36 - Elka Watch has shrunk the "Séries N" and "Séries S

36 millimeters – that's five millimeters less than its predecessors in the "Series N" and "Series S" collections. And with that, the brand not only hits the mark with its vintage look, but also with its size.

Hakim El Kadiri is the founder of the Elka brand. Attentive readers might think he founded a completely new brand in 2022, based on an abbreviation of his last name. However, this is not the case.

The historic watch brand Elka was created by Louis Eduard Kiek. He founded a company in 1913 with his father and brother-in-law, which was later called Elka Watch Co. Elka stood for Louis Eduard Kiek's son: Ernst Louis Kiek Amsterdam. A branch in Switzerland was added in 1949.

Since Hakim El Kadiri was particularly fond of watches from past decades, he revived the brand name – with the coincidentally fitting initials. Regarding the product, he focused from the outset on the charm of modern Swiss-made watches with vintage-inspired designs.

“I want to develop a product, a brand, that reflects me, a product with a soul, with a story set in the late 1960s and early 1970s. A time that, for me, represents the beginning of a new era. The beginning of modern design, when everything was allowed without restriction. During this time, there was a diversity of forms and ideas; designers had no limits,” explains Hakim El Kadiri.

And now, smaller watch diameters are once again possible and in demand. "With this 36-millimeter version, we offer a new perspective on our model," explains El Kadiri. "It preserves the architecture of the original but presents itself in a more understated way. It's the same soul, the same design, in a slimmer silhouette."

And this watch houses a La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement with a substantial 68-hour power reserve. Its precise timekeeping can be observed through the sapphire crystal case back.

The 36-piece versions of the "Série N" feature numerals inspired by an Elka watch from the 1930s. Two color options are available: matte black with "old radium" numerals and beige with black numerals.

The 36-piece range also includes two classic dials from the “Série D”.

With its smaller format, its design is even closer to the original concept, which was created in the 1960s in collaboration with Ulysse Nardin. Customers can choose between silver with rose gold appliqués or midnight blue with rhodium-plated appliqués.

The small Elka Watches are worn on a NATO, leather or rice grain stainless steel strap.

(RRP 1,745.10-1,842.75 plus VAT)