{"id":4234,"date":"2023-12-17T13:50:22","date_gmt":"2023-12-17T13:50:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportandhealthy.com\/?p=4234"},"modified":"2023-12-17T13:50:22","modified_gmt":"2023-12-17T13:50:22","slug":"hands-on-with-the-straum-opphav-a-stunning-start-that-heralds-big-things-from-the-norwegian-brand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportandhealthy.com\/?p=4234","title":{"rendered":"Hands-On With The Straum Opphav \u2014 A Stunning Start That Heralds Big Things From The Norwegian Brand"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m thoroughly sick of all the chatter we hear from start-up brands about how they are going to turn the established order on its head. How they are going to \u201cdisrupt\u201d the luxury industry. Or even worse, how their product deserves attention for its \u201cuniqueness\u201d despite being composed of off-the-shelf parts from a forgotten corner of some fly-by-night factory in the arse-end of the Chinese badlands. Thankfully, for every 1,000 chancers, one good brand emerges. Say hello to Straum and its stunning debut model, the Opphav.<\/p>\n

Since the debut effort from Straum first popped up on my Instagram feed, I\u2019ve grown quite close to the guys behind the project. Lasse and \u00d8ystein are earnest, passionate, sideways-thinking chaps with a vision. That vision doesn\u2019t have a name because it doesn\u2019t need one. It isn\u2019t the vision to disrupt or subvert. Quite unusually, the vision is simply a vision of a product. And, I must say, it is the physical manifestation of the argument I\u2019ve been making for years: branding and empty promises will only get new brands so far. The long-term success of a brand hinges on the quality of its ambassador on the wrist \u2014 the product itself.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Straum Opphav \u2014 ambition in steel<\/h3>\n

What I really like about the Opphav is how different it is. The guys behind its design have gone all-in with creating a totally new aesthetic (and that isn\u2019t just marketing bumf; this watch is genuinely unlike anything I\u2019ve seen before in some very obvious ways). But despite the significant differences between the Opphav and its peers, the case and wearability of the watch remain sufficiently \u201cnormal\u201d and thus suitable for everyday wear and enjoyment. We\u2019ve seen unbridled wildness before, and it doesn\u2019t work. Well, it may work in the moment,<\/em> but it isn\u2019t sustainable or versatile in any way. What we have here is consciously bridled creativity in a product that surprises at every turn.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Concepts flowing thick and fast<\/h2>\n

There\u2019s a lot to dig into with the Opphav, so let\u2019s start with the most obvious component \u2014 the dial. The patterned dial of the Opphav draws you in. Available in green, blue, charcoal, and white, Straum took pains to get the colors just right. The initial drafts of the colors were too dark and didn\u2019t match expectations, so the guys went back again and again until they got the lacquer color just right. In my opinion, the effort paid off.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The colors reference Norwegian nature. Green hills and treetops, gray rocky outcrops, deep blue fjords, and white driven snow serve as their inspiration. The most stunning aspect of the dial, however, is nothing to do with its color. It\u2019s the fact that it\u2019s floating.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The main event<\/h3>\n

Now, you might not believe this, but I didn\u2019t actually realize that the chapter ring was a concave bowl that touches the boxy crystal and then swoops down and away from the floating dial edge until I had the watch in hand. I was stunned by the visual trickery and the way that void interacts with the curvature of the crystal. Honestly, I didn\u2019t like it at first. I even went back to Straum with some proposals of how a more \u201cmainstream\u201d follow-up might be a nice idea (the feedback was well-received, I might add). However, over time, I grew to not only appreciate it (the appreciation for its difference was instant) but also to find myself somewhat fascinated<\/em> by it.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It was an aesthetic I hadn\u2019t experienced in almost 20 years of working with watches. It flummoxed me for a minute. I had to\u00a0really<\/em> think about it, I found it so avant-garde. In the end, I decided that as a launch model from a brand pitching its first piece under \u20ac1,000 pre-taxes, it was the best I\u2019d ever seen. It sets the stage perfectly for a more restrained follow-up that takes these daring elements and walks them back towards the pack in concept before blowing the competition out of the water with execution.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s it. Execution. These ideas, wrapped in a more \u201ctimeless\u201d package and executed as well as they can be at this price point (aided in that quest by the continued commitment to thoughtful design), could result in something that sees Straum kick in one of the deepest and most unexpected industry footholds a microbrand has ever established. I often extol the virtues of a \u201cconfuse and consolidate\u201d release strategy. And Straum seems on the cusp of pulling this off right out of the gate. The first release has \u201cwow\u201d factor. If the second shows maturity and boasts the design chops to round out the brand\u2019s definition, we could be about to see something glorious\u2026<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What I love about the Straum Opphav<\/h2>\n

The dial is breathtaking. The colors draw you in. It isn\u2019t enamel (it\u2019s lacquer), but the effect is close enough for it not to matter. What you\u2019re paying for here is really more the design and the concept than it is the absolute execution. While that may sound critical, I don\u2019t mean it to. In the context of this watch\u2019s price, it is a show-stopping release. In comparison to other\u00a0similar<\/em> models at wildly different price points, it obviously has room for improvement.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Me being unfair as usual<\/h3>\n

As unfair as this is, I compared this model to both my Laventure Marine and my Czapek Antarctique. I could see similarities in the \u201cNautilus-esque\u201d case designs shared by all three (especially by the Straum and the Laventure). The Laventure Marine retailed for just about 50% more than the Straum, but its real comparative value (due to the time of its release and the almost total lack of margin in the original project) means it is really representative of a watch at least twice the price. If the base Marine model came out today, its price would be closer to \u20ac3K than its initial retail of \u20ac1.5K.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Czapek Antarctique retails for \u20ac20K. It is worlds apart from either other model and an example of true Haute Horlogerie<\/em>. However, I have included it in the comparison to show the possible differences in the execution of similar designs depending on the budget. While this may sound obvious, it is something newer brands often overlook, designing to ideals rather than the practicalities of financial limitations.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Laying down a marker<\/h3>\n

I used the hour markers as an example when I broke down my watch analysis with Lasse and \u00d8ystein. The hour markers on the Czapek are polished. So are the hour markers on the Straum Opphav. The markers on the Czapek, however, look sharp-edged enough to cut through the very fabric of space and time. Their surfaces are also so mirrored that they could reflect the very face of God back in them with ease.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The same \u201ceffect\u201d is achieved by the polished hour markers on the Opphav (which are extremely well done at this price point). There is, however, an appreciable difference between the markers of a watch made and sold for sub-\u20ac1K and one worth 20 times that. Those differences aren\u2019t always obvious until you have the two pieces in hand. To an experienced eye, however, they are quite obvious. Thus, the boys raised a logical question: \u201cWhat can we do about that?\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The answer is never simple<\/h3>\n

One way to \u201csolve\u201d this conundrum is to always design within the limitations of one\u2019s budget. However, that is not a solution that leaves much room for inspiration. And it\u2019s one that likely would not occur to anyone but a crusty old watch hack like me. It is a sober and staid approach pursuant to \u201ctechnical perfection\u201d that perhaps loses some of its humanity along the way.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The fun continues on the back<\/h3>\n

I\u2019ve never been a fan of shaped display crystals or plaques in any form. I told the guys they could happily ditch the cutesy nordic scene on the reverse, and I wouldn\u2019t lose any sleep over it. Nevertheless, I know that\u2019s just my personal opinion. Dave Sergeant (who spends most of his time talking about the color yellow, his dog Luna, and Straum) absolutely loved this element, and I must agree with him that I\u2019d rather see it than yet another Sellita.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Despite my Sellita fatigue (something which often leads me to prefer closed and well-decorated case backs to any kind of obverse movement view), a Swiss-made movement in a watch with such a high design concept and yet a reasonable price point is very satisfying indeed.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Only the beginning<\/h2>\n

This is a compelling first chapter. I hope the book of Straum will be long and celebrated as time passes. We believe great things are yet to come from this brand that has already started promisingly. The Opphav is a fantastic first effort and a model I am glad to have in my collection. I anticipate being even gladder as time passes.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I remember when I first took a speculative punt on Laventure at the genesis of that company, filled with fear at investing what was all my spare money at the time, but somehow convinced it would turn out to be a wise decision. Nowadays, it is impossible to find a green Marine anywhere for any money. I have a sneaking suspicion we might be facing the same situation with the Opphav in years to come should the brand build on this excellent foundation and move on to something new further down the road. Stay tuned to Fratello to follow the story. To learn more about the brand\u2019s origins, check out the official website here.<\/p>\n\n

Watch specifications<\/h3>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Brand<\/td>\n\nStraum\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Model<\/td>\nOpphav<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dial<\/td>\nFloating textured stamped dial with lacquer finish. Applied hour markers.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Case Material<\/td>\nSteel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Case Dimensions<\/td>\n41mm \u00d7 46.6mm \u00d7 11.1mm. Lug width = 22mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Crystal<\/td>\nBox sapphire<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Case Back<\/td>\nSemi-display caseback<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Movement<\/td>\nSellita SW200-1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Water Resistance<\/td>\n100m (10ATM)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Strap<\/td>\nFull-grain veg-tanned leather (22\/20). A stainless steel bracelet is available as an add-on for \u20ac329 (excluding taxes).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Functions<\/td>\nHours, minutes, and central seconds.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Price<\/td>\n\u20ac829 (excluding taxes).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Special Note(s)<\/td>\nIncludes a full-grain veg-tanned leather travel case.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m thoroughly sick of all the chatter we hear from start-up brands about how they are going to turn the established order…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4235,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[23],"tags":[318,319,399,400,401],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportandhealthy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4234"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportandhealthy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportandhealthy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportandhealthy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportandhealthy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4234"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportandhealthy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4234\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportandhealthy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4235"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportandhealthy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4234"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportandhealthy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4234"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportandhealthy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4234"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}