One of the best travel watches! Review of the classic Norqain Freedom 60 GMT

Founded in 2018, NORQAIN has quickly become one of the leading mid-range brands. We review the company's classic GMT watch, the Freedom 60 GMT. How does NORQAIN measure up? With international travel restrictions gradually easing, this watch is a must-have and a reliable travel companion.

Norqain: A supernova that continues to rise

　First, let's talk about the brand Norqain. Norqain is a young brand founded in 2018. It was founded by Ben Kaffer, formerly of Breitling. With the mission of preserving the culture of Swiss mechanical watches, the company launched two watches at the beginning of 19: the sports watch "Adventure" and the classic "Freedom."

　At the end of the same year, the company added the flagship "Independence" collection, and since then, the company has expanded its lineup based on these three collections. The names of these collections also directly reflect the company's core values.

　All of the company's products fall into the mid-range. This price range is a crowded one, with many brands ranging from established names to newcomers. However, the company has a strong presence among them, likely due to its combination of the technical capabilities of leading Swiss suppliers and its constant drive to move forward. These two aspects are interrelated.

　Norqain is not a manufacturer that produces everything in-house. They outsource the production of parts they design to suppliers and then assemble them to create their watches. Considering the history of Swiss watchmaking, this can be considered traditional watchmaking.

　The key here is building relationships with suppliers. How well they listen to your detailed requests and allocate production lines depends on credit and the relationship you have with them. Large customers with huge capital may be able to be more flexible to a certain extent, but a small brand with a short history like Norqain has no choice but to steadily build relationships.

　The company has built its watchmaking business on the foundation of strong relationships with suppliers who share its beliefs and vision. This has led to further suppliers joining the company, all of whom have shared the same vision, further evolving NORQAIN watches.

　One example is the collaboration with Kenissi, which was announced in 20. In 22, the company welcomed Jean-Claude Biver as a management advisor and released the Independence Wild One, a sports watch that uses newly developed structures and materials. While manufactures are in vogue, the company has chosen the path of coexistence and mutual prosperity with its suppliers, thereby realizing its mission of passing on the culture of Swiss mechanical watches.

Overview of the Freedom 60 GMT worn

　The Freedom 60 GMT we are reviewing today is, as its name suggests, a model that belongs to the Freedom Collection. This collection has a classic design that follows the style of the 1960s, and its characteristics can be seen in the box sapphire crystal and simple round case.

　Let's take a quick look at the specs of this model. In addition to the standard time display with hours, minutes, and seconds, it also has a second time zone and date display. The case has a compact diameter of 40mm, but is a bit bulky at 14.5mm thick. The lug width is 20mm, which is a major advantage as it allows for a wide range of third-party strap options. The crown and case back are screw-down, which gives the watch a water resistance of 100m.

　The movement is the Kenissi Cal. NN20/2. It boasts high precision, COSC-certified chronometer status, a long power reserve of approximately 70 hours, and a shock-resistant, double-bearing balance.

　The review unit is fitted with a black Perlon rubber strap, but the watch is also available in Alcantara®, crocodile-style rubber, a no-tide strap, and a stainless steel bracelet.

　Alcantara® is a synthetic leather that is also used in luxury car interiors, and No Tide is a material made from marine plastic. The company promotes animal and ocean conservation, and these lineups show that it is not just talking about it, but putting it into practice.

Classic details scattered throughout the robust exterior

　Let's take a look at the design first. At first glance, the thick lugs give it a modern impression, but as it was inspired by Swiss watches from the 1960s, it is dotted with classic design elements.

　First of all, there is the sapphire crystal that covers the dial. Its rounded, plump shape and the way the soft light distorts the edges of the dial give it the feel of a plastic crystal.

　Moving on to the dial, the inner edges of the indices and the hour and minute hands are coated with a deep cream-colored Super-LumiNova, which the company calls "Old Radium Color," which mimics the tarnish of radium lume that has aged over time.

　The color tone of the indices is darker, while the hour and minute hands appear to be closer to white. The exact reason is unclear, but if this difference was intentional, it may have been to avoid an overly vintage feel. While this type of luminous paint can easily give a vintage feel, using it too much can come across as too obvious. By using it sparingly, perhaps it is intended to be an accent rather than the main focus.

　The hour and minute hands are syringe-shaped. This shape enhances visibility by making the hands thicker at the middle, while their sharp tips point to the scale, ensuring excellent legibility. This is a practical design that was also widely used in military watches in the past. To maximize this benefit, each hand, including the second and GMT hands, is long enough to reach the respective index and scale accurately.

　The dial is a subtle black with a sunray finish. Although it's hard to see due to the curve of the crystal, the dial itself is also domed, a clear nod to the golden age of mechanical watches. The GMT function of this model is understated, maintaining a vintage feel, as evidenced by the 24-hour ring on the inside and the GMT hand with a red tip. The 24-hour ring, which is colored white for daytime and gray for nighttime, blends in well with the black dial.

　The round case with a narrow bezel is also a classic design. Compared to the sporty cases of the company's Independence and Adventure, it may seem unremarkable at first glance, but there are many ingenious details that go into its design.

　For example, the case structure makes the 14.5mm thickness seem unnoticeable. The movement used in this model is 7.52mm thick. This inevitably means that the case that encases it is thick. However, rather than concentrating the thickness solely on the middle case, the thickness is distributed to the bezel and crystal, reducing the thickness of the middle case itself and reducing the apparent bulk.

　The diagonally cut-off ends of the lugs also make the case appear more compact, and the same diameter for the bezel and middle case also enhances this sense of compactness.

　As mentioned above, the strap is made of rubber, but with its Perlon strap-like pattern and Norqain stitching, it could easily be mistaken for nylon. Its thickest point is about 5mm, harmonizing perfectly with the case. The buckle attached to the end is a special design. The combination of satin and polished finishes creates a three-dimensional effect.