Shinola is a multi-faceted company whose goal is bring manufacturing back to their new home, the city of Detroit. Not just any manufacturing though, Shinola only wants to build the best. When we first caught up with them, they were just starting to work with Waterford out of Wisconsin to hand build their bicycle frames would be then assembled by Shinola in Detroit. In addition to bicycles, Shinola has also set out to product the highest quality journals, leather goods, and most recently – precision watches, all right there in Detroit.
To kick off the launch of Detroit’s watch making heritage, Shinola’s creative director Daniel Caudill and Sky Yaeger came up with the idea of a brass plated Runwell with the help of Shinola’s build team. Like all Runwells, the brass bike was built by Waterford Precision Cycles, with the brass plating done in Detroit city. Plated fenders, chain guard and an old school tail lamp were added to round out the look.
More brass and some cool videos after the break…
To make the bike look less shiny, a patina was added to tone things down a bit. The bike was built to show off at the Baselworld watch show in Switzerland next month. Unfortunately, this is the only brass plated Runwell that will be made, and it is not for sale. Nor will it ever be. Never.
Shinola is the first company in almost 40 years to do any large scale watch making in the US, and the Baselworld show will be their global premiere. You can preorder a Runwell watch starting today, with a 40mm and 47mm version available which will be limited to 1500 and 1000 pieces.
