By Barbara Wheat
In an industry more than two centuries years old—where what’s old is new—what does it take to innovate? Jason Wilbur and 2(X)ist joined forces to answer that very question.
And, the answer might just surprise you. It is all about revolutionizing the world of watchmaking with a line of innovative first-ever timepieces. Together, the active-wear firm and the industrial design wunderkind sought to inject a dose of stealth design and excitement into the world of watchmaking. To outsiders, this might, at first, seem like an unlikely pairing. After all, 2(X)ist is known for its high performance and highly stylized men’s underwear, and Jason Wilbur is a design-industry darling with a penchant for all things cutting-edge, from cars to footwear. Yet, the pair shared a synchronized vision in developing the firstever watch for 2(X)ist. Called “The NYC,” it debuts at Couture Las Vegas in June 2013.
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- Jason Wilbur
Inspired by the dynamism, movement, architecture, and energy of New York City, home of 2(X)ist, The NYC has a sculptural design. Its striking 46-mm anodized aluminum case is multi-layered with a skeleton back, enabling the wearer to appreciate its complex movement. Each angle presents a unique silhouette that is both strong and edgy, drawing inspiration from the scaffolding, bridges, and steel-andglass structures so typical of New York.
Other innovative materials include G10 polymer and ceramic. The steel bezel that surrounds the dial is sealed via visible stainless steel screws. The K1 mineral glass dial reveals brightly coloured hand indexes and numbers. Each watch comes with a silicone strap with the 2(X)ist logo with a steel buckle and deep mark etching. There are 12 versions overall, with various colour options for the straps, hour and minute hands, and dial treatments.
“I grew up in New York and I have a lot of respect for New York City. With this [project], I got to go back to my roots and get back to what New York City represents,” says Jason Wilbur. “It’s a crazy concrete jungle. It’s the most three dimensional city I’ve ever experienced, not just because of the architecture, but because of the emotion.”
Morris Chabbott, Managing Director of 2(X)ist, concurs. “Like Jason, I am a native New Yorker, and so Manhattan is certainly the core of our inspiration. We aimed to capture the spirit, the ambition, and the passion of the city in this timepiece, and I believe that we have achieved that.”
While The NYC by 2(X)ist retails for an approachable $495, Chabbott and Wilbur view it as a piece of fine design, one that invites both fledgling and knowledgeable watch collectors to experience. “For the man who has everything, from Audemars Piguet to Patek Philippe, The NYC is a curiosity. It is beautiful and he just needs to have it.”
Chabbott goes on to add, “For the novice watch collector, who has long dreamed of the experience of buying a fine watch, but hasn’t yet crossed the threshold of collecting fine timepieces, the 2(X)ist is a gateway into that rarefied world.”
The media has also been talking about 2(X)ist’s venture into timepieces. The New York Times wrote that 2(X)ist is taking “a timely leap of faith” into the category, while Women’s Wear Daily, said that 2(X)ist is on “the fast track to becoming a multi-category men’s lifestyle brand, starting with the debut of timepieces.”
“I’m ecstatic about this timepiece,” continues Chabbott. “As a collector of watches for a long time, it is the watch that draws the most interest from friends and colleagues. It is something of a sensation!”
