Anemoic Versailles
Anemoic – Capturing a Time You Never Lived
Is this the start of a new British watch brand… or just a brilliantly executed uni project with serious legs? That’s the question swirling around Anemoic, the brainchild of 22-year-old Magnus Swann — a name you might want to remember.
Despite still being at university, Magnus already has a portfolio that would make many in the industry blush. He’s worked with a number of respected British brands, quietly building a name for himself while juggling lectures and deadlines. Not bad for someone who hasn’t even crossed the graduation stage yet.
His watch journey kicked off in October 2021, when he began a Product Design degree at Sheffield Hallam. When it came time to plan his placement year, he didn't bother with generic applications. A watch fan and a longtime admirer of Studio Underd0g, Magnus sent founder Richard Benc a few of his own design sketches — and they clearly struck a chord.
Richard was impressed. A conversation turned into an internship, and by June 2023, Magnus was living in Brighton and working shoulder-to-shoulder with Richard. That six-month placement quickly doubled in length. Before long, Magnus had his fingerprints on several key projects: the Co0kie, the Hawaiian, and even the H. Moser Passion Fruit. Then came the “Uneggspected Series” and a string of hit collaborations — Fears’ Gimlet, Sartory Billard’s SunFl0wer, and most recently, the Un0riginals. All of them, roaring successes.
You can see his full portfolio at www.magnusswann.co.uk, but let’s fast-forward to the present — or rather, to the final year of his degree, and what might be his most personal project yet.
Faced with the brief “How can a product build a brand?”, Magnus naturally returned to what he knew best: watches. But building a brand from scratch is no small feat. You need more than just a good product — it needs story, soul, and that elusive emotional hook. Enter: Anemoic.
Let’s get the English lesson out of the way — Anemoic (adj.) relates to anemoia, or nostalgia for a time you never actually experienced. Think of that bittersweet feeling when you stumble across an old photo from a distant decade and feel strangely connected to it. That’s anemoia. And that’s what Magnus wanted to bottle in his watch.
The brand’s debut concept, Anemoic Versailles, takes direct inspiration from the “Battle of Versailles” — a legendary 1973 fashion showdown between French and American designers, held in the opulent Palace of Versailles. Five top French names (YSL, Dior, Cardin, and the gang) faced off against a new wave of American designers, with supermodels strutting through candlelit halls in a riot of sequins and silk. The palace oozed faded grandeur, and the event — part fashion, part theatre — ended in a lavish ball attended by royalty, celebrities, and cultural titans. All proceeds went toward restoring the palace.
It was chaos, glamour, and artistry — exactly the kind of captured moment that Anemoic seeks to distil. And the watch? It nails the brief, then some.
At first glance, the Anemoic Versailles could easily have slipped onto the wrist of anyone at that party. Its design borrows visual cues from Versailles itself — chandelier droplets, mirrored halls, rich textures — and wraps them into a sleek, thoroughly modern form. The 28mm x 39mm rectangular case is razor-sharp yet refined, with hooded lugs and a blend of polished bevels and linear brushing. It’s just 7.5mm thick and hugs the wrist thanks to a curved caseback. Slips under a cuff, no problem.
But the real showstopper is the crystal. Not sapphire. Not acrylic. Magnus opted for faceted aquamarine spinel, a semi-precious gemstone with a blue that practically glows. It’s cut and set like a jewel — think of a ring framing its stone — and it completely transforms the dial beneath, like peering through a frosted window into another world. It’s distinctive, it’s risky, and it absolutely works.
To bring this vision to life, Magnus kept it local. He teamed up with Tara Coomber, a specialist lapidarist, to cut the crystal. The dial was entrusted to Bedford Dials, one of the last surviving dial makers in the UK. They crafted an aluminium blank with CNC-cut rectangular guilloché, brushed and lacquered, then printed in a rich blue and sealed again. It’s clean, classic, and beautifully in sync with the crystal above.
The hands — deceptively tricky due to the rectangular case — were finessed until the proportions felt just right. And the strap? A bespoke piece by The Strap Tailor, David Richards, paired with a handmade leather travel pouch to complete the package.
Backing the project was a network of British watchmaking heavyweights. Richard Benc has been a mentor throughout, even helping produce working prototypes using Studio Underd0g’s trusted suppliers. Mike France of Christopher Ward offered business insight and guidance. And Andrew Morgan, master of horological storytelling, helped shape the brand’s emotional core.
Now here’s the twist: Anemoic isn’t officially launching. Not yet, anyway. It’s technically a university project — with just six prototypes being made. But let’s be honest, we’ve all seen how fast the right project can go from passion to production.
If the community gets wind of this — and let’s face it, it will — there’s no reason Anemoic couldn’t become the next breakout indie name. It has all the right ingredients: design pedigree, story-driven ethos, and a founder with a clear vision and an eye for the details that matter.
Personally, I’d love to see it join the ranks of Toledan & Chan or Anoma — those design-led brands that bring something a little different to the table. Not just another watch, but something with feeling, with “special sauce.”
Magnus Swann may still be in uni, but make no mistake: he’s already in the game. And from the looks of it, he’s here to stay.