n 1991, as the Soviet Union lived its last moments, Mikhail Gorbachev sent Alexander Shorokhoff to the Ministry of Economics for Hesse, in West Germany, where he was to spend a year studying the market economy.

Having completed his one-year mission, Shorokhoff was catapulted to a new position as European agent for Poljot, Moscow’s largest watch manufacturer, at the head of a distribution company. But this designer, architect and civil engineer had other ideas.

Alexander Shorokhoff, designer, civil engineer and founder of the eponymous brand

“He knew almost straight away that he wanted to be more than a distributor. He wanted to design his own watches,” his daughter, Inga Duffy-Shorokhova, explains. “In 1994 he set up Poljot International at the same time as a studio, where he started work on his own dial designs and movement decorations. The movements were Poljot but the rest of the components, such as hands, cases and straps, were completely original.”

These first models were modern, different, and it was their popularity that gave Alexander Shorokhoff the notion to start his own brand. Which he did, in 2001.

Recognition for the Avantgarde collection

He imagined his first collection, Heritage, in honour of his origins (he was born in Moscow in 1960) and the great names in Russian art and literature; the likes of Tchaikovsky, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky and Pushkin. “From the very beginning,” says Inga Duffy-Shorokhova, “he set out to create something different; artistic mechanical watches in small series that were still affordable. He found an audience at Baselworld in 2002, following which he was able to open up distribution to key markets such as Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and the United States.”

Russian art and culture have long been one of Alexander Shorokhoff’s inspirations. Born in Moscow, he is now based in Germany (article published in 2004)

©Archives Europa Star

©Archives Europa Star

A turning point came in 2011, with the launch of the Avantgarde collection. Inga Duffy-Shorokhova takes up the story: “It was such a colourful and imaginative collection, it really struck a chord with collectors. What we didn’t know then was that it would become the cornerstone of our brand. We wanted to be different and Avantgarde was given an enthusiastic welcome by the press. They called it daring, colourful, artistic, and praised the creativity of the dials. This was a decisive moment, not only because of the press coverage but because we piqued the interest of customers, too.”

The Cadamomo Full Calendar garnered a 2024 International Architecture and Design Award

Another milestone would be the introduction of the hand-engraved movements that are now a hallmark of the brand. “We had a clearly identified niche: colourful, artistic dials and movements differentiated by handcrafting. This is when we started using the Art on the Wrist slogan. We knew we had found our DNA. My father had to break a lot of industry rules to invent his own.”

The brand launched the Wintergenta, a 50-piece limited edition, in honour of the 50th anniversary of Inhorgenta in Munich. Diamond-dust dial and hand-engraved case in solid silver

Alexander Shorokhoff produces in the region of 2,000 watches a year, recognisable by their imaginative designs. Prices range from €1,300 to €5,000, climbing to as much as €50,000 for the most exclusive editions or for the gold tourbillon. The brand’s main markets are Germany, Austria and the United States, as well as certain Eastern European countries.

Unsurprisingly, customers “come from a range of backgrounds, from art lovers to IT technicians, young and not so young. They’re open-minded, interested in art and culture, and are drawn to things that are special, unusual or unique. They don’t care about the latest trends. Whenever we meet them, we’re constantly amazed by how eclectic they are.”

Looking ahead

Like many other German brands, Alexander Shorokhoff doesn’t make its own calibres... although that could change. “We source our movements from Swiss suppliers such as ETA, Sellita, Dubois Dépraz or Concepto for our tourbillon,” says Inga Duffy-Shorokhova. “Sometimes we even use vintage Poljot movements. We want to build our own manufacturing facility but that’s a long-term goal. For the time being, we’re focusing on the innovative designs that differentiate the brand, such as the Cadamomo full calendar or the dressier Wintergenta. Also, we’re working on using 3D printing technology for dials, as you can see on our new Colibri 2. First we need to raise our profile; it takes huge investment to set up a manufacture.”

©Archives Europa Star

On that note, won’t in-house production lead to a significant price hike? “That’s not how we do things,” Inga Duffy-Shorokhova retorts. “We’re totally transparent with customers and partners. We want to conserve our value, so that customers pay for what they get. Growth will be at a steady pace because we don’t make watches simply to make money. We make our watches with love and passion, and sell them at a fair price. Of course, prices increase alongside costs but if you suddenly double prices, you’ll lose people’s trust. We intend to stay true to ourselves and to our customers.”

Alexander Shorokhoff is different in many respects, beyond its dials. It shows a less conventional side of the German watch industry. A brand doing its own thing, its own way.