Introducing: The Haven Watch Co. LIVE Series: First Avenue Collab (Live Pics)
What We Know
You can’t control anniversaries. Year after year, they just keep coming, and sometimes it’s not the best timing. This year, that’s the case for a fun release from Haven Watches tied to the 55th anniversary of the legendary Minneapolis music venue First Avenue. The venue never could have known (nor little would have cared) that, 55 years later, their big day would fall during some random (yet massively busy) trade show from a disparate industry, but the launch of the Haven Watch Co. LIVE Series: First Avenue collab fell over Watches and Wonders. Now that the big show is behind us, here is the watch in question.
Haven has become known for its unusual and outside-the-box designs. In fact, when they launched this case design in 2022, I titled the story “Haven Has Two New Watches And Thinks They’re Cool – But If You Don’t, That’s Okay Too.”
That’s how quintessentially Midwestern the brand is. It’s the “if not, no worries” vibes that I love. But I also love that the brand is doing small runs of watches in honor of local music venues that might not otherwise get national (or international) attention. It all started with a collaboration to honor Metro in Chicago (shown below), and now the LIVE series (Legendary Independent Venue Edition) has a watch for First Avenue.
The watch has a 39mm by 12mm stainless steel case with 200m of water resistance and comes fitted to a coffin-link bracelet with additional rubber and leather straps. The design follows in the footsteps of the brand’s Lomax divers, but with a very unusual dial design that’s probably going to be the most controversial element of this commemorative model.
The dial features references to the First Avenue and sister 7th St Entry venue, as well as the Haven logo, Minneapolis for the venue’s location, and a brick pattern (like the venue’s facade) on the black dial, all nods to the collaboration. Proceeds from the sales of the 55 limited edition pieces will benefit the local non-profit Twin Cities Music Community Trust.
Pardon the slightly shaky lume shot below, but it shows another fun detail of the design (and there’s more below). For a fun diver for Midwesterners like myself, you can get the watch from Haven’s website for $1,299, with deliveries starting in May.
What We Think
I’ve a long history with Haven and, therefore, an affinity for the brand. The first story I ever wrote for Hodinkee Magazine was about Weston Cutter, the owner and founder of the Midwest (is Best) based brand. Furthermore, the first vintage watch I ever bought was a Wittnauer 235T, which Cutter found in immaculate condition, and I can count on Cutter to understand my relentlessly Midwestern mindset. But you know what I appreciate the most about his brand? He and Steve Reidell (a Chicago-based musician and the brand’s designer) come up with wild (and often divisive) designs, but they fully commit. Is this the most conventional design? Far from it, but they went with the story, and I can’t say it makes me think of anything else.
Well, that’s not true. The brick dial somehow gives me “Super Mario Bros. logo” vibes. But beyond that, there are some other fun details that show that, even if you don’t like the dial or the unusual bezel (which I love, because it reminds me of old Bakelite), they’re thinking about what they’re doing.
The case has an interesting polished chamfer on the inside of the lugs, the very unusual coffin-case bracelet, and – playing directly to my heart – the outline of the Great Lakes on the caseback. I could go on and on, but, ope, would ya look at the time? Gotta go pick up some cheese curds and a nice cold beer.
The Basics
Brand: Haven Watch Co.
Model: LIVE Series: Haven x First Ave
Diameter: 39mm
Thickness: 12mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Color: Black dial with a brick relief motif
Indexes: Printed
Lume: Yes – First Ave’s star at 12, it’s wordmark at 1, the 7th at 7 for the Entry, and Minneapolis beneath the six
Water Resistance: 200m
Strap/Bracelet: Steel coffin-link bracelet with signed clasp; transparent silicone strap with signed buckle; gray leather strap with signed buckle.
The Movement
Caliber: Sellita SW360-1
Functions: Hours, minutes, subsidiary seconds, date
Diameter: 25.6
Power Reserve: 56 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 vph
Jewels: 31
Chronometer Certified: No
Pricing & Availability
Price: $1,299 – proceeds will benefit local non-profit Twin Cities Music Community Trust
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: Yes, 55 pieces
For more, click here.
Hodinkee