Winter is finally starting to fade in much of the US, and as temperatures rise into the low 50s, the snow-covered grasses are releasing a sweet scent that heralds spring. Yet as warm weather is a welcome arrival, there’s something about a certain winter magic that makes it hard to let go. In the world of horology, independent luxury watchmaker GoS (formerly Gustafsson & Sjogren) has managed to capture more than a little of that magic. Named after its founders, blacksmith Johan Gustafsson and watchmaker Patrik Sjögren, it has built its distinguished reputation on designs that reference Norse and Viking mythology as a way to accompany cold winters and dark nights—and its unique use of handmade Damascus steel. Indeed, it has carved out one of the most unique brand identities on the market today, and discerning watch collectors find the GoS catalog uniquely irresistible.
One of the best watches in its lineup is the high-end GoS Skadi, named after the Norse goddess of winter. Designed in a limited run of just five, the Skadi dial is a rarefied landscape of rich whites and glacial blues—an effect achieved with luminous Mother of Pearl designed to represent the shores of snow that blanket the landscape during the Scandinavian winter. But there’s another layer at play underneath: a bank of Swiss Super-Luminova captures light during the day and shines in the dark, with a glow that resembles the shimmer of moonlight on snow. Floating above are GoS’s trademark Viking-spear hands; below them, a triskelion running-seconds indicator reinforces the refined appeal of a Norse watch. The dial is all 18-karat gold reworked by goldsmith Peter deWit and studded with blue sapphires to mark the indexes.
A dial of this quality calls for an excellent case, and here GoS returns to its roots by re-introducing Gustafsson’s raven-dark Damascus steel, paired with shiny red gold. The brand pioneered the process of making black Damascus steel in 2018, creating a PVD finish that enhances the unique natural patterns of the steel while darkening the steel. The natural pattern of the layered metal (also found here on the hands, bezel and hand-engraved crown) evokes wood, which, when paired with the precision carving of award-winning knife maker Anders Hedlund, evokes images of Viking shields.
The quality of the watch is determined above all of its movements and, as expected, Sjögren has done an excellent job with Skadi. Reworked from the Soprod Chronomètre Grade 6498, it represents perhaps Skadi’s only link with Switzerland—albeit a respectable one. Soprod is one of the smaller Swiss movement makers, and Sjögren’s choice of this movement over more common choices, such as ETA or Sellita, represents a deliberate decision to break away from mainstream Swiss tradition. He didn’t stop there, though. The movement’s bridges have been completely redesigned using a single piece of Damascus steel by Gustafsson, which was then engraved and plated with additional gold by Hedlund, all surrounded by Sjögren’s anglage and perlage—another sign of true high-art watchmaking.
There are very few traditional schools in the world of horology. The first, of course, is the Swiss school, which presents the most common techniques and finishes in modern luxury watches. Then there is the British school, which historically focused on finishing various movements, such as hand carving; the French school, which is best seen in Leroy’s historical work; the German school, with its endless sea of German silver; and now we are here. The argument that GoS is developing an entirely new school of watchmaking unique to Scandinavia is, frankly, amazing. Some are long established and span centuries of mechanical and aesthetic innovation. In that respect, Skadi is a very small bull.
But the GoS’s connection to the wider history of the past—in Norse mythology and legend—makes this timepiece something more than just a stunningly beautiful watch. In that sense, it becomes a true cultural beacon of Northern identity and a celebration of heritage in horological form.
The GoS Skadi, which retailed for $42,000, has sold out. Skadi No.1 was delivered in early March 2020 to a US collector; No.3 will be delivered later this year. According to GoS, collectors who missed out on the ultra-limited run can pre-order the same watch. here.
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