There are brands that we select for their history, others for their craftsmanship or technical performance. And then, every now and then, we simply discover a watch that makes us smile.
That's exactly what happened with AndoAndoAndo.
This small independent watch brand, founded by Japanese designer Yu Ando, develops watches with a philosophy quite different from what is usually found in watchmaking. Here, design is taken very seriously, but the watch itself can remain fun. AndoAndoAndo is notably known for its Vinyl Record collection, consisting of watches inspired by vinyl records and the world of turntables. The brand also develops its own automatic watches, such as the A-1 and A-2.
A slightly quirky, creative universe that is difficult to confuse with that of another brand.
It is precisely for this reason that AndoAndoAndo is now joining the selection of PAUSE Montres in Toulouse.
And, of course, we wanted to tell you a little more in detail what lies behind this funny name.
But who is behind AndoAndoAndo?
To understand the watches, you must start with their creator.
AndoAndoAndo is an independent brand founded by Yu Ando, a Japanese designer whose career has been divided between Japan and Finland. On the brand's website, he explains that he studied design before working for over a decade in writing, never truly abandoning his desire to create.
This desire eventually led to the creation of a first watch: the A-1 Automatic.
And already, many things that define AndoAndoAndo today were present.
No desire to reproduce a famous watch or follow a trend. The A-1 is designed from a blank slate, with an original case construction and a crown positioned so as not to press on the back of the hand. Yu Ando also explains that, apart from the movement and its discs, the components of the A-1 were designed specifically for the watch.
A few years later, the philosophy hasn't really changed. And that's probably what we liked.
Watches that don't take themselves too seriously
Watchmaking can sometimes become a very codified environment.
There are the shapes expected of a diver's watch, those of a dress watch, the dials associated with the 1970s, or the proportions a watch is supposed to respect.
AndoAndoAndo clearly knows these codes. But the brand doesn't hesitate to play with them.
It can imagine a very minimalist watch, then transform a vinyl record into a dial or create a table/pendant/pocket watch. Its current catalog includes the A-1 and A-2, as well as the Pendant Clock, various limited editions, and numerous collaborations.
So it's not a brand that absolutely tries to fit into a category; it creates its own category. And that's refreshing!
The AndoAndoAndo vinyl watch: a turntable on the wrist
This is probably the creation that will introduce you to the brand.
And for good reason: it's hard to confuse it with any other watch.
The AndoAndoAndo Vinyl Record Watch directly embraces the world of vinyl records and turntables. Its dial visually reproduces a disc, while the overall composition of the watch reinterprets the codes of a record player.
The inspiration, moreover, doesn't come from just anywhere.
Yu Ando explains that he notably took the famous Technics SL-1200 as a reference, a turntable that has become iconic in the world of music and DJing.
The result is halfway between a watch, a design object, and a nod that music lovers immediately understand.
And that's undoubtedly why it works so well.
Automatic Timezones Vinyl Record Watch
A watch for vinyl enthusiasts… but not only
Obviously, if your living room is starting to run out of space because of your record collection, the reference will probably resonate with you immediately.
But to reduce AndoAndoAndo vinyl watches to an accessory for music collectors would be a bit of a shame.
What we particularly like about this watch is its ability to spark a conversation: one notices it, looks a second time, then understands what is before their eyes.
AndoAndoAndo describes its Vinyl Record collection around three ideas: a fun, retro watch made to spark conversation.
It's a watch you can buy because you love vinyls or music. But also simply because you're looking for something truly different from what you usually see on a wrist.
A true collection of vinyl watches
The idea could very well have remained an isolated model.
AndoAndoAndo eventually turned it into a whole playground.
The Vinyl Record collection now includes different interpretations of the concept, with automatic models, quartz versions, different colors, and numerous collaborations.
And the mechanism changes depending on the reference.
For example, the historical automatic Vinyl Record was developed around a Miyota 9039 automatic, while the Midnight Green adopts a Seiko Instruments VH31 quartz.
This choice seems particularly consistent to us.
The point of an AndoAndoAndo watch is not to be able to write "automatic" at all costs on a spec sheet. It is the concept that must dictate the watch, and not the other way around.
AndoAndoAndo is not just about vinyl watches
It's important to specify this.
The Vinyl is probably AndoAndoAndo's most immediately recognizable creation, but it doesn't alone summarize Yu Ando's work.
The brand develops a much broader universe.
The A-1 Automatic, where it all began
The A-1 Automatic is particularly important as it is the first model around which AndoAndoAndo developed.
It combines a 37mm case, a sapphire crystal, and the Seiko NH36A automatic caliber. But its particularity mainly comes from its design: Yu Ando notably worked on the shape and position of the crown to improve comfort on the wrist.
A much more sober watch than the Vinyl, but one in which we find the same desire to think about the object before thinking about what already exists on the market.
The A-2 Auto, the logical next step
The A-2 Auto takes this philosophy by evolving the construction.
Yu Ando particularly wanted to make the case more symmetrical so that the watch would be comfortable whether worn on the left or right wrist. The model retains the NH36 movement of the A-1 while adopting a quite different personality.
And here again, the story behind the watch almost matters as much as its technical specifications.
In a text dedicated to the A-2, Yu Ando clearly summarizes his intention: tired of seeing homages and modifications based on the same designs proliferate, he simply wanted to create something different. He places the creation of his micro-brand in 2020, with the A-1 as the first model.
The Pendant Clock, a rather avant-garde multi-function watch
Inspired by his mother's profession as a nurse, AndoAndoAndo wanted to create a functional object, a somewhat multi-functional watch.
Without sacrificing elegance, the Pendant Clock is primarily a pendant watch. But it is also designed to be placed on a desk, a table, or even carried in a pocket.
One could draw a parallel with the Royal Pop, from the collaboration between Swatch and Audemars Piguet. However, this Pendant Clock was released in 2023, highlighting Yu Ando's pioneering spirit in his creative process.
Why did we choose AndoAndoAndo at PAUSE Montres?
Bringing a new brand into PAUSE is, paradoxically, becoming increasingly difficult.
The more our selection grows, the more a new house must bring something we don't already have.
We have divers, chronographs, dress watches, French, Swiss, Japanese, or Italian watches. Very technical models, others more classic.
With AndoAndoAndo, the question didn't really arise.
We had nothing similar.
The brand brings a much more playful dimension to our selection, without neglecting the design or construction of the watches.
It also allows us to defend a vision of watchmaking that we particularly appreciate: that of small structures capable of trying things that a large house would probably never do.
A small brand that leaves room for ideas
There is also something quite refreshing in the way AndoAndoAndo operates.
The catalog is not built around a single silhouette endlessly declined.
It includes permanent models, small series, prototypes, collaborations, and even unique pieces.
This inevitably results in a less conventional catalog. But that's precisely the point.
You have more of an impression of following a designer's work and their different ideas than the marketing calendar of a large watch brand.
AndoAndoAndo is now available at PAUSE Montres
It is therefore with great pleasure that we welcome AndoAndoAndo among the brands of PAUSE Montres.
And as often with somewhat particular watches, we really advise you to come and see them.
A Vinyl watch is fun in photos. It's even more so when you discover it on your wrist and understand how the different elements of the dial reproduce the world of a turntable.
You can now discover our AndoAndoAndo selection in our Toulouse store, try on the different available models, and take the time to compare them.
And if Toulouse is a bit far, our selection is also available directly on our online store.
We remain, of course, available to advise you, show you a model more precisely, or answer your questions before your order.
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