Worn & Wound
Independent Watchmaker Sergey Chutov and His Fortress Collection
Not everyone has the courage to turn away from an established career, and take a risk on something that brings them joy. The watch industry is saturated with watches and watch brands focusing on every price point; from the powerhouses supported by the conglomerates they’re nestled under, to the independent and microbrands that have filled the market with innovation at a value cost, it can be hard for a new watchmaker to find their place. Sergey Chutov is an independent watchmaker that’s staking his claim, a fortress on a crowded battlefield, with pride, design, craft, and complex mechanics melting into the forge. Until 2018, Sergey worked as a civil judge in Moscow. While going about his days he often found that his mind would drift to his passions. “One day I noticed that my thoughts were more occupied with watches than with legal work,” he told me. Eventually, Sergey made the decision to change the course of his life, and set down the path to gathering more knowledge about watches. “I spent 4 years learning how to make watches and honing my skills before making my first model,” he said. That first model that Sergey is alluding to would be his Fortress I. There are currently five Fortress models that make up Sergey Chutov’s body of work. Each one with a similar DNA and evolving motif, with variations on movement, materials, and style. When I think of a “fortress” my mind goes to something cold and uninviting, but these watches, although arguably star...
