Established in Glasgow in 2013, Paulin makes colorful timepieces that look like they belong in the MoMA Design Store. (In fact, some of them are indeed sold in the MoMA Design Store, which is a testament to the creativity and modernity of their designs.) Now part of anOrdain, a fellow Scottish watchmaker that specializes in enamel-dialed pieces, Paulin continues to make compelling watches by partnering with some of the best manufacturers and artists the world over.
While the brand’s focus over the past decade has been on modular designs such as the Modul and playful pieces such as the anodized aluminum-dialed Neo, Paulin is now turning its sights on the tool watch market with the introduction of its first diver.
The new Mara, available at launch in two iterations, maintains the Scottish brand’s focus on pop art-influenced design but adds a 39.7mm C-shaped steel case with 300m of water resistance; a 120-click unidirectional bezel with a 60-minute elapsed-time insert; a domed sapphire crystal; two separate straps, including a fabric style made from recycled fishing nets with an Alcantra lining as well as a custom injection-molded HNBR rubber; and a beautiful dial with geometric indices in hand-applied Super-LumiNova.
The sapphire bezel insert — either bright blue or grey — features Super-LumiNova lume, five-minute indices, and an inverted triangular 12 o’clock index in the brand’s signature modernist typography. The German-made dials, meanwhile, boast square, triangular and Arabic indices; a set of thick, lume-filled baton hands with a yellow- or baby blue-tipped seconds hand; and an outer open minute track. Powered by the La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement with a 68-hour power reserve and a 4 Hz beat rate, it’s all contained within an upsized reimagining of the Modul case with brushed and polished surfaces, crown guards, and an indented crown that allows for easy grip with wet or gloved hands.
Measuring 13.5mm tall with a lug width of 20mm, the Mara is a well-sized watch with plenty of credentials to satisfy serious divers. On the other hand, the profusion of colorful details and handsome styling will continue to satisfy the creative set who have long appreciated Paulin for its museum-quality designs.
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Slim, lightweight and designed for enthusiasts, skin divers are the ultimate vacation watchAt $1,683, the watch, which is named for the Scottish Gaelic word meaning “of the sea,” is priced several-hundred dollars above Paulin’s next-priciest offering, the Modul Manual. (American buyers, take note: current tariffs push the price up to $1,928 for you.) But in considering the Mara’s bona fides — Swiss-made automatic movement, 300m of water resistance, complex bezel and dial design, dual straps, plenty of in-house design and manufacturing — the premium is far from unreasonable.
For someone who desires an everyday watch that needs no babying, one that can easily compete with the myriad offerings from brands large and small within the dive and tool watch space, the Mara is a no-brainer. Both the black and blue varieties, with their cool dials and matching bezels, are subtle enough not to call too much attention to themselves, yet sufficiently dynamic to yield a fun wearing experience. As we’ve come to expect from Paulin and anOrdain, this is yet another watch you’ll look forward to strapping on every day.
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