You decide to ride a 1962 Vespa on a trip of a lifetime down the Old Silk Road?yeah, that one?and to keep track of time, you buy an old Russian Vostok wristwatch.
But the real fruits of the trip?besides the adventure" The Vespa and the watch have inspired you to make your own watch. Specifically, a driver?s watch.
That?s the short version of the story behind fledgling Belgian brand owner Laurens de Rijke?s Amalfi Limited Edition Series 1S (99 pieces). Says de Rijke, ?I tried to find the balance between the watch being a jewel at the one hand and being a (functional) tool at the other hand.?
De Rijke is a design engineer, as am I, so I have an acute appreciation for a few of his design points.

Pictured here is Laurens de Rijke doing maintenance on his Vespa GS160 on the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan. Photo courtesy of brand.
First, the 38-millimeter case is sheer Bauhaus?a very thin bezel coupled with a huge dial tucked beneath a nicely domed sapphire crystal with antireflective coating.

This one is nearly all dial.

Second, the lugs are solid rather than being equipped with spring bars. This invites a unique strap attachment method. The strap enters the lug from beneath, folds back upon itself through a keeper, and fastens with the sort of button common to other leather goods. This makes the strap quickly exchangeable with continuous straps such as mil-straps. Frankly, I?d stick with the artisan-made factory strap due to its unusual?and very attractive?appea...