Linde Werdelin "SpidoLite"

There sure is a lot of stuff going on at Linde Werdelin lately. Considered the ultimate gadget watch by many, Linde Werdelin is moving into a hole new league with their latest introductions. To be honest, it is hard to look away. The "Sea Instrument" is a great piece of kit and the new "Land Instrument" could leave electronics like the Suunto bitting the dust. Electronics-wise you could find similarities with B&O. Fantastic design, ease of use and functionality are key here. You will always have detractors saying that it is just too expensive and that you can get the same hardware at a lesser price. Yes, could be true, yet ironically all the stuff I own from B&O looks good still today. My twenty year old B&O music system still sits happily in the bedroom, with the consenting approval of my wife that is. Could you say the same about your twenty year old SONY?

Generally in the electronics segment these factors are often overlooked and users get rather complicated, under-designed and untested tools that are many times supplied with instructions booklets the size of telephone listings. When this happens it's simply because they cut the development and testing expenses. The less work they make at the final stage of the product, the more YOU need to work in order to operate the phone, camera, stereo, television, etc... With their two instruments LW have done much of that work for you already. Operating the instruments becomes child's play. Many people overlook the fact that it is the software and testing that take the longest. In some cases this is more expensive than the development of the hardware.

After the very welcomed "Black-DLC" there is a new LW. The "SpidoLite" is not only a new development but also different direction for LW. The open dial titanium SpidoLite is a show by itself, yet with a movement by Svend Andersen they are tackling a whole new kind of crowd. The selection of Svend Andersen for the movement of the SpydoLite is a bit awkward for most yet a very interesting choice. Probably more interesting than if it where any of the usual suspects like Valjoux, Unitas, Vaucher, GP, etc... This choice could actually work since most of us like contradictions. Like a classic independent watchmaker inside a modern sports watch for instance? The black-DLC SpidoLite with the yellow sapphire looks the part. I hope that on the final version it will be like the Milgauss where the green is only predominant on the edges of the sapphire crystal. Prices will be around the 8,000 € for the Svend Andersen version. I have no info on the others yet but expect them to be lower.

Linde Werdelin was a personal bet of mine and I am very happy with the way the company is facing the future. As a watch nut and electronics addict this certainly was a product made for me. With the latest development I can't but agree. The designs look great and give the LWs a new dimension. There are more news on the way to be presented this year. I can't wait to see these in Basel this year.

Linde Werdelin...

P.s. I would like to now what you guys think of these new pieces and LWs new strategy. Right, wrong? Positive and negative comments are welcomed...