First Look – Angelier Launches on Kickstarter with an Accessible Calatrava-Styled Dress Watch

Angelier’s story began with a collector’s search for the ideal dress watch. Having owned and studied watches from the likes of Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and A. Lange & Söhne, founder Paul Angelier eventually decided to create the watch he could not find: a slim, understated piece inspired by the design language of the 1930s to 1950s but sized and built for everyday use. The first watch, the Angelier Classique, turned personal ambition into a 100-piece series, presented in a 38mm case and powered by a hand-wound La Joux-Perret movement. Now, Angelier properly launches as a brand with a new model (on Kickstarter), in a more compact case, powered by a Japanese automatic movement, at a much more accessible price.

Compact, Vintage Calatrava Inspiration

The new Angelier measures 37.2mm in diameter, 45.9mm from lug to lug and just 8.7mm thick, including its box-shaped sapphire crystal. Made from 316L stainless steel, the three-part case combines a polished bezel and upper and lower lug surfaces with a brushed middle section – all reminiscent of the 1930s-40s dress watches, in particular the iconic Calatrava 96. The curved lugs follow the wrist. A 6mm push-pull crown, decorated with the brand’s logo, sits at three o’clock. The circular-brushed caseback is solid, secured by six screws. Water resistance is rated at 50m, perfectly fine for a dress watch.

The dial features polished, applied Breguet-style Arabic numerals, drawn and digitised by the founder, aiming to preserve the small irregularities of the traditional handwritten style. Four dial finishes are available. Frosted Black and Frosted Ivory have a fine matte grain; Tuxedo is a combination of black and white. Sunburst Blue offers a play of light. All four share a clean layout without a date window. The hour and minutes hands are curved, with the latter ending in a bent tip; the seconds hand also has a bent tip.

Japanese Power

Unlike the hand-wound Classique, the new Angelier is powered by the automatic Miyota 9039 movement. This no-date calibre is a practical choice for a watch conceived for regular use, and its compact construction helps keep the case relatively slim. It operates at 28,800 vibrations/hour and offers a 42-hour power reserve. The watches are worn on a 20mm textured calfskin strap closed with a stainless steel pin buckle.

Angelier is designed and assembled in the Netherlands, with components sourced from specialist suppliers in several countries, all disclosed on the dedicated page. The Kickstarter campaign has passed its EUR 50,000 funding target, and delivery is estimated for April 2027. The super early-bird tier is sold out; the standard campaign pledge is EUR 479. Shipping and applicable VAT or sales taxes are charged separately through Kickstarter’s Pledge Manager. Note that the campaign is nearly at its end.