In brief: The premium wristwatch market is rife with options across an array of price points but if rarity is your thing, the latest creation from Toledano & Chan is certainly worthy of consideration.
The Toledano & Chan B/1M is a one-off prototype carved from a chunk of the Muonionalusta meteorite, an iron-based meteorite discovered in 1906 and believed to have struck Earth roughly a million years ago. The case, dial, and lugs were all crafted out of the space rock, which features multidirectional striations that glisten slightly in the light. Because it contains a lot of iron, the watchmaker had to apply a special anti-rust coating to prevent it from going bad.
More common – yet still premium – materials like grade five titanium, sapphire, and ostrich leg round out the unique package.
The watch's design is inspired by the angular lines of brutalist architecture, and specifically the windows in the Breuer Building in New York City. It lacks ornamentation and does not feature numbers or symbols on the watch face. "If you're looking at that watch face and you can't tell the time, you know you've got bigger problems," joked one of its creators. It even comes in a concrete presentation box to complete the utilitarian feel.
The Toledano & Chan B/1M is expected to sell for anywhere between $8,000 and $16,000 when it goes up for auction this weekend. That is far less than I would have guessed for such a unique and striking piece, but you don't have to pay near that much for something similar.
The original B/1, the duo's first watch, features the same design but without the unique meteorite material. It is primarily comprised of 904 stainless steel, and is limited to 175 numbered examples. The price tag is much more palatable at $4,000 but unfortunately, the first batch sold out within an hour. A second drop is expected in the first quarter of 2025.
As for the B/1M, the duo hope to eventually put it into limited production although considering the nature of the exotic material, each would exhibit a unique look.