Guide: 5 favourite watches from the Swedish e-shop Sekvens Watches

Text/photo: Aleksandar Mladenovic

There are many very good micro brands on the watch market. A broad niche with watch companies that on a smaller scale go their own way with many interesting and good value models as a result. The Swedish e-commerce Sekvens has pulled off the feat of gathering a few really good brands under one and the same roof. This makes it easy for Swedish watch collectors to safely buy models that can otherwise be awkward to get hold of. In collaboration with Sekvens we have taken a closer look at five favourite models from the brands Ollech & Wajs, Fortis and Unimatic which give a good picture of what kind of range Sekvens is investing in in its shop.

Ollech & Wajs OW Astrochron S

The Astronchron's history began about 60 years ago in Zurich (where the brand is founded), in something I choose to call the golden era of the chronographs. The Astrochron was launched in 1967 and was one of the first chronographs that was suitable to use below the surface. Among others the watch was used by NASA's researchers, pilots and divers who needed a robust and water resistant timekeeper on the arm. It shared its movement, Valjoux 72, with many legendary chronographs from the time era – among them the Rolex Daytona, and was water resistant down to 200m, a great achievement at that time.

Earlier this year Ollech & Wajs launched the new Astrochron S which naturally contains quite a lot of modern upgrades, but with a clear connection to the original. Among other things they have more than doubled the water resistance, the watch is namely sealed down to a full 500m and the movement that sits in the watch, a Valjoux 7753, is a further development of the Valjoux 72.

This is without doubt a watch for the person who needs something very tough and water resistant. The watch measures 39.56mm in diameter, is 16.8mm thick and is made in stainless steel. It has a screwed crown, pushers with 4 gaskets and an extra thick sapphire crystal which makes it possible for it to be water resistant down to 500m.

The rotating ring is bidirectional and contains both a compass and a grey and white 60 minute scale that is used when diving. The link is also retro inspired and of the so-called ”beads of rice” type.

On the dial we find 3 registers for the chronograph: a 30 minute register at 3 o'clock, a 12 hour register at 6 (including the date) as well as the seconds display at 9 o'clock. The register at 3 o'clock also contains a countdown timer for regatta.

The dial is blue, more precisely north Atlantic blue (as they themselves call it), but white chronograph registers – popularly called ”panda”. It is a good looking combination that we at the editorial office appreciate. The watch feels very retro in terms of its looks but has a very robust and modern feel on the wrist.

The movement is as we wrote earlier a Valjoux 7753 that is tested and regulated in 5 positions in Ollech & Wajs' workshop, which ticks at a frequency of 4 Hz and has a power reserve of 54 hours. The date is adjusted via a pusher at 10 o'clock on the case.

The price is 27 995 kronor and you can read more about the watch here.

Fortis Marinemaster M-40

Fortis is one of the oldest makers that is still active and was founded as early as 1912. Marinemaster is Fortis' series of diver's watches that stretches back to the 1960s. In 2021 a new and updated Marinemaster collection with robust diver's watches was launched. Here we have not only a very good looking watch but also a watch that wears incredibly comfortably on the wrist.

With a diameter of 40 mm and made of recycled steel the watch has a slim profile with a thickness of 12.5 mm. It has a screwed crown, protected by two crown guards, and is water resistant down to 300 metres. The rotating ring is easy to grip with its 60 minute scale and is both distinct and smooth to use.

The design element ’O’ from the Fortis logo is used both in the dial and on the rubber strap. The dial is easy to read with clear indexes and sword shaped hands, which are charged with SuperLuminova for good visibility in the dark. The sapphire crystal is anti-reflective treated on both sides.

The rubber strap we at the editorial office like a lot and it is both comfortable and feels very high quality.

The watch is driven by the calibre UW-30 (Sellita SW200) with a power reserve of 38 hours. It is a robust and well proven movement.

The price is 32 900 kronor and you can read more about the watch here.

Unimatic Modello Uno U1S-8O

Unimatic is an Italian maker that focuses on making stripped down ”tool watches”. The model Uno U1S-8O is a limited edition of 400 pieces with a nice and green colour theme.

The watch's case is made in stainless steel and has a brushed finish throughout. It measures 12.4mm in thickness and is just like all of Unimatic's models water resistant down to 300m.

The model has a number of vintage inspired details such as gold coloured hands and markings on the dial that contribute to a nice contrast. Even though they are called radium we naturally find no trace of this but it is instead SuperLuminova that applies.

The strap looks like it is in rubber but is in fact made in TPU but also comes with a NATO strap. Like in the Fortis Marinemaster M-40 a Sellita SW200-1-b ticks in the case with a power reserve of 38 hours.

The price is 11 125 kronor and you can read more about the model here.

Ollech & Wajs OW M-110 M

The OW M-110 M is a ”tactical tool watch” that builds further on the brand's expertise within the area. Here many design elements and functions from Ollech & Wajs' diver's watches are combined. Among other things through the engraved markings in the rotating ring that help you to navigate.

The case is made in steel and measures 39.56 mm x 12.5 mm and has design elements from early ’skin divers’ that were used in the 60s. The screwed crown gives the watch a water resistance down to 300 metres.

Another interesting function is the markers on the dial that show radio silence periods, three minute breaks after every quarter of an hour for distress signals. The grey dial is easy to read with clear hands and indexes, and shows the date at 6 o'clock.

The OW M-110 M is the first model with the new Soprod Newton Precision movement, the result of close collaboration between Ollech & Wajs and Soprod. The calibre is tested and regulated in five positions and has Ollech & Wajs' own ’Precision’ rating as well as Chronofiable® certification from Laboratoire Dubois. The movement has a power reserve of 44 hours and has been tested for -7/+7 seconds per day.

The link is of the so-called mesh type and has a folding clasp that can be quickly adjusted.

The price for the OW M-110 M is 18 195 kronor and more information you will find here.

Fortis Flieger F-43 Bicompax

Last out, a classic ”Flieger” from Fortis. The model Flieger F-43 Bicompax is a chronograph with two registers that builds further on traditional elements from the first Fortis pilot's watch from 1987.

A case in stainless steel that measures 43 x 15mm with proper presence on the wrist. A screwed crown, water resistant down to 200m, a distinct feel in the chronograph's pushers and a bidirectional rotating ring with a 12 hour scale that is adjusted with 24 clicks. It is therefore excellently suited to use for displaying one more time zone.

You could almost believe that the theme for this guide is easy to read dials, because that is also the case here. Sword shaped hands with luminous material (SuperLuminova), proper indexes on the dial and a 30 minute register for the chronograph at 3 o'clock as well as a seconds hand at 9 o'clock. The date is found here too at 6 o'clock on the dial. The contrast between black, white, green and orange is not only functional but also good looking.

The movement, calibre UW-51, is an automatic chronograph movement based on the Sellita SW510 and has a power reserve of 48 hours.

The price tag for the Fortis Flieger F-43 Bicompax is 38 900 kronor and more info about it you will find here.

Sekvens is at the beginning of its journey and already now has several interesting brands beyond the ones we have looked at in this article. We say thanks for that good collaboration and follow along with interest. For those of you who want to see their range and more makers the easiest thing is to visit Sekvens.com