by Ana Maria Bodeanu

Although established in 1986, the big break came in 1997 with the introduction of the Chronolink Worldtimer UTC, a marvel of watch making ingenuity combining analogue elegance, elec­tronic brilliance and classic Scandinavian aesthetics. Many new brands try to hide where the movement is sourced from, the lack of trans­parency concealing sometimes low-cost quartz ticker But is not the case with Sjöö Sandström Royal Capital: they are utilizing a movement from Swiss firm Vaucher – the caliber 5401. Other than being a unique Swedish- Swiss collaboration, there is another great feature of this movement – it involves a micro-rotor: a winding rotor that is much smaller than what are normally use to cover up the back of a movement. This configuration has always been rather rare, as it requires a more unique construction of the movement itself.

www.sjoosandstrom.se

Swedish luxury is not measured in abundance or material wealth, it is more about freedom and experiences in nature. This pastoral mindset, so prevalent at northern latitudes, is also reflected in the Scandinavian design, which embraces minimalism, simplicity and functionality. Consequently, Royal Capital is a natural extension of these values. Combining a tranquil appearance with great functionality, such as 10 ATM, anti-reflective glass and a slim, smooth body, the watch represents the low-key Swedish luxury. Sjöö Sandström Royal Capital gold version comes in at a price of 16,500 euros while the steal version is around 7,200 euros.

As it is not a brand with hundreds of years history, time will tell how it will perform. Still, it remains an interesting option of the luxury watch market.