Water gives life. But it can spell the death of a watch. For centuries, watchmakers and designers have tried to keep water outside of watches. Leave it to a Norwegian to invert that logic.

Bruvik’s Fjord line of watches feature a drop of pure water from a Norwegian fjord, personally captured by designer Rene Bruvik himself. “Whilst other actors work to keep water away from their watches, I have purposely inserted water in to mine. I like to push boundaries and wish to add ‘that little extra’ to my products” says Bruvik, who founded the brand in 2009.

He is certainly pushing the boundaries of traditional watch design by incorporating elements of nature in each timepiece. The new collection’s Heritage line, for instance, honours pioneering explorers with a compass motif on the pieces. The Svalbard line pays homage to the arctic archipelago of Norway. And with just one look at the wrist, the wearer can be reminded that there is something out there beyond our concrete jungles.

Bruvik caught our eye at Baselworld 2015, but we can’t take credit as the only ones to recognize the brand’s innovativeness. The industry has already taken notice too; Bruvik was nominated for European Watch of the Year in 2014 for his Lady Fjord timepiece.

For more on Bruvik’s story, be sure to check out our upcoming Europa Star print issue. (VJ)