Watch collectors in the Taiwan market are excited about the arrival of a fascinating new brand named “SINGER,” an independent watchmaking brand. While SINGER might be somewhat unfamiliar to some, its founders are well-known personalities in the automotive and horological sectors. One founder is Rob Dickinson, the founder and executive of Singer Vehicle Design, a company renowned for its Porsche modifications, and the other is Marco Borraccino, an Italian entrepreneur and acclaimed watchmaker. Despite their different backgrounds, their shared passion for watches led them to channel their expertise into the creation of timepieces. Shortly after SINGER was established, another significant figure in the watch industry, Jean-Marc Wiederrecht—who has won the GPHG (Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix) watchmaker award and is the head of the famous movement workshop AGENHOR—decided to join their ranks, reigniting his passion for innovative watchmaking.
â–²SINGER’s co-founders Marco Borraccino (left) and Rob Dickinson (right), one from the world of horology and the other from the automotive industry, bring together cross-disciplinary creativity in their watchmaking creations.
SINGER continues the legacy of Rob Dickinson’s car modification brand, embodying the ethos of “pursuing excellence, endlessly” in the creation of luxury watches. Despite lacking a traditional background in horology, Dickinson, with the collective support of Marco Borraccino and Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, has been able to apply the principles and techniques from car modifications to watchmaking. For instance, he champions the integration of advanced engineering and materials science into the crafting of watches, allowing him to think outside the box and produce distinctive timepiece designs without the constraints typically associated with a watchmaking background.
This burgeoning independent watch brand draws its design inspiration mainly from the classic sports watches of the 1960s and 1970s, with a special focus on chronograph functions that resonate closely with the automotive industry. SINGER frequently finds inspiration in car modifications, transforming these insights into nourishment for watch design. As a result, the brand’s timepieces often exude a racing-inspired dynamic style, complemented by complex movements crafted by master designers. Despite its relatively short history, SINGER has rapidly made a name for itself in the watch industry, gradually attracting the attention of international collectors with its distinctive offerings.
â–²The Track1 Flamboyant Red Edition features a vintage-style abalone case made of titanium, with the positioning of its chronograph pushers noticeably different from conventional designs.
To truly get to know the SINGER brand, starting with their flagship Track1 series is a sure bet. This series, which has won the prestigious GPHG award for Best Chronograph, has evolved to include at least ten variations, showcasing the brand’s design creativity in watch colors and details.
Taking a closer look at the Track1 Flamboyant Red Edition, this watch features a vintage-inspired abalone case crafted from titanium. The case’s matte finish establishes a bold sports watch identity, while polished bevels on the bezel, case, and sides accentuate the brand’s meticulous finishing techniques and visual depth. The watch is fitted with a black technical fabric strap, highlighted by fiery red stitching on the sides and a black DLC titanium hollow circular rivet near the lug area, reminiscent of the essential ventilation holes found on early racing watch straps.
â–²The red dial symbolizes passion and victory. For time reading, three hands at the center of the dial serve as the chronograph display, while the time and minutes are indicated by pointers located at the 6 o’clock position.
The Track1 Flamboyant Red Edition showcases its chronograph pushers positioned uniquely at the 2 and 10 o’clock directions, while a slim crown is placed at the 4 o’clock position. This innovative design diverges from traditional chronograph watches, with the pushers drawing inspiration from the pistons inside a car’s engine, a nod to SINGER’s influence from classic racing timepieces. The red hue inside the watch dial not only signifies a connection to the racing world but also embodies positive connotations such as passion, wealth, life, and victory. Paired with silver and black scales and an orange marker at the 6 o’clock position, the watch presents a striking visual contrast that makes reading time both effortless and visually compelling.
â–²SINGER has given birth to another chronograph, the Track1 SKLT CARBON Edition, through the use of forged carbon and an open-face design.
The Track1 SKLT CARBON Edition is crafted from lightweight forged carbon, with components such as pushers and the crown coated in a black finish. Paired with a perforated black natural rubber strap, it presents a more modern racing-inspired aesthetic. Prior to creating this watch, the brand had showcased its open-face design pieces, among which the Track1 SKLT CARBON Edition is one of the first to be launched in the series.
â–²The open-face design prominently displays the movement’s rotor, placed on the dial side, allowing an unobstructed view of the movement’s unique structure from both the front and back.
When the Track1 initially received recognition from the GPHG awards, many watch enthusiasts began to take notice of this piece. The transparent case back reveals the AgenGraphe movement, meticulously arranged by Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, showcasing its complex and precise structure. Initially, the design might lead one to mistake it for a manual winding movement due to the brand’s emphasis on positioning the rotor on the dial side. However, as the wearer moves their wrist, the rotor behaves as if drawing endless energy, ensuring the watch’s precise operation daily. This observation inspired SINGER to create the skeletonized series with an open-face design. Unlike the solid dial of the Track1 Flamboyant Red Edition, the Track1 SKLT CARBON Edition features a hollowed-out central part of the dial and adds transparent minute timing scales. This allows wearers to view the wheel-like rotor usually hidden by a solid dial, spinning with the movement of the wrist, much like the wheels of a racing car, filled with the passion and tension of speed and power.
â–²Crafted by master watchmaker Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, the 6361 automatic movement comprises an impressive 477 parts and boasts a power reserve of up to 60 hours. The exquisite craftsmanship of the components is equally admirable as the creative time display mechanism on the watch’s face.
Whether it’s the Track1 Flamboyant Red Edition or the Track1 SKLT CARBON Edition, newcomers to these watches might initially be unsure how to read the time correctly. This is where SINGER’s advantage of entering the watchmaking field from a cross-disciplinary perspective truly shines. They aim not to create a watch that follows the beaten path. Therefore, the three hands at the center of the dial, which one might instinctively think show hours, minutes, and the central chronograph seconds, actually only correctly identify one-third of that assumption. Besides the central chronograph seconds hand, the other two hands indicate the results of the 60-minute and tachymeter scales, respectively. The watch’s timekeeping function relies on a conical indicator at the 6 o’clock position, complemented by two peripheral discs displaying the hours and minutes. Despite the reading mode being different from traditional chronographs, one quickly gets accustomed to it, even starting to admire the brand’s unique and creative design.
Both models are equipped with the 6361 automatic movement, consisting of 477 parts, featuring an innovative clutch system that links the chronograph mechanism to the timekeeping gear train. Developing this masterpiece took the brand a decade, underscoring that its GPHG award was no fluke. With a stable frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour (vph) and a power reserve of 60 hours, the design allows wearers to fully appreciate the intricate construction of the movement and the exquisite finish of each component. This showcases the master craftsmanship of Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, captivating those who behold it.
Track1 Flamboyant Red Edition
Titanium material / Singer Reimagined 6361 automatic winding movement / Hour and minute display / Chronograph function / Sapphire crystal front, transparent case back / Water-resistant to 100 meters / Diameter 43mm / Limited edition of 25 pieces
Track1 SKLT CARBON Edition
Forged carbon material / Singer Reimagined 6361 automatic winding movement / Hour and minute display / Chronograph function / Sapphire crystal front, transparent case back / Water-resistant to 100 meters / Diameter 43mm / Limited edition of 25 pieces
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