Shinola Watches
Detroit; Motown, The Motor City, Hockeytown, Rock City or just simply “The D” is a legendary city in the US state of Michigan. Famed for its rich automotive heritage and music history, and now- a new wave of craft manufacturing.
One brand leading the Detroit-charge is Shinola– drawing on the history of this storied American city they aim to restore the beauty of industry and the glory of manufacturing. Making a new future for an otherwise struggling Detroit.
Their focus is on an excellence of craft and pride of work- things that are made well, redefining the tag-line ‘Detroit Built’. Everything from leather goods, bicycles, pet and supply products- Shinola are a brand experiencing quick growth. We received a watch from them, one of their key areas of expertise, and a good marker of what kind of quality to expect.
Shinola transformed a 30,000 square foot space into a state-of-the-art watch factory inside the College for Creative Studies within the historic Argonaut building in Detroit. They sent their assembly team though a Swiss training school, and since- combine meticulous hand-assembly with the most advanced technology available.
Shinola – The Rambler 44mm
Owing to our sometimes hectic travel schedule here at Ape to Gentleman we opted for The Rambler GMT; a dedicated travel watch. Its features include a Detroit-built Argonite 515.24H movement and a 24-hour hand and turning topring bezel for keeping accurate time when traveling across time zones. A 44-millimetre stainless steel case with screw-down crown which is water resistant to 100 meters, a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and handcrafted strap.
At £645 it won’t break the bank, and with a lifetime guarantee- you can be sure Shinola are delivering something of quality. In the hand; the watch is weighty, sizeable, and certainly feels well made. There are a whole range of watches available; from smart to casual. Take a look at www.shinola.co.uk to learn more. If you’re looking for something a little different, something a little more heavy-weight and ‘well made’ then look no further than Shinola. Welcome back, Detroit.
