In the world of fashion, doubling-down on plagiarism with a sense of humor is nothing new – cast your mind back to the slew of bootleg-inspired Gucci pieces in its Fake/Not fall/winter 2020 collection, or the miraculous reclamation of the Burberry Nova check from the brink of ruin.
And while there’s perhaps no luxury watch brand that’s been untouched by the threat of knock-offs, few (if any?) have sought to bite back with anything other than a lawsuit.
Enter Studio Underd0g, who’s taking a cheeky swipe at counterfeit culture with the launch of two new chronographs.
The Av0cado and Guacam0le are part of a limited-edition drop dubbed The Unoriginals, inspired by an imitation watch by an unnamed brand that ‘borrowed’ heavily from Studio Underd0g’s playful aesthetic.
Launching exclusively on 8 May, the timepieces expand the third-generation 01Series, reworked to be slimmer and more refined – both models now feature a 38.5mm stainless steel case with a reduced thickness of 12.9mm.
The crown has also been reengineered for smoother winding, while the enlarged sapphire exhibition caseback enhances visibility of the bespoke movement.
Inside beats the ST-1901B, a hand-wound chronograph movement developed with Seagull exclusively for Studio Underd0g.
It features a blacked-out main plate, silver swan neck regulator for fine-tuning, and is regulated in Britain to a respectable -10/+15 seconds per day.
Elsewhere, the power reserve clocks in at 50 hours with the chronograph off, and 45 hours when in use.
Both models feature satin sandblasted base dials with a coarse dégradé top layer, and are finished with Super-LumiNova C3 for low-light legibility.
The Av0cado spotlights a bold mix of yellow, green, and orange tones, while the Guacam0le leans into richer greens for a more verdant, ‘mashed-up’ twist.
Fitted with Italian Epsom leather straps, these watches are water-resistant to 5 ATM and feature quick-release spring bars and signed buckles.
Like a ripe avocado, there’s only a short window to enjoy. Only available for nine hours on release day, once the order window closes, The Unoriginals will be discontinued.
£550 / €600 / $675, underd0g.com