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In Partnership, From the Source: NORQAIN’s Ben Küffer on the Expanded Wild ONE Collection

NORQAIN's expanded Wild ONE collection adds two Skeleton Titanium models in 39mm and 42mm, plus a Meteorite Titanium 42mm. Here are the movements, materials and stated specs from founder Ben Küffer's partnership interview.
Estimate4–5 min Catalogued SpecialistWatchRanker Team
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NORQAIN has added three models to its Wild ONE collection: a Wild ONE Skeleton Titanium in 39mm, a Wild ONE Skeleton Titanium in 42mm, and a Wild ONE Meteorite Titanium 42mm with an anthracite iron-meteorite dial. The two skeleton models use the skeletonized NK26/1 automatic movement. The meteorite model uses the NN20/1, which was developed with Kenissi.

The details come from a Hodinkee interview with NORQAIN founder and CEO Ben Küffer, published October 8, 2026. That interview was produced in partnership with NORQAIN, so the specifications, material claims and performance statements below are the brand’s and Küffer’s, as reported there. They have not been independently measured or tested for this article.

The three new models at a glance

The expansion adds two sizes of the skeleton titanium design and one meteorite-dial model. The table lists what the interview states for each. Where the interview is silent, the cell says so.

Model Case size Construction Dial and visual treatment Movement Stated production limit
Wild ONE Skeleton Titanium 39mm 39mm Grade 5 titanium top plate; matte NORTEQ bottom plate Grey palette with light yellow dial accents; Super-LumiNova Skeletonized NK26/1 automatic, COSC-certified Limited to 400 pieces
Wild ONE Skeleton Titanium 42mm 42mm Titanium and NORTEQ construction Mint green details; lume not stated Skeletonized NK26/1 automatic, COSC-certified Not stated
Wild ONE Meteorite Titanium 42mm 42mm Grade 5 titanium Anthracite iron-meteorite dial; the interview says no two dials look alike NN20/1, developed with Kenissi, COSC-certified Not stated

Price, regional availability and launch dates are not part of the interview, so the table cannot be used as a buying comparison.

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Movements: NK26/1 and NN20/1

NK26/1 in the two skeleton models

The NK26/1 is a skeletonized automatic movement, and the interview describes it as COSC-certified with a 65-hour power reserve. COSC is the Swiss body that certifies chronometer-grade accuracy, so the certification is a meaningful claim, but the 65-hour figure is the brand’s stated reserve for this movement rather than a result the interview backs with test data. The reserve applies to the NK26/1 in the skeleton models only.

NN20/1 in the meteorite model

The NN20/1 is the movement in the meteorite 42mm, developed with Kenissi and described as COSC-certified. The interview does not give a power reserve for it. Do not carry the NK26/1’s 65 hours over to the meteorite model; the two movements are different calibres.

Why titanium, and where Küffer draws the line

Küffer says the Wild ONE gives NORQAIN room to explore materials and finishes. On the skeleton models, he describes a Grade 5 titanium top plate with polished and brushed surfaces, set against a matte NORTEQ bottom plate. He presents that contrast as a design choice that keeps the construction lightweight and high-performance. That performance framing is his own; the interview does not provide weight or durability measurements.

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“Titanium certainly has a future within NORQAIN, but only where it adds something meaningful to the design and performance of the watch.”

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Ben Küffer, NORQAIN founder and CEO, in the Hodinkee interview

He also sets a general test for new materials: they should have a purpose, whether that is performance, lightness, durability or a distinct character. The titanium skeleton models meet that test on his account. Whether the meteorite dial does is a matter of taste, which the next section addresses.

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The meteorite dial: one dial per watch

According to the interview, the anthracite iron-meteorite dial means no two dials look alike. Küffer describes the appeal as the individuality of wearing a material with an extraordinary origin. He gives no provenance or geological age for the meteorite, so none should be inferred from the model name or the dial.

A prototype on court: Wawrinka and the X-Lite

Küffer cites tennis player Stan Wawrinka wearing a prototype Wild ONE Skeleton X-Lite at Wimbledon while NORQAIN was testing a case material. The interview gives no date for that episode and no measurements from it. Treat it as Küffer’s account of real-world wear, not as a controlled or independently validated test.

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Independence and the brand’s origin

Küffer says he founded NORQAIN in 2018 to build a new, family-owned Swiss company rather than revive a historic name. He argues that independent brands bring entrepreneurship, creativity and new ideas to Swiss watchmaking. That is his point of view on the sector, not a market-wide assessment.

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“I strongly believe that independence is essential to its future.”

Ben Küffer, speaking about Swiss watchmaking

He credits his mentor, Jean-Claude Biver, with encouraging him to trust his instinct to be different and to take risks. Near the close of the interview, Küffer states the company’s plan in plain terms.

“One thing will not change: we will remain independent and family-owned, and we will continue to live our life our way.”

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Ben Küffer, closing passage of the interview

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Sports ties: hockey and tennis

Küffer links NORQAIN to the NHL through co-founder Mark Streit, whom he says played 11 NHL seasons. He also calls Sidney Crosby a NORQAIN partner. The interview states that NORQAIN became the NHL’s Official Luxury Sports Watch, and attributes the relationship to the brand’s challenger story, its North American momentum and its authentic ties to athletes. These are the interview’s statements. They do not describe contract terms or how widely league personnel wear NORQAIN watches.

What comes next

NORQAIN’s 10th anniversary falls in 2028. The interview quotes Küffer teasing a “groundbreaking” release for that period, but gives no product details, so nothing about its form, materials or timing should be assumed beyond the teaser itself.

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What the interview does not establish

  • Pricing, regional availability and launch dates for the three new models.
  • Stated production limits for the 42mm skeleton and the meteorite model; the interview gives a 400-piece cap only for the 39mm skeleton.
  • Independent measurements of weight, durability or the Wimbledon wear example.
  • Contract terms behind the NHL relationship, or any market-wide data on watch sales or adoption.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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