Introducing the Apiar Carbon1.0 OG

Think about where we are in watchmaking in 2026. You could argue, pretty reasonably I think, that the problem of chronometry has basically been solved. We have access to mechanical watches that are accurate to seconds per month, and quartz watches that are accurate to seconds per year. There are advancements around the edges (Grand Seiko’s new U.F.A. movement comes to mind, the most accurate watch powered by a mainspring, accurate to 20 seconds per year), but it’s hard to imagine an advancement in timekeeping at this point that would actually be meaningful in our daily lives. For movement geeks, sure, shaving off seconds here and there will always be a fun new development, but for many we’ve reached a point of diminishing returns, where all that really matters are bragging rights by the brands (and those matter a lot – big marketing campaigns are built around them). So where do the advancements come from in the years ahead? Many people with a lot more experience in this industry than me have discussed materials science as the next big step for watch brands, and we’ve certainly seen a lot of alternative materials used in cases and movements over the last few years. Once you go beyond the traditional steel, titanium, and precious metals that watch cases are normally made from, you open yourself up to manufacturing and creative options that are typically encountered across other industries, like the aerospace sector and medical manufacturing. The UK based brand Apiar has carved out a niche for themselves making small innovations in the realm of 3D printing, which is a Brave New World in watch manufacturing if there ever was one. We’re still in the early days of 3D printing in watches, but have already been witness to some genuinely interesting ideas hitting the community. What’s most appealing to me personally about these 3D printed creations is the way they meet at the intersection of creative design and total utility, with geometries that are not possible with traditional manufacturing methods that also happen to be beautiful and, perhaps, quantifiably superior in terms of their strength and robustness. Apiar’s latest, the Carbon1.0 OG is what the brand calls their first sports watch, although I wouldn’t say that their previous efforts were especially not sporty. According to the brand, the Carbon1.0 OG is the first commercially available watch to take advantage of new Composite-Based Additive Manufacturing technologies. The case combines a 3D printed carbon-fibre outer case with a Grade 23 inner titanium case for a watch that is meant to be extremely lightweight but also robust and strong. Similar to other 3D printing processes, CBAM manufacturing creates a carbon-fibre based structure layer by layer with extremely thin sheets of the woven material. Layers are printed and stacked together and bonded by extreme heat, held together with the aid of polymer powder that melts into the carbon material at high temperatures. The result is a watch case with an uncommonly solid strength to weight ratio, made entirely without the constraints of traditional molds and tooling used in watch manufacturing. The outer case surrounds a titanium inner case that holds the movement, dial, and other components. Because of the flexible geometries that can be used in 3D printing without sacrificing strength, the inner case is visible through skeletonized portions of the CBAM-made frame, which is sleek and has an avant-garde quality to its design, but retains the unmistakable lines of a traditional sports watch. The dial has a brick-like motif and is made from CNC-machined aluminum. It’s anodized in black, to match the dark and stealthy look of the case. Apiar says they chose to create a dial with these “broken” lines to echo the non-continuous carbon strands that are used to create the CBAM case. Powering the watch is a La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement with 68 hours of power reserve. The case measures 40.5mm in diameter and is 9.2mm thick. It has 50 meters of water resistance. The Carbon1.0 OG can be purchased in two configurations. A standard configuration priced at $1,800, and an “Additive Upgrade” configuration priced at $2,080 which includes a British made Alcantara strap with a 3D printed titanium buckle and the brand’s (incredibly cool) “Impossible” nylon travel case. More information can be found at the Apiar website here.