Thus far it seems that brands which have a desire to show where in the world they come from would do so by referring something local onto their dial by way of a texture and/or color. A body of water, a rock formation, or a dune for those which are lucky to have those. And oftentimes these textures or images are complemented by a striking color—turquoise teal blue, super glacier white, or even oxblood lava stream. (I could or could not be making this up.) Or these wild colors are the only feature on the dial to indicate something special. Sometimes these watches are well executed and drop dead gorgeous. But more often than not, they are too much and look odd or gimmicky. These watches aren’t, actually, ones which people feel comfortable wearing on a daily basis but instead watches which people strap to their wrist when they want to “spice things up.” 

I’m drop dead boring and so I was feeling sad that a brand couldn’t figure out a way to showcase their origin in more subtle ways so that their watches are the type we can wear everyday. Because with the examples I mentioned above, it always appeared that brands care more about showing that they can do it rather than giving us a good watch we want to wear all the time. So I was thrilled when Perun’s co-founder Jelena Kalajzic reached out and asked if I could review their first collection, the Veles. Obviously, I said yes. I was curious to get hands-on experience with the watch as it looked great in photos. And I was further interested in matching the spec sheet to the design and the price—roughly $1,400 USD—which is a lot of money to ask for for a first model. (Though there are more and more brands debuting with $1,000+ collections.) 

So is it good? Yes otherwise I wouldn’t be writing so many words about it. 

Specifications 

The spec sheet I mentioned just now is indeed impressive and matched with a superb construction. Everything feels solid and purposeful, from the finely machined threads on the crown and the noticeable resistance of the mainspring to the bracelet clasp and the quick-release spring-bars of the end-links. As soon as I opened the box the watch came in, and picked it up from its pillow, it felt hefty. Good hefty. Sized for my 6.50”/16.5cm wrist, the Perun Veles weighs 142g which is “good for this type of watch.” (I don’t know why people say that to be honest. To me I’m putting the watch’s weight against its specs and price and it feels like a good balance. I know, it’s probably dumb to do that.) Matched to a case measuring 40mm in diameter, 47.5mm lug-to-lug, and 12.35mm thick, the Veles belongs to the category of muscular everyday watches. 

Inside the Veles beats a Sellita SW221-1 caliber (4Hz/38 hours of power reserve) the particularity of which is the pointer date complication which, for some reason, is a first for a micro/independent brand. (Which goes to show that Oris isn’t the only attainable independent brand to be able to offer this particular complication.) The case-back and crown screw-down and we find 150 meters of water resistance which is plenty for all things we normal humans do, a flat piece of sapphire crystal with inner anto-reflective coating, and BGW9 SuperLuminova on the first three hands (hours, minutes, and seconds) as well as on the applied hour markers. Lastly, the bracelet has a three-link construction, screwed links, quick-release spring bars, and an on-the-fly micro-adjustment system. So we have great specs which are becoming more and more common these days. 

Design 

As you can see, the Perun Veles is built to be a watch you can wear everyday. It has a good movement, good water resistance, and a sapphire crystal. And I would now be telling you about the numerous design aspects of this watch which make it unique and versatile just the same. And to add some context to what follows, you should know that Jelena is Croatian which makes the Veles the first watch designed in Croatia I have in for review. (And hopefully not the last.) This also means, more importantly, that the Perun Veles is dotted with multiple references to Slavic culture which is something I haven’t seen before. And this was done elegantly by seamlessly integrating these visual elements within classic horological design codes. For example, the model name refers to the Slavic god of earth and of the underworld who is often portrayed wearing elk horns as can be seen in the shape of the 12 o’clock marker. 

Below this marker we find the brand name written in both latin and Glagolitic script (the oldest known Slavic alphabet used from the 9th to the 19th century in Croatia) and the latter is printed larger than the former but in gray so that it doesn’t distract from reading the time. Though we do have three additional lines of text below the pinion, the model name printed in blue (which fades against the black dial) and the words “Automatic / Date” and “150m/500ft.” Perhaps these inscriptions were deemed necessary to remind the wearer of the technical prowess of his or her watch. Looking at the crown, on the outside the brand engraved the thundermarks (“gromoviti znaci”) of Perun, the god of gods in Slavic mythology, and these symbols were originally carved on wooden beams located under the roof to protect houses from lightning. Lastly, on the case-back we find a deeply engraved symbol representing the cyclical nature of the sun, or Kolovrat. 

Putting all of these elements aside, the Perun Veles is indeed a “watch.” It is legible thanks to the large hour and minute hands, the large Arabic numerals at the 3, 6, 9, and the generous applications of lume for nighttime visibility. It is also elegant for having a black enamel dial, a fully polished fixed bezel, polished chamfers, and a small crown (5.9mm.) It is, moreover, cleverly designed as the date numerals are printed on a raised track which has a matte finish (so that the numerals are easier to read) and, as mentioned earlier, the visual elements tying this model to Slavic culture are either printed in a dimmer color or placed in inconspicuous areas of the watch. Furthermore, the Veles also comes with additional yet more classical nuggets, such as the polished chamfers on all links of the bracelet which add visual interest, and conversely, bold design elements such as the angular case complete with truncated lugs. 

(I could write an entire paragraph on the case design but I’m running out of time.) 

The Heart of the Matter

Yes, there are indeed many references to Slavic culture which were sprinkled on all sides of the watch. But did you actually notice them when you first looked at it? I personally didn’t and that is what makes the Perun Veles interesting to me. Because what jumped out and what I see each time I look at the Veles are those classical horological design codes I referred to earlier. The broad handset, the large Arabic numerals, the glossy black dial which makes for the perfect backdrop for all other visual elements. And the case which I wish I had more time to gush over as it is indeed well designed and manufactured. So the references to Slavic culture and to the brand’s origin are discreet and appear as hidden gems which can only be seen by the wearer. Akin to discreetly displaying one’s culture in a way we are not used to and which most of us will never notice. 

Typically, we express ourselves, our personality, through the clothes we wear, fashion accessories, haircuts and jewelry. This is how we say who we are to the world. But in our modern western cultures we cannot indicate which country we come from through our clothing because we pretty much all dress the same. (Except during annual celebrations.) So Perun found a clever way to showcase its cultural heritage by semi-hidding visual elements of its folklore on the dial, crown, and case-back, without overdoing which would have deprived the Veles of its universal character because, again, it is actually a watch we can wear everyday. What Perun could have done and which I’m glad they didn’t, would have been to print or engrave the Kolovrat on the dial, make the hour hand look like a lightning bolt, or shape the lugs into Veles’s horns. 

In other words, this watch is a prime example of how to express personality with restraint. And I love it. 

Conclusion

When looking at the micro/independent watch market as a whole, the Perun Veles stands out from the massive crowd. On the one hand, it is a classically designed timepiece which boasts finely polished surfaces, an enamel dial, large hands and a symmetrical dial layout. On the other hand, it is a watch full of references to Slavic culture which is not only a first in my experience but also the result of a design process which has been painstakingly wholesome and meticulous. Although I did mention that these specs are becoming quite common, they do add up on the tab which partially explains the $1,400+ price tag of the Veles. The other explanation is the bespoke crown and case-back decor as well as the uniquely shaped 12 o’clock marker on the dial. And I would add, once last time, that the case is quite superb. 

I hope to see more models from Perun as I enjoyed my time with the Veles. This model also comes in a white dial version and you can learn more about it and the brand here.

Thanks for reading.