ULTIMATE TOYS FOR BOYS (NEW EDITION)

"TIMELESS TIMEPIECES FOR THE
DISCERNING GENTLEMAN."

ULTIMATE TOYS FOR BOYS (NEW EDITION) BY MICHAEL GORMANN FOR TENEUES PUBLISHING - PURCHASE THE HARDCOVER HERE.

ORIGINAL TEXT:

"“SOPHISTICATED AND RESTRAINED,” THAT’S HOW NEIL CARPENTER OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, DESCRIBES THE DESIGN LANGUAGE OF HIS WATCHES. NAMED AFTER THE BRAND FOUNDER, CARPENTER WATCHES INTEND TO BE A TIMELESS TIMEPIECE FOR THE DISCERNING GENTLEMAN. “I PULL INSPIRATION FROM MID-CENTURY ART AND ARTIFACTS. MY FOCUS WAS ALWAYS TO CREATE AN ICONIC DESIGN WITH LITTLE ORNAMENTATION TO DISLIKE,” CARPENTER SAYS.

"...INTEND TO BE A TIMELESS TIMEPIECE FOR THE DISCERNING GENTLEMAN."

HE STARTED THE BRAND ONLY A FEW YEARS AGO. “I BEGAN SKETCHING THE FIRST CARPENTER FIELD WATCH AFTER WORK HOURS AT MY DAY JOB AS AN INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER BACK IN 2011,” CARPENTER SAYS. BUT THE FIRST PROTOTYPES WEREN’T FINALIZED UNTIL TWO YEARS LATER. THEN AGAIN THREE MORE YEARS OF TESTING, AND FINALLY, IN 2016, HE WAS READY FOR THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH. CARPENTER’S HOME BASE IN NEW YORK HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MAJOR INSPIRATION. BROOKLYN IS FILLED WITH UNPRETENTIOUS STYLE AND DISTRESSED MATERIALS.

"BROOKLYN IS FILLED WITH UNPRETENTIOUS STYLE AND DISTRESSED MATERIALS."

CARPENTER: “I’M PERSONALLY A FAN OF VINTAGE WATCHES, SO IT WAS ALWAYS MY INTENTION FOR OUR BRAND TO APPEAR VINTAGE BUT FUNCTION LIKE A MODERN WATCH.” ONE PROMISE HE MADE TO HIMSELF EARLY ON WAS TO NEVER USE PLATING IN THE CASE MANUFACTURING SINCE IT TENDS TO FLAKE OR WEAR AWAY. HENCE THE USAGE OF SOLID ALLOYS SUCH AS BRASS AND BRONZE THROUGHOUT THE TWO LINES “GENTS” (38MM) AND “FIELD” (40MM). WATCHES ARE MEANT TO LAST SEVERAL GENERATIONS. THESE UNIQUE ALLOYS QUICKLY BECAME THE BEST SELLER ´ STAPLE. “ALLOYS WITH PATINA HAVE A CERTAIN KIND OF LIFE THAT TELLS A STORY OF TIME,” CARPENTER SAYS. BESIDES BRASS AND BRONZE, STAINLESS STEEL IS THE MAIN MATERIAL FOR THE CASES.

“ALLOYS WITH PATINA HAVE A CERTAIN KIND OF LIFE THAT TELLS A STORY OF TIME,”

HE USES JAPANESE MIYOTA MOVEMENTS FOR THE INTRODUCTORY MODEL AND SWISS ETA’S FOR THE GENTS MODEL RANGE. MOST OF THE SALES ARE ONLINE, AND EVERY MODEL IS OFFERED AS A LIMITED EDITION. THE RETAIL HEADQUARTERS AND IN-HOUSE REPAIR SHOP IS CALLED “THE BROOKLYN WATCH SHOP,” LOCATED IN PROSPECT HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A SECOND LOCATION CALLED “THE CHELSEA WATCH SHOP” IN MANHATTAN. BETWEEN THE TWO SHOPS, THE COMPANY HAS THREE WATCHMAKERS. THEY ALSO OFFER WATCH SERVICING FROM STRAP CHANGES TO COMPLETE OVERHAULS FOR ANY WATCH BRAND. DOES NEIL CARPENTER HAVE ANY KIND OF A VISION REGARDING THE TYPICAL CARPENTER WATCH CUSTOMER? YES, HE HAS. HE DESCRIBES HIM AS “A MID 30S, “WELL-DRESSED,” SOPHISTICATED HIPSTER, MAKING A DECENT SALARY, AND LIVING IN A TRENDY URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD. HE PROBABLY SPORTS A BEARD AND SKINNY JEANS.“ CARPENTER SMILES. “SO I GUESS THE TARGET CONSUMER IS ME."

 

WORDS BY MICHAEL GORMANN AND PHOTOS BY PIERRE LE TARGAT - PURCHASE THE HARDCOVER HERE.