I have said it before, and I will happily say it again: Behrens is one of the most exciting independent brands working today. Few companies make me lean forward in my chair when their emails pop into my inbox, but Behrens is one of them. The Shenzhen-based team has built a reputation for making watches that are equal parts playful and mechanically inventive. I even own a few, which is probably the clearest sign of how much I enjoy the brand’s work. Still, when I first heard that a new piece was brewing for the Master Collection, I didn’t imagine it would turn out like today’s KWH watch.
Over dinner with Lin Bingqiang and Eric So during Watches and Wonders last year, somewhere between the second beer and my failed attempt to pronounce a French dessert properly, I caught a glimpse of some rough renders. There was no context, no explanation, just enough to know something unusual was in the pipeline. Now, months later, the curtain lifts, and we find ourselves looking at the KWH, a collaboration with none other than Vianney Halter. Honestly, that was not on my bingo card.
A meeting of minds
If you’ve spent any time around independent watchmaking, you’ll know Vianney Halter’s name carries weight. He is one of those figures you hear about early on, usually spoken of with a mix of admiration and slight awe. He’s very much “if you know, you know.” His Antiqua, a so-called “relic from the future,” remains one of the most recognizable indie watches of the past three decades. Halter’s work is equal parts mechanical, industrial, and futuristic, with a sprinkling of steampunk thrown in for good measure.
The story of the KWH begins with something beautifully mundane — an antique electricity meter. Halter had one in his workshop. Lin had one back home. That spark of recognition turned into a conversation about bringing the visual language of these instruments into horology. It sounds almost too simple, but in true Behrens fashion, the execution is anything but. Electrical meters inspiring high-end watch designs? Also not on my bingo card.
Pixels and power meters inspire the KWH
The case immediately tells you where the inspiration came from. It is square and compact with a 35mm diameter, 41mm length, and 10.9mm profile, making it look like a shrunken-down control panel. But with Behrens being Behrens, the team layered in another slice of nostalgia in old-school video games — Snake and Tetris, to be precise.
The hours are displayed via a patented ruby-bearing micro-chain system. Think of it as a mechanical pixel snake slithering around the dial, seven dots in motion with each passing hour. It is nerdy in the best way possible, the kind of thing that will have collectors grinning like kids sneaking in one more round of Snake on a Nokia 3310. The packaging even tips its hat to Tetris with blocks arranged into little game-inspired scenes. It is horology that refuses to take itself too seriously, and that is precisely why it works.
Serious mechanics behind the fun
Beneath the playfulness sits some heavy-duty watchmaking. The BM06 caliber was co-developed by Behrens and Halter, and it is no small feat. It has manual winding, twin barrels providing a 72-hour power reserve, and 870 components in total. It beats at a 4Hz frequency and even includes a temperature-compensation system to keep the micro-chain stable no matter where you are.
The dial uses Behrens’ roller display system. On the left, there are power reserve and day/night indicators styled after vintage meter markers. On the right, the minutes are digitally displayed on a roller. Flip the watch over, and you will find more fun — a moonphase indicator and calendar at 12 o’clock, adjusted with quick-set pushers neatly built into the case.
This is not a quirky design exercise for the sake of it. I have handled enough Behrens pieces to know that the brand always backs up the theatrical elements with real watchmaking chops, and the KWH is no exception.
Two flavors, both rare
As if the design weren’t bold enough, the KWH comes in two colorful editions. There is an 18K white gold model with a nebula purple dial and matching strap, as well as an 18K rose gold version with a moon rock gray dial set off by flashes of twilight orange. Each is limited to just nine pieces worldwide and priced at US$49,000. It’s tough to pick a clear winner, but at a push, I’m going with the rose gold version because it’s marginally more understated (as if this watch can be described in such a way).
The straps are double-sided, hand-stitched leather with quick-release fittings. Even here, you can see the thought put into making the whole package cohesive. The colors could easily have gone over the top, but instead, they feel surprisingly wearable. The purple and orange might sound like a questionable 1970s kitchen makeover, but in reality, they pop in just the right way.
Behrens shows its intent
Since launching in 2012, Behrens has been on a mission to prove that Chinese independent watchmaking can compete with its Swiss counterparts. The brand’s willingness to experiment has won it plenty of fans, including me. By collaborating with Vianney Halter, Behrens has planted a flag in the wider landscape of independent horology.
What makes this release exciting is that the KWH does not feel like a watered-down compromise. It is still very much a Behrens watch, just with a dose of Halter’s mechanical imagination stirred in. It is a mash-up that should not work on paper but absolutely does in the metal.
The KWH is a fever dream that just works
When I think back to that dinner last year, I never would have guessed this was the direction things were heading. Electricity meters, Snake, Tetris, and Vianney Halter… It sounds like a fever dream or maybe the world’s most niche pub quiz round. Yet, here we are, and it all clicks somehow. The final design has evolved slightly from the early concept I saw, but the result is quite impressive. I’ve often wondered what Behrens could do if it jumped up into a higher price point, and the brand has not disappointed.
Will everyone love this watch? Probably not, but that is the point. Independent watchmaking is about character, risk, and storytelling, not broad appeal. The KWH has all three in spades. Only 18 people will ever own one, but the rest of us can still enjoy it as proof that Behrens refuses to play it safe. And honestly, that is why I keep coming back for more.