It’s a scary thought to consider that 2016, the year CIGA Design was founded, was nearly a decade ago. Seven years on, the watch landscape has continued to shift, yet in many ways, is the “same as it ever was,” to quote David Byrne. We’re still clamoring for colorful watches and predictions that smartwatches would kill off watchmaking once and for all have proven way overblown. Despite little tweaks on the margins, the essence of luxury wristwatches (metal case, manual movement, analog display) has stayed pretty much the same for about a century — let alone the past seven years. Like sliding a seemingly calm drop of pond water under a microscope to reveal unseen ecosystems,replica watches zooming in on the watch world’s past decade reveals frenetic activity in some pretty unexpected places. Brands like CIGA Design have been quietly acting as the innovators pushing horology forward.
When it was introduced, the Series Z-Edge was one of the first watches of its kind. With a barrel case shape and a skeletonized design, it was a lonely entrant in the now-crowded field of Mille-esque automatics. Aside from eye-catching architecture, the Series Z-Edge stood apart, too, for its price tag that didn’t require a second mortgage. Holding fast to these principles, CIGA Design embarked on new releases, including the Series U. In fact, it can be argued that the success of the Series Z-Edge paved the way for the Series U models currently lighting the world ablaze, winning prizes including the iF Design award and the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève’s Challenge Prize in 2021.
In 2023, the Series Z-Edge maintains its novel design while introducing upgrades that help elevate the collection further. Surgical grade 316L stainless steel is finely crafted, helping the angular case geometry shine while sapphire glass on the front and back complete the skeletonized design, enabling visibility throughout. Silicone straps in colors from red to blue to black are emblazoned with CIGA Design branding and lend an air of sportiness to an already sporty watch. Beyond the original steel, the collection has now expanded, with various case treatments available including both black and gray titanium, gold-tone, and black DLC.
Inside the Series Z-Edge beats a three-hand SEAGULL automatic movement. Score one for repairability, as the universality of these calibers makes repair or replacement an easy affair. While other pieces contend for distinction thanks to elaborate mechanisms, the Series Z-Edge uses a true everyman movement that will reliably run for a long time with minimal fuss. It’s a big part of the Series Z-Edge’s price tag which starts at just $279 USD (as of writing) replicas de relojes and goes no higher than $399 USD for the titanium or gold-tone variants.
