Hands-On: Kollokium Projekt 02 – The Second Offering From The Radical Swiss Platform Is Another Watch That Defies Comparisons

At Dubai Watch Week, we were walking around the exhibit hall with veteran Swiss-based dealer Roy Davidoff, discussing the fundamental rules of watch dial design. As we went from booth to booth, he pointed to watches that, he said, correctly followed certain established codes for dials, and also the ones that didn’t. When we got to the Kollokium stand, however, Davidoff said he couldn’t pass judgment on the upstart Swiss collective’s offerings on display. Kollokium, he said, was in its own category, doing something completely different from the rest, and beyond classic dial requirements and codes. “They are the exception that proves the rule,” he said. 

Indeed, if you haven’t yet heard of Kollokium, just know that they are taking a truly fresh approach to conceiving and constructing their Swiss-made watches. Like many disruptive innovations, Kollokium was born of the pandemic and lockdowns that kept everyone at home in the early stages of the global health crisis. It’s the brainchild melange of three guys who share decades of combined industry experience, ranging from major corporate brands to small independents and high-end haute horology. And when they came together in 2020, the result was not a brand, they say, but a new platform for watch projects. 

‘Projekt 02’ is their second offering and is currently available only through an ‘FFF&F’ launch (‘Friends, Family, Fools and Flippers’) of 199 pieces held in October. I decided to pull the trigger on this one after admiring several iterations of their first watch, the pin-dialed, delightfully lume-overdosed Projekt 01. The Projekt 02 shares a few elements with the Projekt 01, but certainly shows Kollokium isn’t a one-trick pony. There’s a lot going on here, but it’s fair to say this watch has quickly become one of my most worn, has prompted plenty of discussions and questions among fellow watch enthusiasts, and is certainly among the most unique and unusual timepieces in my collection.

Let’s start with the dial. That’s why we’re here, really. From above, it looks like monochrome forged metal, but a change of the angle reveals a deep, undulating, multi-layered architectural sculpture housed in a profound cylindrical sapphire crystal. Closer inspection shows a finished dial consisting of some 67 individual dial plates stacked and layered upon each other to create a multi-faceted, topographical, sinuous design. Taking clear inspiration from neo-brutalist, industrial, and futuristic sci-fi architecture, there are few, if any sharp angles or lines: everything just kind of flows like a well-conceived building complex. The pleasing color of the light silver-grey metal of the dial plates is offset by the darker shades of the sandblasted dial sides, which give the multi-dimensional design its structure. Each dial plate has been painted with white lacquer and filled with green Super-LumiNova. 

Yes, this is a full lume dial, that’s even more lumetastic than the Projekt 01–while being fiendishly subtle about it–that is, until you turn out the lights (scroll down for the full lume shot). That subtle, monochrome look carries over to the rounded baton handset. It is substantial, with the hour and minute hands both draped in a similar silver-grey shade as the dial plates. Yet the hands are highly legible thanks to the deep separation from the layered dial and the generously lumed outlines on the handset. Finally, if there’s a conventional element on the dial, it’s the fluorescent-orange seconds hand. We saw the same shape on the Projekt 01, and here on the Projekt 02, it dramatically plays off the dial’s subdued shades to underscore the watch’s functional, sporty, and fun elements. 

Veteran watch and jewelry designer Barth Nussbaumer told us that the design for the Projekt 02 was actually conceived before the Projekt 01, but technical challenges with the dial and case construction prevented it from coming to market first. The case, like Kollokium’s first watch, is made from die-cast 316L steel. Now, let’s just acknowledge that this is a highly unusual method to make a watch case. Molten steel is poured into a mold, enabling unique shapes and designs that simply aren’t possible with CNC-milled or stamped cases. The method also gives the matte steel an industrial quality. 

Kollokium’s Manuel Emch (also the head of Louis Erard and a consultant to several other brands and suppliers to the industry), says the technology for die-casting metal has progressed and evolved to be more reliable and predictable and that the cases for the both Kollokium watches ended up being smoother and more finished looking than expected, despite the fact that they are neither brushed, polished or finished in any way. The Projekt 02 uses a monobloc case that is 39.5mm in diameter, and, at 5.9mm thick, is thinner than the Projekt 01 case. With the lofty sapphire crystal that shows off the stunning side angles of the dial, the watch height increases to 12.9 millimeters. There’s no visible bezel, as the case itself is used as the base and platform for the complicated dial build. The only logo or branding on the watch is on the case side, acknowledging that this is indeed Kollokium’s ‘Projekt. No. 02.’ The matching crown on the other side is, like the Projekt 01, in the shape of a valve, adding to the toolish vibe. 

With its thin profile and lugs that jut sharply downwards, the watch wears flat and surprisingly compact on my relatively small wrist. Its industrial, matte finish, and monobloc construction make the watch feel rugged and ready for anything. With 50 meters of water resistance, there aren’t many activities or adventures it couldn’t take on. Despite the intricate dial work and tall crystal, the watch wears robustly and is purpose-built. Solid and reassuring, it certainly doesn’t feel like a watch that needs to be babied. 

Kollokium Projekt 01 was the first watch from the Kollokium founders trio, which also includes another industry veteran, Amr Sindi. The first ‘Friends, fools, and family’ edition launched in late 2023, and in early 2024, the first public version of that watch came to market. Given the founders’ networks and standing, and the innovative use of more than 400 cylindrical pins on dials painted with Super-LumiNova, the Projekt 01 didn’t look like anything else on the market. It was well-received among parts of the watch cognoscenti, and Kollokium has now made about eight different versions of the Projekt 01, each sold in batches of between 300 and 500, and priced at around CHF 3,000, as well as the recent ‘F’ variant that boasted record amounts of Super-Luminova and sold for CHF 3,666. 

While similar, the Projekt 01, at 7 millimeters, is slightly thicker than the Projekt 02, which has a smaller crystal, resulting in an overall height of 11.6 millimeters. The case is also a two-part, die-cast construction, unlike the monobloc Projekt 02. At 40mm, it is a bit wider in diameter and features longer, thinner lugs. It offers the same 50-meter water resistance. The caseback inscription on the FF&F version is bluntly straightforward. “Basically, a Swiss watch that can get wet,” it reads. 

But Projekt 02 and Projekt 01 still share many attributes and components. Most notably, the excellent strap on both. It’s a stretchy fabric that uses a hook-and-loop system that tucks neatly into the underside of the strap, offering plenty of breathability and adjustability while staying securely fastened to your wrist. The steel hook on the 20-millimeter-wide strap is made from the same die-cast metal as the case. The straps are made by Delugs and can be bought separately in four colors from the Delugs website. 

Both Kollokium models share the same automatic movement, an undecorated La Joux-Perret G101, that gives 68 hours of power reserve (meaning it’s weekend-proof, though this certainly seems like as much a weekend watch as a weekday one). It beats at 4Hz or 28’800 vph. With a closed caseback on both watches, it’s neither the star nor the focus here. In the description for the Projekt 02, the group makes clear that watchmaking isn’t its purpose and says of the LJP movement, “since Kollokium had nothing to do with the movement, it was decided to leave it completely unbranded and unadorned. It’s not like you can see it anyway,” they say. 

The Projekt 02 cost me CHF 3,333 and was limited to 199 pieces. It is now sold out. The Projekt 01 watches sold for about CHF 2,999, with the exception of the ultra-lumed variant F, which cost CHF 3,666. If you’re interested in experiencing the Projekt 02 watch or a similar model, Kollokium says it will make a public version available sometime in the first quarter of 2026. 

It’s a watch that’s likely to make my best-of list in 2025, not only because I bought one and wear the heck out of it, but because this might be one of the most interesting and innovative dial designs we’ve seen in some time. All this at a relatively approachable price for a solid, Swiss-made watch. Profound stuff from a group of guys in Switzerland that don’t take themselves too seriously.

For more, visit Kollokium online.