Movement & case
Resolving an ultra-thin Swiss movement architecture alongside the case stack, sealing system and 200 m water-resistance target.
DESIGNED IN BRITAIN · ROOTED IN PALESTINE · DEVELOPED THROUGH SWISS WATCHMAKING
Made for what comes next.
Rooted in what came before.
AFRANJI is an independent watch company developing its first mechanical watch. We are building it openly — from movement and case engineering to Palestinian craft and materials.
FIRST WATCH39 mm mechanical diverLeft-hand crownUnusually slim profile200 m water-resistance target
THE ROAD TO AFRANJI
UPDATED 04 OCT 2026
Decision
Where it began
Core design
Established
Engineering
Active
Prototype
Next
Validation
Planned
Founding Fifty
Planned
01 · DECISION TO MAKE
Decades of buying, selling and collecting watches — and thousands of conversations with collectors and customers — quietly shaped our view of what a watch should be. In July 2026, we decided to stop only talking about the watch we wanted and try to build it.
NOW IN DEVELOPMENT
Three things we're solving right now.
We would rather show the work than announce a launch date before the watch has earned one.
Palestinian craft
Exploring direct Palestinian participation through stone, micro-mosaic, mashrabiyah, tatreez and locally sourced materials.
Dial architecture
Testing how ambitious craft and layered dial construction can coexist with durability, hand clearance and the thinness target.
PALESTINE, PARTICIPATING
Not just inspired by Palestine.
Built with Palestinian hands.
Our ambition is for Palestinian artisans, workshops and materials to participate directly in the finished AFRANJI object — not simply to provide visual reference.
We are actively exploring Palestinian stone and micro-mosaic for dials, fine mashrabiyah work, tatreez for presentation details and Palestinian olive wood where technically appropriate. We will name partners only when relationships and production routes are confirmed.
OPEN THE DESIGN
The interesting questions.
Tap a question to see what sits behind the design.
How thin can a genuine 200 m watch be?+
Thinness is not a single dimension. Crystal, hand clearance, dial, movement, seals, caseback and manufacturing tolerances all compete for the same vertical space. Our aim is around 8 mm overall, but capability comes first and the final number will be published only after prototype validation.
Can Palestinian stone become a serious watch dial?+
Potentially — if the material can be cut, bonded, lapped and protected within the available dial height. We are exploring micro-mosaic and other stone constructions with provenance, repeatability and Palestinian workmanship central to the process.
Why is the crown on the left?+
It gives the watch a distinctive silhouette and keeps the crown away from the back of the hand when worn conventionally. It also makes movement selection and engineering harder, so we treat it as architecture rather than styling.
Why no launch countdown?+
Because engineering, prototyping and validation should determine the date — not a marketing calendar. Orders and deposits will come only when the watch and production path are sufficiently mature.
FROM THE JOURNAL
Notes from the build.
The story so far — decisions, engineering questions and the ideas shaping AFRANJI as the first watch develops.
From inspiration to participation
Palestinian influence should not stop at visual references. We want Palestinian hands, workshops and materials to participate directly in the finished object.
The road to the first prototype
Instead of announcing a launch date before the watch is ready, we are breaking the AFRANJI journey into six visible stages: decision, design, engineering, prototype, validation...
Why make a diver thin?
A rotating-bezel watch wants strength, sealing and depth. A slim watch wants the opposite. That tension became one of the earliest defining ideas behind the AFRANJI...
When collecting became making
AFRANJI did not begin with a blank sheet of paper. It grew out of decades of buying, selling and collecting watches — and thousands of conversations...
FOLLOW THE BUILD
Join AFRANJI at the beginning.
Prototype reveals, engineering updates, Palestinian craft development and launch information — only when there is something worth sharing.
Enquiries — hello@afranji.com