Arcanaut Introduces Fordite 2.0, Now Fully Customizable

Arcanaut, the Scandinavian indie known for their innovation with and unusual use of uncommon dial materials, has announced a major update to their signature watch. The Arc II Fordite, a personal favorite of mine and a watch I’ve proudly owned for a number of years, has been rethought as a bespoke piece, customized by each individual owner in a number of ways. Some of the options available feel like natural evolutions for the line based on a number of things we’ve seen from the brand in recent years across other projects, but a few are genuinely surprising. 

When purchasing an Arc II Fordite from Arcanaut directly, the customer is brought to their Fordite Configurator, which first asks for their choice in dial. This, of course, is the heart of a Fordite watch as every dial is inherently unique (they are made from paint drippings from American auto factories). Prospective owners have always been able to choose their dial of course, but the watches have been sold as finished products. The new process centers the dials and the surprising ways they vary in appearance, and asks customers to think about how best to complement it. 

The most welcome new development in the new Fordite process is the ability to pick from multiple cases. A total of four options are available, in “Standard” and “Skeleton” varieties, coming in at 40.5mm (the original size) or a new 37mm diameter. A smaller size should be exciting news to many as the 40.5mm case can wear quite a bit larger thanks mostly to the way the strap integrates to it. The effective lug to lug of the of the 40.5mm case is close to 50mm, which is a broad span for what, on paper, is a medium sized watch. The new Skeleton option is a nice bonus, expanding on a design first offered with Arcanaut’s limited Experimental pieces.

Dial accents are next. Hands can be in either the original “Grand Paw” style, now with more lume, or a new “Spear” option which is a little more traditional and straightforward. Lume color is picked from a lineup of nine total options, so customers can choose to either complement or contrast whatever colors are present in their dial. 

The biggest change, in my mind at least, is the final option which Arcanaut has made available to customers, which is the choice to include a chapter ring for easier time telling. I have to be honest, I’m torn on this. Part of the visual identity of these watches to me has always been the unspoiled (but expertly finished and curated) Fordite. Arcanaut is not the only brand to use Fordite material in their dials, but they are the only ones that I’m aware of that truly let the material speak for itself, without the addition of numerals or indices or any type of easily discernible help with accurate time keeping. It’s one of the things that mystifies people, at first, about these watches. Whenever I post mine to social media I invariably get the jokey “But what time is it?” comments. In actuality, if you’’re able to read a clock, it’s pretty easy to discern the time, and Arcanaut’s decision to forego a chapter ring or anything similar felt principled in a way. 

Now, customers can choose to have a simple chapter ring at the dial’s perimeter with either rhodium or gold plating. The actual execution here is inoffensive and discreet – far better than adding big applied numerals, for instance. When it eventually comes time for me to configure my own new Arc II Fordite (which will definitely happen – the smaller case is calling my name) I know I won’t be picking a chapter ring. I’m glad that Arcanaut decided to make it optional rather than foisting it upon us as a requirement. 

According to Arcanaut, there are a total of 6,144 combinations possible for each individual dial (other options include strap color and a small running seconds indicator atop the handstack). Additionally, Arcanaut offers a free engraving option on the caseback, which has been redesigned with a frosted display window.

Pricing for the new, customized Arc II Fordite pieces starts at €4.000, with some dials priced at a premium if they are more elaborately finished. Certain options, like the “Skeleton” case and chapter rings, increase the cost slightly. 

More information, and currently available dials, can be found at the Arcanaut website.

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