Spotlighting our favourite artisans, we spend time with Mehmet Koruturk of Vanguart to discuss how his watches have become sought after for their innovative design and craftsmanship.
Watches and movies have always overlapped. There’s James Bond’s trademark Omega Seamaster, Robert Redford’s DOXA in Three Days of the Condor, and the infamous gold watch in Pulp Fiction. But at A Rabbit’s Foot, we’re always discovering brands who approach their craft with the same effort and design-theory as great cinema productions.
Vanguart is a real example of this. I got hands on with their watches a short while ago, while researching for a story. Mehmet Koruturk, their co-founder – and previously a member of MUBI’s board – showed me a single version over coffee. The purpose, he said, “is not mass production. But small batch craftsmanship.” Koruturk was also genuinely keen to talk about movies, citing his favourite watches in cinema. “Of course, Bond is the one. But great watches have always been a part of storytelling.” Recently, star Michael B. Jordan was snapped wearing a Vanguart piece, as was musician Bad Bunny and actress Milla Jovovich. But their aim has always been to remain lowkey.
Founded in 2017, their small team were already some of the brightest in the industry, working at watchmakers like APRP (Audemars Piguet Renaud et Papi) in Switzerland—masters at precision and artistry. “That’s what appealed so much to me,” Koruturk explains. “I saw so many of these great watch brands when I was working with Formula 1 and realised we could return to a more seamless design. I also saw that there was a space for innovation.”
The result is now two unique models. Both are in incredibly small volumes: just 100 watches a year and 15 staff across assembly, finishing and design. It’s the opposite of mass made products that flood the market; the purpose isn’t even to appeal for limited exclusivity. It really does come down to how long it takes for each watch to be made. “The first model [the Black Hole Tourbillon] is my baby,” Koruturk adds. When I got hands on with the piece, I was amazed by how the technical innovation is made so evident on the wrist. The second model, Orb, is more commercial but also more understated in its design. It also fits on the wrist incredibly well for a piece with so many intricate details: the mainplate and bridges are crafted with grade 5 titanium, with hand-finishing on sandblasted surfaces, satin brushing, and high-polished bevels. It looks like something you might see Bruce Wayne, a science-fiction action hero, or Mission Impossible’s Ethan Hunt putting on for a covert mission. “It’s the epitome of ‘stealth mode’,” laughs Koruturk. There will also only be 40 pieces of the Orb made per year.
“We got great reviews for the first watch,” Koruturk adds. Against the grain, Vanguart are making watches smaller but still more complex. It was this reason why it appeals to collectors and non-collectors alike. “You can’t grow immediately,” he continues. “It’s better to find people who appreciate craft at their own pace. The nature of the price means not everyone will own a Vanguart watch, but it can only be that cost, because of the materials and the level of craftsmanship.”
As Koruturk says, it’s very much like the process of making a movie. There are people behind-the-scenes who deeply care each step of the way. As you would expect, time is most important; both in the way it tells the story of the brand and in how long it defines the intricate skeletons of these unique pieces. “I love film,” he says finally, “and I hope to one day be a part of making one. But this is as close as it gets to the spectacle and thrill.”
