After re-launching the brand (again) in 2024, Dennison seems to have found their stride. The historic watch brand has reinvented itself with a keen eye for details thanks to a design by none other than Emmanuel Gueit, designer of the Royal Oak Offshore, and the Rolex 1908. The cushion shaped case has hosted some rather exotic dials to date, including stone and wood, and all the while have kept pricing to under $700. It’s a similar entry method we saw used by Furlan Marri not long ago. This week, the brand is releasing their first collaboration effort with Collectibility, and John Reardon, an authority on Patek Philippe, and all around good guy. The watch itself takes inspiration from one of Patek’s most iconic models, the Ellipse.
This watch leans into the cushion shaped case design with a dial that echoes the same ratio, itself a nod to the famous Ellipse. It’s been handled beautifully here, with the soft case lines managing a fine balance between the case and the dial, hiding the strap pin in the process. It’s elegant, and subtle at the same time. The case measures 37mm in length, and 33.5mm across, with a total thickness of just 6mm thanks to the use of a Rhonda quartz movement. This will wear quite nicely all while making a statement visually.
The dial itself is split into two sections, and divided by a slim polished bezel. A sunray finish extends to both sections of the dial, though they differ slightly in tone, creating a visual separation. There are no hour markers or indexes, only shapes and textures. The result is quite serene, and one that will hope to evoke the same emotions which the Ellipse is famous for. There is no branding in sight, unlike the other references in the ALD collection from Dennison, and it feels like an appropriate move here.
This project is the first time that John Reardon has lent his, and his business’ name to a watch collaboration, and he comments that “this collaboration breaks the mold, offering a design and price point that make the perfect watch not a future aspiration but an immediate reality.” This is a healthy outlook, and one that more brands should contemplate in how they engage with a new generation of buyers and enthusiasts.
While I’m not generally a formal watch kind of guy, I can’t deny that watches like this do have a charming effect on me. This is a great design at a great price, and for that I think it deserves praise. It’s also a step into a new direction for Collectibility, and one that I hope will bring down some of the walls between the old-school collectors and a future generation looking to get more involved.
The Dennison x Collectibility watch will be limited in production, though no production numbers are offered. This watch is available to order now, though May 11th, and it will be offered in both steel and gold colorways. Pricing is set at $690. Dennison / Collectibility
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