Norqain Releases Wild One Hakuna Mipaka Limited Edition
Monday - 10 October 2022
The new Norqain Wild One Hakuna Mipaka watch could be the most exciting and innovative design to be released by the independent Swiss watchmaker yet. Comprising collaborative efforts with 5 additional Swiss companies, as well as influences from Jean-Claude Biver, this new Hakuna Mipaka take in the Wild One offers a new resilient case that is incredibly shock resistant and nods to the work of Dean Schneider, owner of the Hakuna Mipaka Oasis in South Africa.
The Hakuna Mipaka Oasis
After setting up a life for himself in Africa, Swiss-born Dean Schneider has lived by one philosophy: to love and respect animals. The 27-year-old has dedicated his life to the animal world. He is now the proud owner of 400 hectares in the wilderness of South Africa – the Hakuna Mipaka Oasis. It serves as a life-long home to rescued animals as well as a natural habitat for thousands of wild species. Dean Schneider has developed rehabilitation programs with the help of his work team and the Oasis remains a private place that is not open to tourists or the public. Without trading animals, breeding animals or generating sales from the African species that live there, Hakuna Mipaka is a place devoted to providing a private space and a haven for these special species. JayJay the Momo, Dexter the lion and Chuckie the hyena are just some of the animals that have drummed up a following on Instagram, yet the sanctuary is a life-long home for zebra, giraffes, leopards, birds and reptiles. Supporting the good work that Hakuna Mipaka does is independent watchmaker Norqain. The brand’s quest for achieving sports watch perfection is realised in the new Wild One model. It comes in several other iterations: a black and blue one and black and khaki one that join the range as a standard model, and a limited edition red carbon case version.
The new Norqain Wild One watch is a completely collaborative effort. Borrowing the skills and knowledge of legendary Jean-Claude Biver, known for his outstanding work with Omega watches and Blancpain watches, whilst also serving as CEO of TAG Haier and Hublot, his influences are present both in the style and the design of this new sturdy sports watch. The new Wild One watch ticks almost every possible box on paper for a robust sports watch. To do so, Norqain has teamed with a total of 5 Swiss companies to make its production possible. BIWI SA has worked on the materials used for the watch, whilst Kennisi has supplied the movement.
The new NORTEQ carbon case material
Norqain has developed a new case material for the launch of the new Wild One watches. The proprietary composite is a mix of carbon fibre and a polymer mix made up of 60% caster oil. The special blend creates a case that is three times lighter than titanium and six times lighter than stainless steel. The case of the watch includes a rubber core, making its structure incredibly shockproof, plus it’s also the first material of its kind to be available in different colours. The special rubber core is courtesy of Norqain’s collaboration with BIWI, which has worked with the likes of Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille.
Measuring a diameter of 42mm, the multi-material case of the Wild One watch has a composition of 25 individual parts. Sitting at a height of 12.3mm on the wrist, the case exposes parts of its inner rubber core in several places. Inside the rubber centre is another material – a lightweight titanium piece with a coating of sapphire crystals on both sides. This structure houses a chronometer-certified automatic movement. The case is also integrated with 200-meter water resistance with the help of a screw-down crown and the tip of the watch is sealed with a piece of scratch-resistant and anti-reflective sapphire crystal glass.
Through the sapphire glass top of this Hakuna Mipaka watch, the true beauty of the dial can be witnessed. It’s a three-tier construction that repeats a distinct pattern featuring double N logos for the Norqain name. White X1 Super-LumiNova has been applied to the surface of a set of skeletonised, diamond-cut and rhodium-plated hour markers and hands. These elements on the dial not only donate a strong sense of depth and dimension, but prove a perfect catalyst for readability in all conditions and at all times of the day and night.
This new Norqain sports watch is heated for all kinds of outdoor pursuits and all terrains thanks to its impressive shock resistance. It’s also corrosion-resistant and anti-magnetic. To test these qualities, the Wild One watch has been strapped to the wrist of Swiss mountain biker and Skier Andre Ragettli. To underscore a sense of exclusivity in the design of this limited edition watch of just 500 pieces, the Hakuna Mipaka Wild One watch also incorporates real sand from Dean Schneider Oasis within its sand-coloured rubber shock absorber. In addition to this, its dial bears a unique lion hair pattern that extends onto the strap, nodding to the rescued lions that now call the Hakuna Mipaka Oasis home.
The Wild One Hakuna Mipaka watch is powered by the Calibre NN20/1. It delivers a performance of 28,800 vibrations per hour and provides a 70-hour power reserve. It also features a personalised bridge engraved with Norqain’s core values: “Adventure – Freedom – Independence”.
The new Norqain Wild One Hakuna Mipaka Limited Edition watch is limited to 500 pieces and comes complete on a black rubber strap. If you’d like more information on the model, you can check out the details on the watch’s product page here at Jura Watches or call and speak to a member of our sales team today on 01335 453453
