Kudoke K2 Nocturne
The Kudoke K2 Nocturne is a new creation from the German brand, building on the success of its GPHG winning Kudoke 2. Limited to just 20 pieces, this new watch features a galvano-anthracite dial and an unusual 24-hour display at noon.
The culmination of a hard week, slaving at my desk, is spending Friday evening sharing a bottle of wine with my wife. While I do not profess to be a wine connoisseur, I know what I like. A bottle of Saint Emilion, Chianti, Rioja or maybe even a Pinot Noir from California all have the capacity to induce a smile of appreciation. While the effect of drinking any variety of wine is the same, they each have their own distinct character.
In the world of fine watchmaking, timepieces from different regions often exhibit certain traits. German watches have a tendency to impart information with stereotypical efficiency. Information is conveyed without any inhibiting factors. Indeed, clean, logical and intelligible are characteristics which readily come to mind when I think of German watches.
When Stefan Kudoke established his eponymous watch brand in 2008, he emphasised the company’s German origins albeit, early models used the well-respected Unitas hand-wound calibre. However, recently the company has produced its own in-house movement, the Kaliber 1. In 2019, Kudoke won the ‘Petite Aiguille’ prize at the prestigious GPHG for its Kudoke 2 model, featuring a fabulous 24-hour display at noon.
This year, Stefan returns with a limited edition of his prize-winning watch, the Kudoke K2 Nocturne. This new model is equipped with a nocturnal-themed dial presented in a dark shade of grey and an eye-catching 24-hour display at 12 o’clock. While the dial exhibits a Teutonic charm, the movement decoration celebrates the design of English pocket watches with a distinctive, near-symmetrical bridge design. Remarkably, despite the high quotient of hand craftsmanship, the Kudoke K2 Nocturne is offered for a very reasonable €8,665 (excluding VAT – price as at 7.7.2020).
The brand’s press release
After the incredible success of the award-winning watch KUDOKE 2 presented last year, Stefan Kudoke now introduces an enchanting limited edition of this model in 2020.
While the original KUDOKE 2 shines with a silver-white dial, this year‘s limited edition is grounded in a new galvano-anthracite dial that evokes the night sky of the extraordinary 24-hour display at 12 o‘clock. This watch face changes dramatically from light grey to black and white, depending on lighting conditions. The hand-engraved, domed sky disc is galvanically treated in an elaborate process with the colours of yellow gold and black and white rhodium. Polished hands together with applied rhodium-plated chapter rings form the frame that is at once contrasting and consonant with the nocturnal tones of this very special piece in the KUDOKE HANDwerk line.
The surprises continue to the caseback where a new version of the manual winding KALIBER 1-24h movement hearkens the nighttime theme. The hand-finished movement is presented in white rhodium, a stark inversion of the standard calibre traditionally finished in yellow gold. The balance bridge, also finished in white rhodium, bears the quintessential infinity mark of the HANDwerk series, but on a background that is hand-hammered and hand-finished.
Matching the year, only 20 pieces of this special watch are available worldwide.
The limited-edition model is priced at 8,665 EUR (excl. VAT) as is the original KUDOKE 2.
Further reading