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At first glance, the Gen1.0 looks cool. Look closer and it seems impossible. Apiar set out to show how their approach to design and build gives us the chance to create watches that look unlike anything we’ve seen before. In the case of the Gen1.0, they set themselves the challenge of creating the perfect partner for the pioneers of the ultimate feat of human endeavour and ingenuity: the trailblazers who will one day build their homes on the Moon.

While I certainly admit to a bit of a bias toward the unusual having worked in the space long enough to become a bit tired of the generic, for me this has always been key to my enthusiasm, and I’m just a lot more likely to stop and read a press release or pick up and try on a watch if it looks, sounds, or feels unfamiliar to me. That’s the feeling I had when I came across the press release for the new release Apiar.

Titanium is the space age material of the moment in watchmaking, a high performance, ultra-lightweight metal whose dark grey colouring is becoming an ever more common sight in the higher-end space. Well, British brand Apiar has been taking things one step further by essentially 3D printing the metal into ever more complex case shapes.

We celebrate a watch on today’s show – one made using 3D printing technologies (or additive manufacturing as the technique is referred to in the industry). Apiar are new-comers to the horology world, but their use of additive manufacturing, and focus on British-sourced parts, makes them particularly interesting. We travel to Ebbw Vale in South Wales to visit the factory making Apiar’s intricate watch cases. There, we chat to engineer Youssef about his journey from the steel works of Egypt to the green, green, grass he now calls home. Youssef reveals how to be beat the Far East on price, reminds us why British manufacturing is legendary, and explains why he’s so proud of his machines. We also speak to Apiar founders Matt and Sam about launching a new brand, the power of lattice structures, and why sending out your first products is like waving your child off to university.

This year’s WatchPro Salon is shaping up to be a showcase of innovation and independent watchmaking from both international and British businesses. Few will be fresher and bolder with their vision than Apiar, a brand new British company that will unveil its first collection of 3D printed watches made from thousands of 0.06mm layers of Grade 23 titanium, the same purity that surgeons use for hip replacement joints.

Several months ago, I attended a watch collectors’ event in London, and over the course of the evening got chatting so someone who was in the process of starting a watch brand. They had an early prototype on hand to look at and try, and I really enjoyed listening to their story of how they had gotten to that point. The amount of work that had gone into the process, and what had been achieved in the timeframe (at that point only around 12 months from the initial idea and the watch I held in my hand) was staggering, and I was blown away hearing about it. I was so impressed that as we exchanged contact details, I asked him to let me know when the launch of their first watch approaches, so I could hear the rest of the story – and so he did.

Founders of Apiar, Matt & Sam, had the chance to go on the 'Making Time Podcast' with Darren from Zulu Alpha Straps. Listen in on how the duo are revolutionising the watchmaking industry through British engineering and additive manufacturing!

The Dawn of a New Era in Watchmaking... Apiar Watches is set to redefine the watchmaking landscape with the launch of its first model, the Apiar Invenire v1.0, in June 2024. This debut is not just about a new timepiece entering the market; it represents a significant leap in how luxury watches are crafted and customized.

Apiar takes pride in championing British manufacturing as outlined below. They produce their cases, dials, straps, leather travel cases, and sustainable packaging all within the UK, with assembly taking place in London’s Hatton Garden. Additive manufacturing drives the unique watch designs. Apiar partner with ‘Apex Additive Technologies’, based in Ebbw Vale, known for Laser Powder Bed Fusion expertise in Aerospace and Biomedical sectors, creating unique geometries with minimal waste. In Petersfield, FN Manufacturing – experts in 5-axis CNC machining – refine the Invenire cases with Aerospace-level machining. This precision post-processing is crucial for the intricate additive cases.

Luxury watches from companies such as Rolex, Cartier and IWC are always compared to cars, planes and boats, says Matt Oosthuizen. As co-founder of burgeoning timepiece start-up Apiar, he wants to think differently. “We thought: why can’t we have resemblance to the cutting-edge engineering that additive manufacturing is providing? The same lattices that you would see on the nozzles that NASA is using with internal gyroid structures?”

Apiar is a new British brand in the watchmaking industry dedicated to bringing cutting-edge engineering techniques to horology. Specifically, they’re interested in additive manufacturing (3D Printing in layman’s terms) using high end materials to create watch designs that would be impossible without this technology.