue, and Purple Ice Blue versions are powered by the Norqain Calibre N08S — a skeletonised, chronometer-certified automatic movement. A particular highlight is the Mint Limited Edition, restricted to just 400 pieces. This model is equipped with the NB08S Black movement, distinguished by its elegant black ruthenium finish. Each piece in the Mint Limited Edition also features the engraving “LIMITED EDITION, ONE of 400” on its sapphire crystal caseback. Prospective buyers can expect to pay CHF 5,290 for the Mint Limited Edition, while the other variants are priced at CHF 5,190.
