Miró Watches
Sublime simplicity in an affordable package from the Swedish upstart
Miró launched at the end of 2012, quietly and without fuss—marking the intentions of yet another new watch brand from Sweden. The country is turning into quite the horological landmark, with a clear split between intelligent and technically advanced offerings like the Mutewatch and the streamlined approach we’ve covered on CH with the likes of TID and the People People pocket watch.
The clean lines, so dominant as a design typogaphy in Sweden’s creative sphere, lend themselves perfectly to the watch industry. Miró has emerged with one of the cleanest faces since Deiter Rams’ timepieces for Braun. “We wanted to create something simplistic. Elegant yet stylish,” says Miró founder Luca Öhman, an architecture student based out of Sweden’s second biggest city, Gothenburg, on the west coast.
Like many new watchmakers, Miró was born as a personal antidote to the things Öhman disliked in the current market—namely, overbearingly brash wristwatches with little substance. The resulting watch is stripped of nearly all ornamentation. There’s nothing about Miró that could be described as messy or unconsidered, with many hours of toil going into a pure, clean dial paired with a softly domed crystal in a polished stainless steel casing.
The size, too, is more reflective of timepieces of years gone by, more of a dress watch-sized 40mm diameter. This means it will sit well on most wrists while its leather nato-style band tethers the watch very fashionably in a range of three colors to match the three colors available for the face.
The styling has not gone unnoticed on the modestly priced newcomer, impressive considering Miró does not boast an expensive mechanical movement—though we revere the self-winding tradition it’s a basic truth that even the cheapest quartz movements keep better time than any mechanics made in the Swiss mountains. Not that you’d need to worry about getting into a potential argument—present consensus seems to hint that Miró’s looks are more than enough to garner the attention of those who gaze into it.
The subtle tones of the three colorways currently on offer feel incredibly modern but carry a deep-rooted familiarity; another tell-tale Swedish design touch. In additon to the three face shades offered for the first Miró, there are three different leather bands to chose from, each enhancing the look of the watch accordingly. Öhnman has also taken care to ensure that the accompanying visuals and branding relate to the essence of this young, fashionable brand.
Available on their website for around $200, Miró watches are pleasantly affordable and ship free internationally.
Images courtesy of Miró
