The dial of a Gustafsson & Sjögren (GoS) watch is a mesmerising thing indeed: a pool of iridescent ripples, meandering concentrically beneath hand-crafted dagger hands. This beguiling pattern is down to a highly specialised metallurgic technique, more commonly known as Damascus steel – a layering and tempering technique used by the Vikings for their finest swords.
Expertly hand-forging Damascus steel has earned worldwide repute for master bladesmith Johan Gustafsson, inspired by his homeland of Sweden’s Viking past. Since 2007, he and master watchmaker Patrik Sjögren have forged a watch brand that’s getting collectors very hot under the collar. Every Damascus-steel dial of a GoS watch – and movement bridge if you opt for it – bears a unique pattern, meaning every GoS watch, delicately assembled downtown at Sjögren’s atelier, is truly one of a kind.