Timepiece Revolution: Thomas Fleming’s Series 1 Ushers in a New Era for Independent Watchmaking
Thomas Fleming is forging a new path for anyone who ever dreamed of starting their own watch company with the release of his highly anticipated Series 1.
Every watch collector contemplates starting their own brand at some point. As their collection expands, they realize they possess a cultivated eye for various movements, designs, and finishings, yearning to witness more of these elements. They ponder potential names, consider the complications or movements they would incorporate, envision brand ambassadors representing them, decide on the selling price point, and mull over every other aspect involved. Typically, it remains a passing thought, but occasionally, someone acts on it, giving birth to a new brand.
Thomas Fleming is one such collector who transformed his passion into reality with the debut of the Fleming Series 1, a time-only watch available in three variants. What sets him apart is not only being the youngest CEO of a high-end independent watch company that comes to mind, but also the assembly of Swiss watchmaking veterans he enlisted to actualize his dream.
How it all started
Fleming’s story starts in high school when a friend introduced him to his first mechanical watch. When asked what caught his attention about the timepiece Fleming gave a philosophical answer. “I have always been sort of a geek for mechanical things. The mechanical aspect and the emotional and permanence aspect [of mechanical watches] is what I love. Especially amongst the young generation. Everything we get is temporary. Basically everything we buy is disposable. Watches are things that can last across decades and act as these emotional vessels as you go through life.”
From there Fleming dove head first into the world of watches. After graduation from Stanford University with a degree in engineering he was working on a sparkling water project with a few friends when the pandemic hit. And as many did, Fleming took this time to reflect on his career.
“It was probably delusion. Fleming said, “When you spend a few months alone and in Covid you can talk yourself into something.” That something was starting his own watch company.
With no set direction or even knowing how to do it Fleming looked elsewhere in the watch world for inspiration and two such watchmakers laid the groundwork for what would become Fleming watches.
“MB&F and Ming served as a big inspiration. I always assumed that If someone was going to [start a watch company] they would need a billion dollars, watchmaking background. Max Busser did a few things differently in terms of collaborating with people. He was one of the first people to be very transparent about it. Brands like to say “in-house” but that doesn’t mean it is the only way to make a watch. And Ming came around with no watchmaking background at all and started with design, which is what I wanted to do.”
Taking a chance
Knowing the connection to Max Busser, Fleming decided to throw up a hail mary and emailed Chronode. In his email he explained his desire to start his own company but also admitted to knowing little about how to go about it. Shortly after Mojon personally responded and the wheels were put in motion (pun totally intended).
After some time working with Chronode looking at movements Fleming enlisted James Kong, better known by his instagram handle @waitlisted who left his career as a corporate attorney in New York to join Fleming as COO and Art Director. For his first run of watches, the Series 1, a line of 38.5mm time only dress watches, with Mojon handling the movement, they also brought in Kari Voutilainen’s Comblémine to craft the dials, and the collaborative design efforts with Neodesis, but the watches transcend mere components, embodying a unique and impressive identity.
When asked how he was able to assemble this all-star cast of Swiss watchmakers as an unknown with little experience trying to enter the space Fleming credits Mojon. “I wanted to be totally transparent and honest about what I am doing and what my intent is. I was very frank about my current capabilities. And I think Mojon just took to me personally and a huge credit to [him] for putting together this team and risking his reputation.”
With this crew behind his first release, a NYT profile from last year, and signing the number two ranked tennis player in the world as his first brand ambassador, the young, dare I say it, watchmaker, has garnered a lot of attention and rightfully so.
The Series 1
The current production encompasses three distinct iterations: 7 in rose gold, 9 in platinum, and 25 in tantalum. Each unit bears a unique serial number and showcases distinct sector dial variations tailored to the specific material of the case. In the rose gold variant, a contrasting gray guilloche and a champagne-toned hammering, both meticulously applied by hand, adorn the dial. Platinum editions exhibit two distinct guilloche patterns, with the outer track featuring a honey gold tone and the inner track boasting a rich metallic brown. Lastly, the tantalum version (my favorite of the lot) showcases a dark gray frosted outer track paired with a dark blue aventurine for the inner dial and sub-seconds.
To put this into perspective, tantalum is extremely hard to work with because of how sticky it is during the forging process. Very few watchmakers in the world deal with it, with F.P. Journe being the most notable. Using tantalum for your first watch is akin to reading Infinite Jest as your first book.
It is clear to any discerning collector at first glance that there are traditional design cues throughout the case and dial, but it is the lugs which first caught my attention. The horned shaped lugs are slightly more angular than traditional styles, but the way their “skeletonization” plays off the alternating polished and brushed finishes of the case gives a bit more of a sporty feel to the dress watch.
When asked about the design ethos Fleming said they went through thousands of designs before settling on the final version but he wanted to make sure he didn’t stray too far from tradition. “I wanted to give a nod to traditionalism.” Fleming said. “I know it is a concept that everyone has tried at some point but I wanted to do something unique through the small details. Modern but harkens back to the 40-50’s. Celebrate the past. The best of the past and bring it into the current and the future.”
Inside all three variants is the Caliber FM-01, meticulously crafted by the esteemed independent watchmaker Jean-François Mojon and his team at Chronode. This movement boasts traditional hand-finishing, showcasing semi-skeletonized bridges and barrels. The design provides a visual insight into the winding process, illustrating the accumulation of power in the two barrels, ultimately granting a generous seven-day power reserve. Additionally, a power reserve indicator on the rear side of the movement enhances the functionality and aesthetics.
The seven day power reserve was something that Fleming said drew him to this specific movement from Chronode and Mojon. When designing the watch size and proportion were of the utmost importance to Fleming and also reliability. “I didn’t want to design the watch around a movement, I wanted the movement to fit the design.”
The FM-01 is a tried and true movement that he could trust to work. “The last thing we need to do is a run of watches and have them all returned because there was something wrong with the movement.” Fleming said.
Mojon is probably one of the lesser known “legends” of the watchmaking world with his movements appearing in watches such as MB&F LM01 and MB&F LM02 with Kari Voutilainen, the Harry Winston Opus X, and the Hermès‘ L’Heure de la Lune, just to name a few.
There are upcoming intentions to introduce a sport-oriented iteration of the Series 1, aptly named the Series 1 “Ghost.” This variant, conceived in collaboration with Norwegian Tennis Pro Casper Ruud, the inaugural brand ambassador and a foundational investor for Fleming, will be characterized by its lightweight design and enhanced shock resistance, distinguishing it as a dynamic and resilient counterpart to the original Series 1. This new variant will also employ the help of another legend in Swiss watchmaking, Emmanuel Gueit, the man behind the AP RO Offshore.
When asked where his designs go from here Fleming said that he wanted to stay simple at first and build into more complex ideas and designs.
“We can go from standard to obscure to more unique in concept and stuff that is very new.” Fleming said.
The watches feel familiar and new all at the same time. Although time will tell as to where the brand goes from here, it is clear from the Series 1 debut that Fleming and crew are putting the watch world on notice. And I believe the whole watch world feels that as new independents enter the space a younger voice continues to be heard in a world that is known for its “old ways.” It is refreshing to see the tides begin to change and a new era of independent watchmaking on the horizon.
SPECS:
The timepiece features a 38.5mm diameter case with a 9mm height, available in 950 platinum, 18k pink gold, or tantalum, exhibiting a combination of brushed and polished finishes with sapphire crystal used on both sides of the watch. The platinum version boasts a Southwestern brown and amber hand guilloche dial, while the pink gold variant features a carbon gray hand guilloché dial and light champagne hand hammering. The tantalum version has a frosted platinum dial and dark blue aventurine details.
Powering the watch is the Calibre FM-01, a hand-wound movement crafted in collaboration with Jean-François Mojon of Chronode. The movement measures 31.1mm in diameter, 3.98mm in thickness, operates at a 3Hz frequency, and offers a substantial 168-hour or 7-day power reserve. With 28 jewels, it supports hours, minutes, small seconds, and movement-side power reserve indication. The strap is crafted from alligator leather and comes with a pin buckle.
Limited in availability, there are 7 pieces in platinum, 9 in pink gold, and 25 pieces in tantalum. The pricing is set at CHF 51,500 for platinum, CHF 48,500 for pink gold, and CHF 45,500 for tantalum.
For more visit: https://www.fleming.watch/