MD Watches Is Doing The Sort Of Things Big Brands Would Never Dare
There is a point in every watch enthusiast’s journey where perfectly sensible watches stop being enough.
You begin craving something stranger. Something with a bit more theatre. A watch that makes people lean in slightly and say, “Hang on… what exactly is going on there?”
That is precisely where Martin Design Watches lives. The Irish microbrand, founded by designer Martin Iglody, has quietly become one of the more interesting names in independent watchmaking by embracing unusual layouts, unconventional mechanics and genuinely distinctive design language. While many affordable brands are busy producing another vaguely familiar dive watch, MD Watches has decided to build accessible pieces inspired by haute horology oddities and experimental architecture instead. And honestly, fair play to them.
The Connemara Looks Like A Sci Fi Concept Watch - £350.00
The standout of the current lineup is undoubtedly the Connemara collection, and specifically the wonderfully dramatic Connemara Night Stone.
At first glance, it looks less like a conventional wristwatch and more like something Tony Stark would wear while redesigning a satellite. The dial is wildly asymmetrical, with an offset time display floating beside a fully exposed double balance wheel setup that constantly pulls your eye away from actually telling the time. Which, admittedly, is part of the fun.
The layered dial textures are superb too. Frosted surfaces, circular brushing and linear finishing all combine to give the Night Stone a moody, almost architectural depth. It feels expensive in the way niche independent watches often do, despite sitting at a price point most enthusiasts can still realistically justify to themselves after two beers and an evening on Kickstarter.
Double The Balance Wheels, Double The Drama
Now, technically speaking, the double balance wheel configuration is there to improve stability and reduce the impact of positional variation on timekeeping. In reality though, most people are buying this thing because it looks absolutely mesmerising.
And that is completely fine.
Because watches like this are supposed to be emotional. Nobody buys a Connemara because they need the most practical or accurate watch in the world. They buy it because staring at twin oscillating balance wheels through an open heart dial is objectively cool.
It is the horological equivalent of owning a vintage Alfa Romeo. Slightly irrational perhaps, but infinitely more interesting because of it.
MD Watches Understands Something Important
What makes Martin Design Watches interesting is not perfection.
In fact, enthusiast discussions online have already highlighted quirks like the unusual 6 o’clock crown position and modest movement accuracy.
But somehow those imperfections almost add to the charm.
Because MD Watches feels driven by creativity first, spreadsheets second. The Connemara does not exist because market research suggested consumers desperately wanted a dual balance wheel watch for £350.00. It exists because somebody thought it would be fun and visually exciting to make one.
And in a watch industry increasingly obsessed with safe commercial decisions, that sort of thinking deserves a lot of credit.
Specification
Diameter - 40 mm, Between lugs 20 mm
, Lug to lug - 49mm
Double Curved Sapphire Crystal Glass
Crown: Non Screw Down
Caseback - Screw down with exhibition sapphire crystal
Strap - Fabric, leather lined, stainless steel buckle or Calfskin leather
Water resistance - 5 atm
Movement - PTS S05B Automatic and hand winding Jewels - 21, Frequency - 21'600
Running Time - 32 Hours
The Night Stone Is The One To Have
Of all the Connemara variants, the Night Stone might just be the sweet spot.
The darker tones suit the futuristic layout perfectly, giving the watch a stealthier and more cohesive feel than some of the brighter colourways. It looks dramatic without becoming cartoonish. Modern without feeling cold. Weird without tipping fully into gimmick territory.
Which is a surprisingly difficult balance to strike.
The 40mm case size and 49mm lug to lug measurement keep it wearable enough for most wrists, while the sapphire crystal and layered dial finishing elevate the whole package nicely.
Yes, it is a conversation piece.
But crucially, it is a very good looking one.
Winding Things Up
Martin Design Watches is not trying to compete with Rolex, Omega or even the safer end of the microbrand market.
Instead, it is doing something much more interesting.
It is making watches for enthusiasts who want to feel slightly surprised every time they glance at their wrist.
The Connemara Night Stone captures that perfectly. Bold, mechanical, slightly eccentric and packed with visual drama, it feels like the sort of watch a much larger luxury brand would charge five figures for while calling it “experimental contemporary horology”.
