De Rijke & Co x Guy Allen: A Limited Edition With A Proper Artistic Twist
Independent watchmaking has a habit of producing the most interesting collaborations. When the right brand meets the right artist, the result can feel less like a marketing exercise and more like wearable art.
That is very much the case with the latest collaboration between De Rijke & Co and British illustrator Guy Allen.
The Dutch independent brand has teamed up with Allen to create a trio of limited edition watches that bring a fresh layer of storytelling to the company’s distinctive Amalfi series.
A Watch Designed For Drivers
If you are not familiar with De Rijke & Co, the brand was originally built around an unusual concept. The Amalfi watch is designed as a driver’s watch, meaning the dial can rotate within the case by up to ninety degrees so it remains readable while your hands are on the wheel.
It is a clever and slightly eccentric idea that gives the watch real character. In an industry filled with safe designs, that kind of quirkiness tends to stand out.
The latest versions keep that signature rotating case but introduce something far more artistic on the dial.
Land, Sea And Air
The collaboration centres around three enamel dial designs created by illustrator Guy Allen.
Each watch represents a different theme inspired by travel along the Italian coast. One dial depicts a classic 1950s style sports car representing land. Another features the legendary Macchi Castoldi M.C 72 seaplane representing air. The third shows a wooden hulled speedboat for sea.
The artwork is not simply printed on the dial. Instead it is produced using the traditional champlevé enamel technique.
That means the designs are first engraved into a solid silver dial plate. Layers of grand feu enamel are then applied and fired at extremely high temperatures, a process that requires considerable skill and carries a high failure rate.
The result is colourful, detailed and far more tactile than a typical printed dial.
Proper Watchmaking Underneath
Despite the artistic approach, the watch itself remains firmly grounded in traditional mechanical watchmaking.
The stainless steel case measures a very wearable 38.2 mm in diameter and around 11 mm thick, keeping things comfortably within classic proportions.
Inside sits the Sellita SW300 automatic movement, a reliable Swiss calibre beating at 4 Hz and offering a power reserve of around forty two to fifty six hours depending on execution. Water resistance is rated at 50 metres and the watches are paired with leather straps fitted with quick release spring bars for easy swapping.
Extremely Limited
As you might expect from a small independent brand, production numbers are tiny.
Each design in the collaboration is limited to just twenty five pieces, with every watch individually numbered.
The retail price lands at around €4,595 before taxes. In other words, these are not watches you will see very often in the wild.
Winding Things Up
Independent watch brands tend to shine when they lean into personality rather than trying to imitate the big players. De Rijke & Co clearly understands that. Between the rotating driver’s case and the hand crafted enamel artwork, this collaboration with Guy Allen manages to feel both playful and genuinely well made.
It is not trying to be a dive watch. It is not chasing vintage Rolex energy. Instead it is simply doing its own thing. And in a watch world full of safe designs, that alone makes it worth a look.
