Overview

Kollokium is a Swiss independent watchmaking collective and project-based horological platform founded in 2020 by Manuel Emch, Barth Nussbaumer, and Amr Sindi. Unlike traditional watch brands, Kollokium describes itself as a creative experimental platform focused on exploring alternative perspectives in contemporary watchmaking rather than following established luxury industry conventions.

The brand became internationally recognized for its highly unconventional “neubrutalist” design philosophy, industrial aesthetics, textured dial architecture, and experimental manufacturing techniques. Kollokium’s watches combine elements of brutalist architecture, retrofuturistic science fiction, industrial art, and avant-garde design while remaining mechanically traditional analog timepieces.

The company operates from Switzerland and produces highly limited independent watches aimed at collectors interested in experimental horology and contemporary design culture.

History

Founding and Origins (2020)

Kollokium was officially founded in 2020 by three figures from the watch industry:

• Manuel Emch
• Barth Nussbaumer
• Amr Sindi

The founders had previously worked across various sectors of the Swiss watch industry and shared a desire to create a project unconstrained by traditional brand heritage, corporate structures, or established artistic codes.

According to the company, the goal was to build something “from scratch” without inherited frameworks or predefined expectations. Rather than presenting itself as a conventional luxury watch brand, Kollokium positioned itself as a project-based platform focused on creative experimentation and alternative horological perspectives.

The founders described the project as an attempt to merge:

• Contemporary art
• Architecture
• Industrial design
• Subcultures
• Experimental watchmaking

into a new form of independent horology.

The Founders

Manuel Emch

Manuel Emch is one of the best-known executives in independent Swiss watchmaking. Before founding Kollokium, he held leadership positions at several notable watch brands including:

• Louis Erard
• Romain Jerome
• Jaquet Droz

He became particularly respected for revitalizing independent and niche watch brands through unconventional collaborations and creative design strategies.

Barth Nussbaumer

Barth Nussbaumer is an industrial designer known for his work with multiple Swiss watch companies. Prior to Kollokium, he contributed to projects involving:

• TAG Heuer
• Jaquet Droz
• Petermann Bédat

Nussbaumer became responsible for much of Kollokium’s highly industrial and architectural design language.

Amr Sindi

Amr Sindi, widely known online as “The Horophile,” is a watch journalist, consultant, and collector active in independent horology circles. He brought media, cultural, and collector-focused perspectives to the project.

Design Philosophy

Neubrutalist Horology

Kollokium describes its creative direction as “neubrutalist horology,” a concept heavily inspired by:

• Brutalist architecture
• Industrial materials
• Retrofuturistic science fiction
• Experimental design
• Electronic music aesthetics

The founders cited influences ranging from post-war brutalist architecture to the synth-pop aesthetics of Kraftwerk and the retrofuturistic science fiction of Philip K. Dick.

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Kollokium’s watches are intentionally designed to appear industrial, raw, and architectural rather than polished in the traditional Swiss luxury sense.

The company emphasizes:

• Texture
• Depth
• Contrast
• Industrial surfaces
• Controlled visual chaos
• Three-dimensional dial construction

Rather than focusing primarily on traditional luxury finishing, Kollokium aims to create emotional and artistic visual experiences through form and material experimentation.

Early Watches and Project 01

Projekt 01

Kollokium’s first watch project, Projekt 01, was introduced in late 2023 as a limited pre-series model. The watch immediately attracted attention within independent watchmaking circles due to its radically unconventional appearance.

Projekt 01 featured:

• Die-cast stainless steel cases
• Cylindrical sapphire crystals
• Three-dimensional pin-style dials
• Industrial brutalist aesthetics
• Heavy use of lume architecture
• Minimalist display concepts

One of the watch’s most distinctive features was its dial construction using hundreds of individual elevated pin-like lume structures that created a sculptural, floating visual effect.

The case construction also differed significantly from traditional luxury watchmaking. Rather than using conventional machining alone, Kollokium employed die-casting techniques to create intentionally rough industrial textures.

Manufacturing and Technical Features

Although Kollokium focuses heavily on artistic design, the watches still utilize respected Swiss mechanical engineering.

Many Projekt 01 variants use the:

• La Joux-Perret Calibre G101 automatic movement

The watches are manufactured in Switzerland and produced in highly limited quantities. Some editions have sold out within minutes of release.

Distinctive technical and aesthetic characteristics include:

• 316L stainless steel die-cast cases
• Sculptural lume applications
• Multi-layer dial depth
• Cylindrical bezel-less sapphire crystals
• Brutalist industrial finishing
• Limited edition production

Growth and Industry Recognition

Despite being founded only in 2020, Kollokium quickly became one of the most discussed emerging independent watch projects in avant-garde horology.

The brand gained strong support among:

• Independent watch collectors
• Contemporary design enthusiasts
• Experimental horology fans
• Architectural design communities

Several early releases sold out rapidly online, and Kollokium received international attention for introducing fresh aesthetics into an industry often dominated by vintage-inspired designs.

In 2024 and 2025, the company expanded the Projekt 01 platform with multiple variants, including:

• Variant B
• Variant D
• Variant E
• Variant F
• Variant G

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Each explored different visual and luminous concepts while maintaining the core neubrutalist identity.

Projekt 02

In 2025, Kollokium introduced Projekt 02, representing a new design chapter for the company. While Projekt 01 emphasized sharp geometry and industrial aggression, Projekt 02 adopted softer curves and more organic visual forms.

The collection continued the company’s emphasis on:

• Experimental textures
• Architectural forms
• Artistic lighting effects
• Unconventional watchmaking aesthetics

Position in Independent Horology

Today, Kollokium is regarded as one of the most unconventional and artistically experimental projects in modern independent watchmaking.

The company is often discussed alongside contemporary independent brands such as:

• MB&F
• Urwerk
• Ressence
• De Bethune

However, Kollokium’s aesthetic language is considered uniquely industrial and brutalist within the independent watchmaking landscape.

Legacy and Influence

Although still a young project, Kollokium has already influenced discussions around the future of independent watch design by demonstrating that contemporary horology can successfully merge:

• Industrial art
• Architecture
• Science fiction aesthetics
• Experimental materials
• Traditional mechanical watchmaking

By rejecting conventional luxury codes and embracing alternative creative influences, Kollokium has established itself as one of the most distinctive emerging voices in modern avant-garde horology.