The first mechanical watch born on Facer
An industry first, the S.O.E. Roadster by Trafford Watch Co. is forging a new path, becoming the first digital watch face design to become a mechanical watch.
The S.O.E. Roadster will launch on Kickstarter March 1. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you are first in line!
You can also sign up for notifications on our Kickstarter pre-launch page
This will be the same URL as our actual Kickstarter page once the campaign goes live.
We started here
Trafford Watch Co. started out on Facer in 2019, creating watch faces that would go on to be some of the most popular on the platform. As our reputation grew and our designs evolved, a new idea developed: to expand out of the digital world and in to mechanical world. It’s not uncommon to see mechanical brands dipping into the digital watch face world, with the likes of AVI-8, Mr. Jones and Tockr bringing their watches to the Facer platform. But the opposite hasn’t been done—until now.
Why would I want a mechanical watch?
Maybe you don’t, and that’s fine! A mechanical watch won’t be able to tell you how many steps you’ve walked or when your next meeting is. It won’t tell you if somebody is calling or if your food is burning. And that’s kind of the point. Sometimes it’s nice to unplug and experience time as it is. At a base level, there is something wonderful being able to see this tiny machine on your wrist, with real hands and working physical parts.
Another reason to back this project is that a lot of smart watch users have simply never owned a high quality mechanical watch. A shared goal between Facer and Trafford Watch Co. is to create bridges between the traditional watch community and the smart watch community. We believe this is a fantastic way to introduce smart watch users to the wonderful world of mechanical watches for an affordable price.
Left: S.O.E. Roadster Right: Armani Connected, running Facer
What is Trafford Labs?
As Trafford Watch Co. began to branch into the world of mechanical watches, it made sense to look at how the two platforms work together. The main brand, Trafford Watch Co. took over the mechanical side of things, focusing on individual stories that could be brought to life. The digital watch face side has now become our playground, called Trafford Labs, where we can test out design ideas and themes before ever committing to bring it to the physical world. It’s a wonderful way to engage with the community and get feedback on the ideas we work on. We believe in this model as a way to create bridges between the smartwatch and mechanical watch crowds.
Design Evolution
Try it before you buy it
This is pretty cool. As soon as the Kickstarter launches, you’ll be able to download the three versions of the S.O.E. Roadster onto your compatible smart watch, just like you would with any other Premium Facer watch face. In the same way that we use the Facer platform to test out designs that we may one day turn into mechanical watches, this essentially gives you the opportunity to try out the watch before committing to buy it.
Don’t wait too long, though! The Kickstarter only runs until March 30. Once they’re gone, they’re gone!
A story-driven design that celebrates mechanical marvels
Regardless of whether you prefer traditional watches or modern smart watches, there is one link that ties things together better than anything else, and that is the art of storytelling. The S.O.E. Roadster was inspired by three twentieth-century racecar drivers: Britain’s most successful Grand Prix racer, William Grover-Williams, and French Le Mans-winners Jean-Pierre Wimille and Robert Benoist. After WWII broke out, all three men joined the UK’s S.O.E., a secretive organization tasked with conducting espionage and sabotage within Nazi-occupied Europe. The watch was styled after the Bugatti Type 35 and comes in three variants that match the preferred car color of each of the respective drivers turned spies.
Each watch comes with a book that dives deeper in the lives of the drivers, giving the watch more meaning. Learn more about it here.
Specs
Dimensions
Diameter: 41mm
Diameter + Crown: 43mm
Lug to Lug: 48mm
Thickness: 11.8mm
Thickness + Crystal: 12.7mm
Strap Width: 20mm
Elements
Water Resistance: 10 ATM
Material: 316L Stainless steel, with black PVD option
Case Back: Screw down, with custom artwork
Case Finishing: Combination of blasted and polished
Crystal: Domed sapphire with AR coating
Movement: Seiko VK64 mecaquartz
Bezel: Uni-directional, 120 click, ceramic, fully lumed with Swiss Super-LumiNova C3 Green
Hands: Fully custom, Swiss Super-LumiNova BGW9 Blue
Dial: Combination glossy with matte stripes, placed chrome indices, lume hour markings with Swiss Super-LumiNova C3 Green, raised 24 hour dial with raised markings, custom date wheel, angled steel tachymeter ring
Strap
Style: Rally style, 3 color options
Material: full-grain leather
Size: 20mm width at connection point
Buckle: Stainless steel or black PVD, signed
Learn more about the design inspiration and story of the S.O.E. Roadster
Where to Buy
The S.O.E. Roadster will launch on Kickstarter March 1. We will tell you exactly what time it will launch the day before, so make sure to sign up for our newsletter to be first in line!
You can also sign up for notifications on our Kickstarter pre-launch page
This will be the same URL as our actual Kickstarter page once the campaign goes live.