A original Waldan Chrono 38 , made in an 18-karat rose gold case .
Andrew Waldan and his father Oscar Waldan , the founder of Waldan International . Andrew took over as the CEO of the Waldan brand when his father passed away in January 2018 . always mechanical , often chronometers , and the first generation of wristwatches that would carry the Waldan trademark on the dial .
Bear in-mind that this was in an era long before today when easy access to suppliers from Europe and the Far East has made it all too simple for almost anyone to propose an off-the-shelf watch , crowd funded by micro-investors . Back then , you really had to know what you were doing , have the industrial connections to craft each disparate component , and muster the courage and cash to bring a watch to life .
It ’ s also worth noting that when Oscar started the Waldan brand , he was one of the only members of the industry at the time that still believed the mechanical watch had a future in the newly minted quartz pantheon . While others were selling mechanical movements in buckets by weight , Oscar was hoarding the precious engines that he still believed had a future . These early Waldan watches remain collector ’ s favorites and embody what a fine luxury wristwatch should be ; mechanical complications with top-quality components inside and out and a design that will never go out of style . Even today these early Waldans retain a very strong value in the secondary market .
The first generation Waldans were and are superb timepieces , but the fact is they were well out of the reach of the vast majority of consumers . While Oscar ’ s early offerings were always worth far more than he actually charged , they still called for a substantial investment near $ 10,000 to acquire . They were crafted exclusively in precious gold and platinum with top-grade mechanical Swiss chronographs and other complicated movements within , and their prices reflected the upscale nature of these components .
NEXT GENERATION It ’ s no surprise that the founding father of Waldan Watches would bring his son ( Andrew ) into the family business . At a very young age , Andrew could often be found at the New York headquarters of Waldan International . When visiting Oscar ’ s offices , I ’ d see Andrew there along with his father , the staff , and the watchmakers as he grew into a young man surrounded by all things watches . During this early apprenticeship ( when he wasn ’ t studying French or practicing the violin – his dad always pushed him to learn & do more ) Andrew was developing an insider ’ s perspective on an industry about to experience a renaissance ; an industry that his father had never actually abandoned like so many of his contemporaries had .
30 | AboutTime Magazine