After ten years, Werenbach is shutting down. The Swiss maker of rocket watches will close its doors with a farewell event, free rocket parts, and, starting now, a 50% off sale.
Werenbach’s concept was wonderfully ambitious. Founder Patrick Hohmann salvaged Russian rocket stages from the steppes of Kazakhstan, brought them back home to Zurich, and made them into watches using material from the skin, engines, and other booster parts for the dials, and for some models, the cases as well.
As I described in my 2020 review of the Werenbach Leonov 2, the result was an industrial tool watch with a uniquely distressed dial and an overall Dr. Strangelove aesthetic. I thought they were wonderful, and I still own mine.
Alas, there will be no more, but you can still grab one for half off with the Werenbach sale code, ITWASABADASSTIME. This means watches like the Soyuz 2 with full rocket material dials and Sporod automatics can be had for $1,269 US, and the Miyota quartz Gravity, with embedded bits of booster, is just $172. The brand also has a selection of straps and bracelets. The textile strap is particularly good.
You should have no worries about servicing, as the watches all use commonly available movements. Starting December 2023, EU owners can send theirs to www.watchclinic.de. Swiss customers and others in the rest of the world can send them to www.uhrenwerksatt-limmer.ch, where Werenbach’s watchmaker will be working.
If you plan to be in Zurich on November 25, 2023, between 11:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., then you can attend the closing event at Atelier Werenbach, where they will be giving away their coolest remaining rocket parts to loyal customers who have purchased a mechanical watch at full price. Register for the event here.
Godspeed, Werenbach.
