Review Linde Werdelin SpidoSpeed DLC [live pics, price]

Łukasz Doskocz26.03.201230.12.20167 min. of reading

Sporty chronograph should be reliable, precise, comfy and meaningful. SpidoSpeed – the offer from duo Morten Linde – Jorn Werdelin has all this plus one little bonus – genius design.

It was an obvious choice for the brand like Linde Werdelin to select chronograph as the first strictly-sport complication (the first overall was a moon phase in Oktopus Moonphase). The brand that has it’s philosophy found in creating robust, sport timepieces had to go with a chronograph – no other known complication is so closely attached to the world of sport, whether it is measuring a dive time or a car-racing lap time. It was in this motor-sport world that inspired the design of SpidoSpeed. The combination of two words is suppose to symbolize Speed (as in racing and measuring it) and Spido (as a skeletonised construction know form the SpidoLite collection).

Less is more

Besides the sporty character another clou thing for Linde Werdelin is comfort. Every single watch created by Danish duo is supposed to be as comfortable and easy to use for a future owner as possible. To assure this comfort one of the basic conceptions in LW design is skeletonisation. However, while normally in watchmaking, skeltonisation regards to the movement or the dial of the watch, in Linde Werdelin project it was moved to the outside. First skeletonised case was introduced some time ago with the SpidoLite model. SpidoSpeed opens the whole new chapter.

Steel case, coated with black DLC (the tested version) was devoid of unnecessary amount of material in quite an impressive amount. The CNC machine, used to carve the case, removed pieces of besel, main body, lugs and sides, which still allow one of the LW digital instruments (The Reef or The Rock) to be attached easily. The construction is not only light, but also looks just great. This sort–of skeletonised philosophy is equally usable and aesthetic thing, which provides lots of character.

„Skeletonised cases came from the idea of an alternative way to reduce weight, without compromising on the choice of materials. Partly I have been inspired by the car industry, where racing cars are stripped from the unnecessary to allow the maximum performance. We applied the same philosophy on the skeletonised case of the SpidoSpeed chronograph, to convey the highest performance combined with a unique and beautiful design.” – Morten Linde (for CH24.PL)

Along with the skeletonised outside, also the dial of the watch is constructed in semi-transparent manner. It consists of two layers. The bottom one is blackened and decorated with perlage motif, with applied LW logo and perforation in place of chronograph and small second dials. Top one is skeletonised (the overuse of the term in inevitable) with small sub-dials. Applied over the perforated layer beneath it imitates the break-discs of the professional racing cars. As with all the LW watches, the dial opening is quite small (compare to the case size), but the black and white face is surprisingly easy to read with large hands providing good time indication (there could be a bit more luminova on them). The only problematic indication might be the 30minutes stop-watch sub-dial, that you may find hard to read correctly. Large “R” on the 12hours dial (at 4 o’clock position) is the time required to fully charge one of the digital LW-made instruments – if you have one. O… and there is no date.

Mechanical Concepto

In the world of mechanical chronographs dominated by calibres form Valjoux or ETA one might expect one of this engines to be found under the sapphire glass of the SpidoSpeed. As it turned-out (or as you find out turning the watch) Linde Werdelin chose a whole different movement, provided by a less known Swiss manufacture Concepto. The calibre powering the tested piece is numbered 2251. It’s construction is largely based on the Valjoux (7750) with 28.800 Alt/h, 48h power reserve and – unfortunately – no column wheel. Signed as the LW03 (the 3rd movement made exclusively for LW) the mechanism has an integrated chronograph construction, that was imposed by the case and pushers shape (cause of the necessary instruments integration). Finished with black coating on the bridges, polished still parts and personalized, black winding oscillator provides a nice technical look, and the working side is pretty much flawless to (although Concepto movements are not yet fully tested on regular basis – so a bit hard to judge). Design-wise one thing, that was lucky improved from the original project, are the pushers. Original design (the one I had in my test, pre-Basel piece) introduced a sunken push-pieces, integrated into the side of the case, and why it looks great, it is almost impossible to operate the stop-watch (literally). In the final watch the pushers were re-designed (see the picture), with a little round tabs added on top of them, providing perfect use. Sometimes, whether we like it or not, the form must give way to functionality.

“SpidoSpeed, like the SpidoLite features a complex skeletonised case. We always select a specific movement according to LW models. The main reasons why we opted for Concepto. Firstly it’s an integrated chrono, which allows the pushers to be aligned with the crown. Secondly LW Concepto movement bears top quality and high finish for a sports watch. The third reason lays in the ability to modify the pusher system.” – Jorn Werdelin (for CH24.PL)

LW on the wrist

While large (46x44x15mm) Linde Werdelin SpidoSpeed, the biggest and chunkiest of all LW watches, is a surprisingly comfortable watch with great presence on the wrist (as all the LW pieces). Skeletonised case is light, well fitted and the black colour makes the whole watch visually smaller. The extra added comfort comes from the textile strap with the perforated pattern, fastened with big, tongue buckle (black coated).

Some people place LW SpidoSpeed against the likes of Royal Oak Offshore form Audemars Piguet or Big Bang from HUBLOT. While for many reasons such comparison is nonsense, and the brands themselves incomparable (different history, achievements, status) similar price range allows theoretical juxtaposition of the three. SpidoSpeed DLC costs 12.360Euro, similar to the Big Bang and around 2.500Euro less than the entry-level Offshore. All three offer sporty, unique design (with some similarities) all are chronographs – non is powered by an in-house calibre. Is the LW proposition a real alternative to iconic Audemars Piguet or trendy and popular HUBLOT – this is to be judged by the personal taste. From my point of view Linde Werdelin watch is dedicated to the individualist who, buying a watch, doesn’t follow the path of history, brands position or future re-sale value. SpidoSpeed offers great design (can’t get enough of it), solid quality, good movement and the brand with unusual approach to the business. Quite substantial money that have to be paid for one of the 100 limited pieces requires some doze of imagination and (in some way) irrationality – but it is a worthy decision to make. And as much as it might be just my personal likes, Linde Werdelin speaks to me every time. I’d go for the plain steel version for it’s more technical and rugged look, but the DLC is a great watch too.

In (+)

– genius design (!)
– chronograph (I like)
– special character
– great quality textile strap
– limitation
– fair competition to other sporty watches out there

In (-)

– quite high price
– unknown quality of the calibre (yet to be determined)
– weak anti-reflective coating on the sapphire crystal
– no date (I need one)

P.S. SpidoSpeed comes in total of 6 different versions. Besides the reviewed black DLC there is a model in steel, anthracite DLC, steel with black DLC and orange details, titanium with black DLC and rose gold and in full rose gold.

Linde Werdelin SpidoSpeed DLC
Ref: —
Movement: Concepto 2251 (LW03), automatic, 48h Power reserve, 28.800 Alt/h
Dial: black, skeletonised
Case: 46x44x15mm, steel with black DLC, sapphire with anti-reflective coating, sapphire caseback
WR: 100m
Strap: textile with tongue buckle
Limitation: 100
Price: 12.360 EURO

Watch provided by Linde Werdelin.