The Olmstead FEW is the watch for bourbon lovers.
Chicago-based watchmaker Oak & Oscar just announced a limited edition collaboration with their friends, FEW Spirits. The Olmsted FEW limited edition features the same field watch capability you know and love but with a few extras that make this whiskey-watch collaboration special. Regular readers of Bourbon Lens may have noticed a trend in the Whiskey and Watches Worlds as these brand collaborations are on the uptick. And, we’re big fans! Additionally, this collaboration promises to deliver on the whiskey side of the house with an equally limited edition FEW bourbon to enjoy while you’re admiring your wrist.
Oak & Oscar founder, Chase Fancher, and FEW Spirits founder and master distiller, Paul Hietko, have been friends for years and shared many a pour of bourbon during that time. Oak & Oscar has held numerous tastings at FEW, and several of their bottles can be found at their Chicago HQ. For all these reasons, a collaboration between these two brands was a natural fit for their founders.
The Olmsted FEW edition features Oak & Oscar’s classic 38mm field watch case, signature sandwich dial for added depth and legibility, screw down crown, and 100m of water resistance. However, a few key differences set this watch apart from previous designs.
Taking inspiration from FEW’s well-known color palette, the deep salmon of the dial has a matte finish that pairs wonderfully with the Horween leather strap on which the watch is presented. The red tones extend to the more minimalist design of the rehaut with coordinating five-minute markers. The Olmsted FEW collaboration piece marks Oak & Oscar’s first foray into the historically popular salmon dial aesthetic.
This limited edition timepiece features brushed hands that contrast nicely with the dial. The FEW logo is proudly displayed just above the 6 o’clock position while the Oak & Oscar mark is printed just below 12 o’clock.
Concealed on the underside of the watch is something that makes this piece especially unique. Visible through the exhibition caseback is a wooden coin fashioned from the oak barrel used to age the bourbon we personally selected. To make this special caseback, a skilled local woodworker broke the barrel down and crafted the 50 wooden disks that are featured in this limited edition watch.
The steel portion of the caseback is engraved with both the Oak & Oscar and FEW Spirits logos, with FEW’s motto “Fortune Fancies the Bold” etched into the outer edge of the case. On the sapphire crystal, the watchmaker’s motto “Make No Little Plans” is printed just above the signature Olmsted leaf with “Made From the Barrel” inscribed atop the four Chicago stars.
Each Olmsted FEW is hand-assembled, tested and regulated at Oak & Oscar’s Chicago headquarters by their in-house watchmaker. Oak & Oscar is dedicated to preserving the art, craft and mad science that is horology.
Of course, what would a FEW collaboration be without a bottle of bourbon to enjoy when looking at your wrist? The select group who purchase the Olmsted FEW edition (and who are 21 or older and legally able to receive a bottle) will be gifted a bottle of the Bottled in Bond bourbon that was aged in precisely the same oak wood that’s displayed in the caseback.
Talk about a perfect pairing!
The Olmsted FEW edition is limited to 50 pieces and is available to purchase on our handmade Horween leather strap for $1,850. Watches will ship upon order.
If you want to get your hands on this unique watch, head to the link below:
Purchase the Olmsted FEW timepiece here!
About Oak & Oscar
Founded in 2015, Oak & Oscar is an independent watch company based in Chicago doing good things with great people.
Three guiding principles drive everything we do: to make no little plans, the belief that good people make great products, and that the details always make the design.
Details Make the Design
For the horology enthusiast, here are all the specifications on the new watch:
OUR FIRST SALMON DIAL
The deep salmon dial of the Olmsted FEW was inspired by FEW Spirit’s color pallete reserved for their finest bourbons. The salmon dial has a matte finish with coordinating five-minute marks on the rehaut to create a clean, legible design using our iconic full numeral sandwich dial.
A PIECE OF THE BARREL
Any bourbon enthusiast who also happens to love watches, will be charmed by the notion of having a piece of the very barrel used to age the bourbon in their glass forever enclosed in the watch on their wrist. We challenged a talented local woodworker to transform the barrel we personally selected into 50 wooden coins. We then installed those coins one by one in a custom designed exhibition caseback on each Olmsted FEW timepiece.
HORWEEN LEATHER STRAP
Manufactured in Chicago by a local artisan, our handcrafted Horween leather straps are individually selected from the best parts of the hide and hand-finished, producing a rich color and soft feel from the very first wear. And, of course, the smell of leather pairs wonderfully with a pour of bourbon.
NYLON STRAP
A lightweight and durable option, our grey nylon strap is constructed of a breathable nylon textile with custom orange stitching and signed Oak & Oscar hardware
SANDWICH DIAL GOODNESS
The design of our two-layer sandwich dial creates an iconic architecture. With high contrast features and bright Super-LumiNova applied in strategic places, you’ll be sure to know the time wherever you go.
FORM MEETS FUNCTION
With drilled lugs for easy strap changes, 10 ATM (100 meters, 330 feet) of water resistance, a screw down crown, and multiple rubber gaskets, the Olmsted FEW is manufactured to perform in any condition. With this kind of capability, you don’t need to worry if you spill a little bourbon on your watch.
THE MOVEMENT
The engine powering the Olmsted FEW is a Sellita SW300: a legendary, Swiss-made, workhorse calibre with 25 jewels, a 56-hour power reserve and a custom solid caseback featuring a piece of the same FEW barrel used to age our hand-picked single barrel, Bottled In Bond, bourbon.
PACKAGING WITH PURPOSE
The Olmsted FEW is presented in a carefully designed, canvas watch wallet with leather accents, two gusseted suede watch pockets, and a zippered closure. Ideal for when saving space and weight are essential. And of course, it’s designed right here in Chicago.
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