Bring A Flashlight: Glow-In-The-Dark Hands-On With The Tockr Chronograph 4447 Camo Lume
With Tockr, the art of luminescence isn't limited to hands and indices. They've taken the added step of adding lume to their cases and straps.
Watchonista is no stranger to lume. We’ve covered everything from The King of Lume to the long sold-out A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Lumen Up/Down. But one brand we've not managed to highlight is the Austin, Texas-based Tockr, which was founded in 2017 by Austin Ivey, a collector and entrepreneur, who got his start in the booming oil and gas fields of South Texas.
Tockr’s marketing motto is, “Born in Austin. Made in Switzerland.” And their leadership team reflects this mantra. Tockr’s founder Ivey is joined by Co-Founder and Partner Sophy Rindler, a French-born watch collector and staple on the US watchmaking scene. Tockr’s CEO Serge Aebischer is a Swiss-born executive with decades of service to the watch industry. This well-rounded team helps oversee the day-to-day business of Tockr, and in just a few short years, has managed to take the company to new heights commercially.
Something Unique
While the brand offers a dizzying array of different novelties, the pieces that stuck out to me the most were its chronographs. Most notably, the Chronograph 4447 Lume. When I first saw these pieces on social media, I was wowed by their vibrant luminescence and color patterns.
Of course, what sets this collection apart from pretty much anything else on the market are its hydro dipped cases. By using hydrographic printing, Tockr can offer their timepieces with a variety of colors, textures, and styles, which range from carbon fiber print to snakeskin.
Tockr Founder Austin Ivey said in a press release, “Having mastered the techniques of hydro dipping, we wanted to push the surface design possibilities further and integrate some creative functionality. Powerful ‘lume’ is highly prized by collectors and watch lovers, and our models have always featured strong luminescent elements. We wanted to take this a step further, taking lume beyond the traditional application in watch hands and dial features and inject luminous functionality directly into our hydro dipped cases. We are proud of the design breakthrough pioneered by our team of Swiss artisans and technicians, making Tockr the first watch brand in the world to develop a luminescent hydro dipping process for a wristwatch.”
A Closer Look At The Tockr Chronograph 4447 Camo Lume
For our review, Tockr sent over their Chronograph 4447 Camo Lume. This hydro dipped chronograph boasts a luminescent black and white camouflage pattern on the case and a supple black leather strap with luminescent stitching. Due to the hand-applied case finishing, which takes up to 10 days per case, no two Tockr Chronograph 4447s are alike.
Sized at 45mm and powered by a premium finish-grade Valjoux 7750 movement boasting a power reserve of 42-hours, the Tockr Chronograph 4447 Camo Lume represents an attractive price point for the category and brings a refreshing take to the much-saturated chronograph market.
As you'll see in our images, not only are the case and strap "lumed," but the indices, hands, and running seconds marker each feature luminescent material. The 45mm cushion case is produced from 316L steel and meticulously processed in order to accept the hydro dipping process, including the hand-application of six to eight luminescent and pigment coats. The result is fascinating and gives the watch a very unique look.
The watch is water-resistant to 100 meters (approx. 330 ft) and features a rotating inner bezel and screw-down crown placed at 10 o'clock. With sapphire crystals for the dial side and caseback, the wearer can fully admire the timepiece without obstruction, including Tockr’s custom skeletonized rotor.
In The Glowing Metal
Seeing the Chronograph 4447 Camo Lume in person certainly didn’t disappoint. The watch has a robust feel but doesn’t burden the wearer. The finishing across the piece is well executed and gives the impression of a timepiece worth double the asking price.
I was excited to finally experience one of Tockr’s glowing cases in the metal and look forward to seeing what this young upstart brand has in store for the future.
The Tockr Chronograph 4447 Camo Lume is priced at $3,250 as tested and available from Tockr’s website and select retailers.
(Photography by Liam O'Donnell)