Drop The Mic
Brands with genuinely unique ideas are rare. Schofield watches are an exception; each piece stands out in any collection unless you own multiple Schofields. Their distinct designs truly set them apart from other timepieces.
When first encountering the Schofield Obscura, it’s easy to question whether it’s a concept piece. This watch seems more like a creation from the next century rather than this one. Giles Ellis’s distinctive designs are among the most recognisable, and the Obscura stands out as his most audacious creation to date.
The Damascus steel case, the stunning case back, and the intricately designed dial all come together to create an unadulterated sense of fun. It’s clear that Giles embarked on an extensive creative journey with this release. Whether or not he found inspiration from unconventional sources, the result is a stroke of genius. This watch embodies a bold leap forward in horological design, making it a true standout in the Schofield collection.
What An Achievement
The Schofield Obscura derives its name from its enigmatic nature, reflecting the design ethos of the brand. Like many of Schofield’s creations, the Obscura features elements that are intentionally obscure. Every aspect of the watch has a purpose, though these reasons can sometimes be difficult to put into words.
This intentional obscurity means that a straightforward list of design choices, materials, and finishes would fail to capture the essence of the watch, potentially making it seem overly complicated, which Schofield aims to avoid. This complexity and nuance are why the Obscura took so long to perfect.
The watch was designed as a cohesive whole, where altering one element necessitates changes to the rest. Its obscurity is partly due to the use of Damascus steel, but in a manner previously unseen in watchmaking. However, the watch is not solely about its Damascus steel; that is merely one component. It also features a triple-glazed case back, lume tracks on a rhodium dial, unique hands, and a distinctive crown.
7 Years In The Making
While these choices might seem obscure individually, together they form a harmonious and cohesive design.
The case of the Schofield Obscura is crafted from Damascus steel, specially made by the team at Vegas Forge in the United States. They use enormous Nazel Hammers to forge the different steels together. The design chosen for the Obscura deviates from the common wavy patterns typically associated with Damascus steel, instead adopting a more cellular appearance. This design is reminiscent of Super Conductor material, yet it remains timeless, traditional, and artisan.
The recognisable Schofield case shape is fully machined and finished in Sussex, where the surface undergoes acid etching, not primarily for color but for texture. In a recent update, bronze bushings were added around the strap bar holes. This contrasting material functions like a friction bearing and frames the steel strap bar screws, creating a distinct boundary and shadow line.
Oversized Crown
The crown on the Schofield Obscura, like all Schofield crowns, is oversized for better leverage and ease of handling. It features a DLC-coated pull-out design, ideal for manual wind movements. The crown boasts fine knurling, a nail groove, multiple steps, and various finishes. The standout feature is the red/pink Super-LumiNova fill-in the engraved front face, creating a glowing dot under your cuff—a concept Schofield introduced with the Blacklamp in 2013. The DLC crown colour matches the minute hand and the buckle, while the crown lume colour complements the red flanks on the dial. The dial base is harmonised with the case back, ensuring a cohesive design.
Other Worldly
The case back of the Schofield Obscura features three smoked sapphire crystals at its centre. These crystals, coated with grey PVD, partially obscure the manual wind Unitas movement beneath, slightly magnifying elements such as the blued screws that scintillate as they catch the light. The arrangement of the three circles in a triangle is inspired by classic sci-fi imagery, reminiscent of the Predator’s tri-beam laser sight or the undercarriage of a UFO, while also symbolising planets among the stars.
More Colour Than A Clowns Wardrobe
The fonts on the case back are intentionally obscure and intriguing, resembling styles that could be Mayan, Witcher, or Incal. Though not designed for legibility, they add a unique and cool aesthetic. Another font displays semaphore flag positions, cleverly forming the CND logo, a design masterpiece by Gerald Holtom from 1958. Notably, all the details on the case back are designed with letters raised against a machined-away background. The case back is then DLC-coated, and the top surface is ground back to create a striking contrast.
The Obscura’s dial is an intricate, multi-layered design featuring channels filled with Super-LumiNova in various colours and emissions. True to Schofield’s philosophy of “business at the front, party at the back,” the lume design is austere by day but transforms into a vibrant display at night. Schofield has pioneered unique luminescence, developing not just pigments but also bespoke emission colours. The dark grey rhodium-plated dial base has a fine matte texture.
The design of the Obscura dial focuses on creating an interesting and subtly obscure look while using traditional central rotating hands. The hour and minute hands are different colors; the minute hand is skeletonized while the hour hand is lumed. At 12 o’clock, the hands align to reveal the lume strip of the hour hand through the window of the minute hand. The minute hand covers the lume ring on the dial beneath, marking time at night with an absence of luminescence. The sub-seconds dial is a milled pocket of Super-LumiNova, with the seconds hand sweeping beyond its boundary. The sub-dial is white, the hand is blue, and the dot features red, white, and blue—a subtle nod to British manufacture.
Strap And Canister
The exclusive strap of the Obscura is crafted from high-quality Italian-tanned and British-finished grey calf leather, known as Cloud leather, which features a mottled and matte finish. The underside of the strap is made from Schofield’s signature bark calf leather with a green foiled logo.
Notably, all other Schofield straps are compatible with the Obscura.
The packaging for the Obscura is not a traditional box but a unique canister, designed specifically for this watch. This canister reflects an aura of dubious provenance, serving as an object of beauty meant for display. Inside, the watch spins on a gimbal, eliminating the need for upholstery.
The design draws inspiration from Japanese tea caddies and military ordnance, with a stainless steel bolt resembling a precision cap.
The buckle, designed exclusively for the Obscura, is compatible with all other Schofield watches. Unlike the case, the buckle is not made from Damascus steel, avoiding an overly obvious and watch-specific choice. The new buckle is slightly larger than previous designs, providing a balanced visual weight.
It features a blued pocketed strap bar to prevent accidental skidding-off with a screwdriver and is engraved and paint-filled with a negative meniscus, reminiscent of steam engine name badges.
My Thoughts
After taking some time to digest what Giles has achieved with the Scofield Obscura, it’s hard to find fault. His meticulous attention to detail is evident from the get-go and there is so much to like about the watch. Some may not be taken by this and as yet, I have not had the pleasure to see it in the flesh. But it’s only a matter of time and I have no doubt it won’t disappoint. Yes, it’s just shy of £10k and that’s a huge leap from his current lineup, but I still believe they will sell well.
Schofield has such a dedicated fanbase and they will want to get hold of this as a hero piece. From here, I’m not sure what direction Giles may take next, but wherever he goes and whatever comes next, it will have much to look up to. The Shofield Obscura has that winning formula and innovative design that many brands will envy. Its uniqueness is its strength.
Specifications
- Dimensions: 44mm x 52.7mm x 15mm
- Case: Cellular Damascus stainless-steel
- Movement: Unitas 6498-2, Geneva stripes, blue screws. Manual wind
- Power Reserve: 46 hours
- Dial: Multi-level, rhodium plated, Multiple colours of Super-LumiNova
- Crystal Top: Double dome sapphire, Swiss AR coatings in green or red
- Crystal bottom: 3x sapphire with PVD grey smoke coating
- Water resistance: 200m
- Limited Edition: 40 Pieces
- Price: £9,558.00
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