Winter is finally starting to fade across much of the US, and as temperatures climb into the low 50s, lawns previously suffocated by a heavy bank of snow are giving off the distinct scent that heralds spring. However, as much as warmer weather is a welcome arrival, there’s something about the special magic of winter that makes it hard to let go. In the world of horology, the independent luxury watchmaker GoS (formerly Gustafsson & Sjogren) has managed to capture more than a little of that magic. Named after its founders, the bladesmith Johan Gustafsson and watchmakers Patrick Sjogrenit has built its reputation for excellence on designs that reference Norse and Viking mythology as an ode to cold winters and dark nights – and on its distinctive use of hand-forged Damascus steel. Indeed, it has carved out one of the most unique brand identities on the market today, and discerning watch collectors find the GoS catalog uniquely irresistible.
One of the best watches in its line-up is the brilliant GoS Skadi, named for the Norse goddess of winter. Created in an extremely limited run of just five, Skadi’s number is a rare landscape of rich whites and glacial blues – an effect realized with Mother of Pearl luster, designed to represent the banks of snow that cover every surface during the Scandinavian winter. But there’s another layer at play beneath the surface: a bank of Swiss Super-Luminova catches light during the day and radiates in the dark, with a glow that resembles the glow of moonlight on snow. Floating above are a pair of GoS’s trademark Viking spear hands; below them, a triskelion running-seconds indicator cements the refined Norwegian appeal of this timepiece. The whole thing is an 18 carat gold frame cast by the master jeweler Peter deWitt and encased in blue sapphires to mark the indices.
A dial of this quality demands a great case, and here the GoS goes back to its roots by reintroducing Gustafsson’s dark Damascus steel, which is paired with shiny red gold. The brand pioneered the technique for producing black Damascus steel in 2018, creating a PVD finish that enhanced the natural contrasting patterns in the steel while darkening the metal. The natural patterning of the layered steel (also found here on the hands, bezel and hand-carved crown) evokes the wood, which, when combined with precision carving by the award-winning knifemaker. Anders Hedlundconjures up images of Viking shields.
The quality of a watch is determined above all by its movement and, as expected, Sjögren has done an excellent job with Skadi. Reworked by a Soprod Chronomètre Grade 6498, it represents perhaps Skadi’s only connection to Switzerland – albeit a respectable one, of course. Soprod is one of the smaller Swiss movement makers, and Sjögren’s choice of this movement over a more common selection, such as ETA or Sellita, represents a deliberate decision to break with the mainstream Swiss tradition. However, he did not stop there. The movement bridges have been completely rebuilt using a single piece of Gustafsson’s Damascus steel, which was then engraved and set with more gold inlays by Hedlund, all surrounded by Sjögren’s anglage and perlage – another hallmark of a true haute horloge.
There are very few schools of tradition in the world of horology. The main one, of course, is the Swiss school, which introduced the techniques and finishes most common in modern luxury watches. Then there is the British school, which historically focused on various movement finishes, such as hand engraving; the French school, best seen in Leroy’s historical work; the German school, with its endless seas of German silver; and now here we are. The argument that GoS is developing an entirely new school of watchmaking unique to Scandinavia is, frankly, a staggering one. Others are long established and rely on centuries of mechanical and aesthetic innovation. In this light, the Skadi is an extremely young dollar.
But GoS’s connection to a wider historical past – to Norse myth and legend – makes this timepiece more than just a stunningly beautiful timepiece. It becomes, in this sense, a true cultural beacon of northern identity and a celebration of heritage in horological form.
The GoS Skadi, which retailed for $42,000, has since sold out. Skadi No. 1 was delivered in early March 2020 to an American collector; No. 3 will be delivered later this year. According to GoS, collectors who lost their free time can pre-order a similar watch here.
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