Phenomen, the Rising Star from Busan, Releases Its Ultra Model

Phenomen | The Rising Star from Busan

Axiom: Limited Edition Watches with Unexpected French Design, Fusing Creativity and Aesthetics

French watch brand Phenomen, based in Besançon, has released the "Axiom Full Titanium Black Dial" and "Axiom Full Titanium Shooting Black" from its "Axiom" collection, with each model limited to 60 pieces.

Text by YANAKA Tomomi

Inspired by Supercars!

Phenomen, a brand born in 2017, hails from Besançon, the heart of French watchmaking. It's an emerging force that has just landed in Japan, a collaboration between Alexandre Meylan, who has worked as a designer in the automotive industry, and Sylvain Nourisson, a veteran of the watch world.

The "Axiom" is Phenomen's debut model, embodying the brand's fusion of French creativity and aesthetic sensibility. Honoring the tradition of driver's watches, it features a deliberately angled dial designed to allow drivers to read the time without taking their eyes off the course.

The emotional, amphitheater-like shape is not arbitrary; it's the result of extensive consideration regarding optimal time display, ergonomics, and novel watch design. Indeed, the intricate mechanics and flowing design evoke the image of a supercar.

The method of reading the time is also unique. The hours are displayed on the upper portion, and the minutes on the lower. This two-tiered display is intended to prevent the hour and minute hands from obscuring each other or causing misreads. Both displays are retrograde, but the hour display is also jumping, meaning the hour hand instantly jumps forward on the hour.

The case, rendered with sophisticated curves and lines, is designed to fit any wrist size by having shorter lugs at the 6 o'clock position and movable lugs at the 12 o'clock position, while simultaneously exuding a cool sense of playfulness.