Toledano & Chan B/1

“When you know, you know”. This saying often crops up and fits numerous statements. Recently, whilst interviewing Andrew McUtchen for a Time & Tide Discovery Studio launch, I got the chance to try on the Toledano & Chan B/1. This was not from a store; it was Andrews’s own piece. He was giving it its first outing, which just coincided with our meeting. Until that moment, the brand was not on my radar; although I had seen images of it months before, it just didn’t register.

When I put the watch on, it was unsized and slightly too big for Andrew. However, it was a perfect fit on my wrist. Just like a Cinderella moment, when the glass slipper fits perfectly, so the watch did too, and boy, since then, I can’t seem to shake it. It hasn’t happened too often that I didn’t want to take it off and was reluctant to hand it back.  I reached out to Phil Toledano, one-half of the brand and bagged an interview. We chatted watches, and I delved into misterenthusiast, and got a real insight into not only the design process but how Phil gets his groove on.

Toledano & Chan are made up of two designers: Phil Toledano, the suave New York-based conceptual artist, watch and car collector and brand owner of clothing brand Viva Bastardo. His counterpart, Alfred Chan, has been a watch designer in China for over ten years. They met several years over social media ago and shared a love of architecture, especially the Brutalist work of the 70s. Through this shared passion, they wanted to create a watch that took its inspiration from a window and had a nod to the Rolex Midas.

But this was no ordinary window, as its asymmetrical shape was so inspiring to the pair. The building in question was the Met Breuer in New York. The window embodies the Brutalist architecture that the pair are so fond of. The large window itself disrupts the traditional symmetry often found in architectural designs, creating a dynamic visual effect.

The joint desire to make watches, the love of design and brutalist architecture is the perfect blend and recipe for something extraordinary. The B/1  takes inspiration from many sources, and the outcome is a watch that speaks to me personally. I got the “fizz”, a term Phil uses when something resonates on such a personal level.  A watch that seamlessly flows from dial to bracelet and back to the dial, with almost no visible transitions.

The cohesion of the Toledano & Chan B/1 is so obvious. But it’s the connection you get with the watch when you wear it that, for me, speaks out. It’s like no other we’ve seen, a sports-integrated watch with such a high level of detail, not only on the case and dial but also on the strap.

Every link differs in either thickness, angle or width, all corresponding to its neighbour on either side. It’s a remarkable feat of engineering, too, as the links are locked to each other, with an almost seamless connection, creating a flow and almost organic feel to it.

In January, there will be a chance to get hands-on with the Toledano & Chan B/1 and B/2 at the Time & Tide Watch Discovery Studio in London. More details will be released closer to the event, but having a dedicated space to experience these watches in person is essential. While the photos do them justice, they truly come to life on the wrist.

It seems that over the past 20/30 years, at least, watch designers have ignored the sculptural form and used the same designs repeatedly. Going back to revisit the archives and to rehash an old classic. Thankfully, Phil and Alfred seem to have ripped up that old formula and designed a watch for our future, not the past.

An iconic watch is one that perfectly captures the spirit of its brand. I genuinely believe the B/1 is one of those pieces and that, in time, we’ll look back decades from now and remember this watch, and I will have owned one!

The design process extends even further when you experience the watch’s presentation. Encased in a brutalist-inspired concrete box, the B/1 commands attention in all its glory. If the B/1 represents Phil and Alfred’s debut single, then I can’t wait for the full album and live performance. This unique duo—one a master watch designer with a proven track record, the other a conceptual artist with a bold vision—has created a watch that feels like a future classic.

Are they onto something new here? With a recent shift toward more sculptural forms emerging across various brands, I believe so. This watch brings a refreshing approach to contemporary design. It won’t be for everyone, but it feels like the start of a new wave in watchmaking that we may look back on one day and say, “That’s when everything shifted.”

I will own one of these watches, and it will be a stand-out in my collection. However, the first batch of 175 pieces sold out in a matter of 46 minutes, so until I get one of my own, I will badger Phil unrelentlessly. So until that day, Phil, you promised you would sort me out, I don’t want to tell the world about that feather boa incident!

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