Worn & Wound
Studio Underd0g Introduces the Third Generation of the 01SERIES Chronograph
I had the privilege of writing about the last Studio Underd0g 03SERIES Salm0n release for Worn & Wound in September. Serendipitously, Studio Underd0g was in Montreal the following week with the RedBar traveling road show. It was a real treat to see and handle their watches in person finally. They even had one of their Pizza watches and their Moser collaboration. The latter was quite exquisite, as was the new Salm0n, but part of me hoped that Studio Underdog wasn’t moving upscale, leaving behind what got them there in the first place: affordable, whimsical chronographs that make you smile when you look down at your wrist. When I learned that Seagull had announced a new minimum order quantity of 10,000 units for their ST-19 series movements, I became concerned about Studio Underd0g’s most popular model, the 01SERIES. This worry was heightened by the brouhaha that followed the collaboration with Moser and the decision to use Sellita-based movements in their 03SERIES. Fear not, as Studio Underd0g has successfully contracted Seagull to create an exclusive and enhanced version of their caliber called the ST-1901B. This reaffirms their commitment to providing mechanical chronographs priced under $1,000. For those unfamiliar with the history of the ST-19 column-wheel chronograph movement, its origins are Swiss. In 1961, Venus sold its machinery, tooling, and blueprints for the Venus 175 caliber to the Tianjin Watch Factory. They then upgraded the original 17-jewel movement to ...
