Our readers have been fascinated by the Diewald Seahorse, which has been getting even more hits this week than even the perennial favourite, the HKED Seagull 1963 Chronograph. We caught up with the brand’s founder, Martin, to find out more.
The WRUK Interview – Martin Diewald
WRUK: What first got you interested in wristwatches?
MD: When I was a kid (in the 80s) you had to have a watch to know the time. I remember being fascinated by the sweeping second hand of my father’s Omega.
But I was even more fascinated by computers and electronics that time. My first home computer was an Atari 800XL. I definitely had some digital watches before, but the one I remember best and still have was a SEIKO DATA 2000. As a teenager, I had some SWATCH watches. About 10 I think. They still should be somewhere stored, as I never got rid of them.
When mobile phones started to appear and I got my first one, I was some years without any wristwatches. I simply checked the time on my phone. About five years ago, my wife gave me a watch as a birthday present. That was when my passion for wristwatches was reignited, which I almost forgot about. I signed up to internet boards about watches and found a lot of watches I liked. And I was curious too.
So I really bought a lot of watches, new and used in the last five years. My collection grew bigger and bigger. I now have about 50 watches at home. Starting from very cheap Chinese no-names to some expensive timepieces.
About two years ago I discovered microbrands on Kickstarter and was very curious about them. So I backed some projects and got some more watches. I bought some very nice watches from Toby (TC-9 watches) and Bryan (AEVUM) and got in contact with them. They were very helpful answering my questions. That was when I first had the idea to create my own watch. A watch I always wanted but did not exist.
WRUK: What are the highlights of your own watch collection?
MD: For me, it’s my SEIKO DATA 2000, as there is a lot of childhood memories involved.
And of course “The Seahorse” prototypes. Some may disagree and prefer watches from famous Swiss brands. But not for me.
WRUK: You have chosen a very original dial design for the Seahorse. What inspired you to come up with the design?
MD: I always liked mythical creatures. I chose the seahorse as a namesake for my watch. A seahorse lives in the sea. That’s why I got inspired by a nautical compass for my design. I spent a lot of time with dozens of different variations of the design.
After that, I spent even more time to find the right size and proportions of the watch. So it was just the right size. It’s very important for me to have my watches be made from the best possible materials and in the highest quality possible in this price range. It took me a lot of time, effort and money to find a trustworthy factory.
WRUK: What is next for Diewald watches? Will there be another run of the Seahorse? What about other models?
MD: There will be a Seahorse II soon, where I tried to take suggestions from all the comments friends and supporters sent me on the Seahorse. It will feature the same case, as I think it’s really perfect for a divers watch. But it will look different and familiar at the same time.
I would really like to do my take on a dress watch next. I already have some ideas, but I cannot predict the outcome now. That`s the most interesting part of the whole process, as I really want to create something new.
We would like to thank Martin for his time answering our questions and wish him the very best of luck with his projects. Keep an eye on the Diewald Watches Facebook page for all the latest news.
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