Introducing Norqain, Now Available At James Porter & Son

2024 has come to a conclusion with major news for James Porter & Son, with a handful of fantastic and genuinely exciting new watch brands added to the roaster, the first of which being Norqain.

As a self-confessed, outdoor-obsessed watch brand, Norqain is an independently owned and family-run brand with big plans, and so far, they’ve made major steps to achieve said plans. Let me explain.

Who are Norqain?

Let’s start with the obvious. Those in the industry or loyally following watches in recent years will be familiar with that name, but as a very young company, it's likely there are some of you out there looking for answers. Norqain is a Swiss-based watch manufacturer founded in 2018 by Ben Küffer with a focus on delivering an adventurous ethos while championing the best of contemporary Swiss watchmaking. Now, while that may sound like a mission statement we’ve heard before, where Norqain differs is in their pure focus on ruggedness and performance, their partnership with Kenissi Manufacture – one of the leading movement makers that also works with Tudor, Breitling, and Chanel and a swift adoption of the greatest modern watchmaking has to offer.

A lot of the appeal of Norqain is down to the fact that they are young. They’ve used that trait – something this heritage-obsessed industry typically sees as a negative – in their favour, and they have built one of the most robust lineups of collections and watches you can find. 

Independence 

First up is the Independence collection with Norqain referring to this as the ‘innovative sports watch’. Here you’ll find two major models, the Wild One and the Independence.

Starting with the latter, the namesake Independence is available in 40mm with conventional dials, 42mm as a skeleton, or as a skeleton chronograph. All available in either steel, DLC coated steel, or grade 5 titanium, these pieces carry prominent and contemporary sport case designs with integrated crown guards, scalloped lug profiles, and an incredibly versatile wrist presence. While the 40mm models carry dials with fume finishes the skeletonised models are the most dynamic and eye-catching here. Powered by the NORQAIN Calibre N08S for the time only and 8K Manufacture Calibre (NK24/1) for the automatic chronograph, these chronometer grade movements are exposed for all to see, including their gearing, mainsprings, balances, and in the case of the Chrono, plate designs which echo the brands logo. This line very much falls under what I would refer to as ‘urban sports’ watches, as they deliver their function-first approach while sticking to stylish principles which suit both day-to-day and more adventurous moments. 

Contrasting this is the Wild One line, a range of watches that’s a thoroughbred for activity. This is likely to line you’re most familiar with, with many celebrity wrist spottings of the Skeleton 42mm Tuquoise, as well as tennis star and Norqain partner like Stan Wawrinka wearing the piece on court. Available either with solid dials, or with skeletonised dials, the Wild One has quickly become the cornerstone of Norqain’s collection, as many the cases are made from  proprietary, ultra-robust, and ultra-light NORTEQ® carbon fibre material. Six times lighter than steel and 3.5 times lighter than titanium, this case combines a rubber shock absorber, titanium container for the movement, sandwiched between the NORTEQ® case, which amounts to 25 parts to ensure incredible shock resistance, despite a 78-gram weight. 

The Wild One was developed in collaboration with industry veteran and advisor to the Norqain board of directions, Jean-Claude Biver. As the man behind the success of Blancpain, Omega, Hublot, TAG Heuer, Zenith, and now his own brand Biver, this endorsement of Norqain speaks for itself.

Adventure

Norqain’s Adventure line strays into a touch more convention, with pieces such as GMTs, chronographs, and divers with more traditional executions. This collection is split, once again, between two models: the Adventure Sport, and the Neverest. The latter comes in at 41mm or 40mm and provides unique takes on classic sports watches, whereas the Adventure is more of a rounded lineup with chronographs, 42mm divers, and a 37mm piece.

Referred to as an ‘all rounder sports watch’, the Adventure line really has something for everyone, and while this is an overstated line, they represent one of the most versatile sides to Norqain if you like your pieces with rotating bezels, touches of colour, and a stats list to impress. The dial motif of the Adventure Sport is inspired by Swiss mountains and with lovely touches of detail, such as date windows being colour-matched, bronze cases, and incredibly competitive price points if you’re looking for a place to start your Norqain journey, the Adventure line is it. Furthermore, with the range also including 37mm models, Norqain isn’t alienating anyone here: all wrist sizes, preferences, and tastes are catered for. 

With the Neverest, Norqain focuses on the travel aspect of adventure, with their Glacier introducing a GMT function via the NORQAIN Manufacture Calibre NN20/2 by Kenissi. For those travel watch fans, this is a true GMT movement, as the local hour hand can be independently jumped. Combine this with the 41mm size, 70-hour power reserve, steel case, and unique mountain-inspired dial, we’re left with a sub £4,000 winner on our hands.

Better yet, 10% of the earnings from the sales are donated to the Butterfly Help Project in Nepal which is dedicated to helping families of sherpas who have lost their lives in the Himalayan mountains by giving their children access to education.

Freedom

Finally, rounding out the Norqain lineup is Freedom, a collection which takes a more admirational view of purpose-led watchmaking, as it introduces a vintage, retrospective angle to the brand. The Freedom line is currently made up of three models, the Chrono, the 60 GMT, and the 60, with each clearly set to recall watches from the mid-20th century. Crucially, though, with Norqain being a young brand, we’re not talking about re-issues here but more models that evoke past design eras. 

What’s most apparent when exploring this collection is just how modern many of these design traits still appear, with the GMT and Chrono both adopting syringe handsets. However, once offset with bright, finely finished dials, robust builds, and fauxtina-free designs, the universal appeal of their design holds true.

For a more dressy appearance, the Freedom 60 34mm is the watch of choice, as its smaller size combined with the use of a metal mesh watch strap, textured dials (also featuring mother of pearl) and precious metals, these smarter pieces excel when the adventure for the day is over. 

Come and visit the James Porter & Son store in Glasgow's renowned Argyll Arcade to discover Norqain in its entirety for yourself. To learn more click here.