Farer is one of the OGs of the microbrand world. Founded in 2015, the brand prides itself on British design and Swiss production. Over the years, Farrer has established a unique style and a wise position within the larger watch market, making it a household name today. This week, the brand unveiled two new limited edition versions. It’s the Farrer Endurance, available in Arabic or Oriental Arabic numerals.
Farer will sell 100 units of each version, priced at £925 / USD 1,045 / EUR 1,085. It is available to order now and shipping is expected to begin on December 10th. That aside, let’s take a closer look.
more durable
Farrar often takes inspiration from British history and this is no exception. These two new models are named after the ships used by Sir Ernest Shackleton on his 1914-1917 Trans-Antarctic expeditions. After successfully sailing to Antarctica, the ship became stranded in the Weddell Sea and sank. The 28-person crew traveled 1,300 miles in lifeboats and spent several months on the ice before finally reaching South Georgia. In the case of Endurance, Nomen is a real omen.
Farrar takes inspiration from such themes, but if you get my point, I don’t base the watch’s theme on them. In this case, the story just gives the watch a name and spirit, nothing more. I think this is a good thing. It anchors the watch firmly in the brand’s larger story without creating a gimmicky or contrived piece.
The company’s British roots are key. This extends beyond British historical themes to what Farrar proudly calls ‘British Design’. Unlike Scandinavian, Italian or Japanese design, British design is not easy to characterize. It’s more eclectic and rooted in old crafts and history. So you’d be forgiven if the Farrer Endurance wasn’t immediately recognizable as a true British design. I hope this little background paints a picture. In any case, let’s take a closer look at the actual watch.
Farer Endurance Specifications
The new Farrer Endurance features a 39.5mm stainless steel case. The distance between the lugs is a modest 45mm, and the thickness is 10.8mm, so it’s pretty comfortable to wear. Farer applied a titanium carbonitride PVD finish, resulting in a gunmetal gray appearance and greater scratch resistance than bare steel. At the top is a box-shaped sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating on the inside. The caseback has a sapphire display window and is secured with four screws. Farrar rates water resistance at 50 meters. This is enough for everyday use, but not enough for visiting the Endurance shipwreck. But then again, there are very few watches that can manage that at a depth of 3,008 meters.
The inside is engraved with the La Joux Perret caliber G101. Farrar uses a top-of-the-line version called a “soigner.” This 24-jewel caliber moves at 28,800 vibrations per hour and has an impressive power reserve of 68 hours. G101 is a non-date version of the LJP G100 caliber. It shares much of its layout with the Miyota 9039 movement, but is manufactured in Switzerland and features several upgrades, a higher-grade finish, and a more elegantly shaped plate. Farer doesn’t provide accuracy numbers, so I’m guessing it’s the factory specified average of ±7 seconds per day.
black and jade outfit
All of the above are perfectly fine. These are the specs you would expect at this price. There’s nothing earth-shaking here. Farer Endurance’s appeal lies in its looks. Farrar combines a simple gunmetal tone case with dials of different levels and finishes. The center is raised and vertically brushed, and the rings around it are radially brushed. The white minute track, jade luminous numerals and orange-tipped seconds hand provide contrast. Seiko uses a similar mint-on-black color scheme, but I think Farrer’s version is more appealing. It feels more polished and purposeful.
Farer always adds subtle details to capture the user’s interest. Of course, there is also the distinctive crown with a bronze cap. But look at the numbers too. These consist of a solid lume (a mixture of lume and ceramic) and a layer of glossy printed lume on top. In sunlight, the resulting combination looks subtly sophisticated. In the dark, the numbers look like sculptures in a 3D frame. So cool!
The two versions differ in only one thing: the time marker. One features a combination of Arabic numerals and batons, while the other comes with a complete set of oriental Arabic numerals. Farer produced 100 of each variation.
First impressions of the Farer Endurance Limited Edition
A straightforward color scheme distinguishes this Farrer Endurance from its sibling, but it certainly looks like a Farrer watch. The brand has expertly constructed a design language that is treated with the utmost care. The use of color and details, such as the furler “A” on the seconds hand and the bronze inset crown, give the watch an instantly recognizable aesthetic. We believe this has played a major role in solidifying the company over the past nine years.
These special limited editions give me Mercedes-AMG vibes. These would have looked great when Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas held up black versions of the Silver Arrow in an anti-discrimination statement. Oh, wait…they already have a watch sponsor, right?
I think Mr. Farer has done a great job again with the two versions of the Endurance Limited Edition. Are they for everyone? No, the brand has many more subtle versions with broader appeal. But if you like the look, these can be attractive products. I can only imagine that 200 pieces (total) won’t last long, so if you want one, your best bet is to visit Farer’s website.
What do you think about the new Farrer Endurance Limited Edition? Let us know in the comments section below.
