The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2021 - Issue 29

OPTIMEF bitebags Arthur Robot From being the first Romanian watch company in the late ‘70s to being revamped 40 years later, Cristina Lloyd discovers the historical story behind Optimef. F ollowing the Romanian Revolution in 1989, Optimef, the country’s first watch company, which began producing timepieces in 1979, closed down after the fall of the com- munist government. Entrepreneurs Bogdan Costea and Andrei Morariu decided to revive the name in 2016 and create modern, sharp and reliable watches. The duo draws inspiration from ar- chitectural and design trends of the past and aims to develop contemporary watches with an intense graphic look and original details. They mix the design elements of the '70s and '80s with today's functionality and tomorrow's technology in their reinvention. “Optimef is a fusion between the past and present. Each design will always have a nostalgic element along with a twist. The qual- ity and beauty of a design object are closely connected; that’s why we pay careful attention to technical details, the materials and the technology that we use when creating our products.” There are two models - Fărăzece, the brand’s first creation whose design and name is inspired by the way Romanians read time. The name means ‘ten minutes to’ and references how you would say five, ten or fifteen minutes to a particular hour. “This detail triggered the idea of shifting the conventional display to a new and original distribution of the markers on the dial.” The classic look is translated into contemporaneity through simple lines and the latest materials available. Fărăzece is available in a 40 mm 316L stainless steel case in Cop- per, Black, Silver or Gold with a stainless steel Milanese mesh strap. Black with a grey, black or yellow Italian leather, or black silicone strap; Copper with a black or green Italian leather strap; Silver with a grey, yellow or black Italian leather strap; and Gold with a black, grey or green Italian leather strap. The model is de- signed with a Japanese Quartz Miyota movement and hardened mineral crystal lens. The second model, Victoria is a versatile timepiece that reima- gines both visually and its name, which is taken from one of the most iconic streets in Bucharest, Victoriei Avenue. It character- istically keeps the graphic and architectural inspiration but tells the story of the State Monopolies Palace and Adriatica, two Bu- charest architectural buildings that represent the interwar era. “Inspired by the clocks decorating these buildings, the Victoria model marks the hours with cut-outs section and elements ex- truded on the display.” Images courtesy of Optimef

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