Holthinrichs Raw Ornament: Initial Review

NT931's initial review of the Holthinrichs Raw Ornament offers a compelling look into the ownership experience of an independent watchmaker's creation. His detailed impressions highlight the design nuances and wearability that make this timepiece stand out. This article delves into why the Raw Ornament, particularly on its integrated bracelet, has captured the attention of collectors and what makes the collaboration with Michiel Holthinrichs so rewarding.

I first discovered the Holthinrichs RAW Ornament in 2019, courtesy of an article in Monochrome Watches. But it wasn’t until 2020 when i saw the Raw Ornament on a bracelet, courtesy of a fellow collector on Instagram (hands.face.cases) that the attraction began to grow.  It definitely looked better on a bracelet, and Holthinrichs also recognized that, beginning to offer it on a bracelet with their logo.

Thought snowballed into action, and I began discussing a Raw Ornament with Michiel Holthinrichs in early 2021.  The watch has finally arrived, and I love it!

It’s only been a few days but here are some initial impressions:
1. The steel bracelet really goes well with the look of the watch, especially as the watch has a mix of matte and polished surfaces

2. At 38mm size, it wears bigger (like 39mm) due to the lugs.  It’s surprisingly thin at 10mm, even with the domed acrylic crystal included, and at lug-to-lug of 47mm, it makes it quite wearable even on my slim 6.3” wrist

3. The lugs are … sculptural.  I couldn’t think of a better word for them, so I’ll show the oblique view.  They’re hollow, and have mixed polished and matte surfaces which makes the visually quite eye-catching.

4. Legibility is excellent, thanks to the clean dial, and the hands which are half-frosted, half-polished (like my VC). I’m also glad I opted for blue lume - it’s readable at night, but also adds a splash of colour to the otherwise monochromatic look.

5. I opted for a rhodium plated movement to complete the look.  This is the upgraded version, with embossed edges (a little like their Dutch colleagues, Gronefeld) which adds to the overall aesthetic.

6. I like holding the watch. This is one of the unexpected pleasures of the watch - it is a nice watch not only to look at, but to feel as well. The contrasts of the rough and polished surfaces provide new tactile pleasures for the owner, which is why I’m holding it!

7. The wooden box is simply but nicely made, and I liked the personal handwritten note in the book (which I anonymized) from Michiel himself.  This is what I like about the Independents - the sense of co-creation and connection with the watchmaker.

I’m quite pleased with how it turned out, and even more pleased with how it looks different from the other watches in the collection, but yet hews to the designs that I prefer, that of a slim time-only manual-winding watch. Big thanks to the Holthinrichs team, and thanks for reading this (and apologies for the amateur iPhone pics!)