One brand that has been my radar lately is Linde Werdelin. While I’ve always been an admirer of their work, especially since the original Titanium Spidolite from 2009, I feel the brand has truly grown into itself in the past 2 years with original, bold and instantly recognisable pieces like the Oktopus II dive watch range and especially the more technical Spidolite series.

A few weeks before Baselworld, Linde Werdelin teased a few photos of their upcoming new release to be unveiled at the show, the Spidolite Tech II series. These would be the first Linde Werdelin watches to be made of a forged carbon and a new ultra-light material from the aerospace industry they’ve dubbed ALW.

Unfortunately for me, I didn’t make an appointment with Linde Werdelin before the show and although the people at the stand were quite accommodating, we just couldn’t find a time slot that fit both our busy schedules. To try and make it up to me, they let my try on the new Spidolite II Tech Green for a minute. Oh my…

Like a lovesick adolescent, I’ve been thinking of the Spidolite Tech II Green day and night ever since. I guess the face I made at the stand while trying it on must have made a lasting impression, because about two weeks ago I received an email from the folks at Linde Werdelin asking if I would be available to meet co-founder Jorn Werdelin while he was in Geneva for a couple of days and finally get to see the watches I missed in Baselworld. Needless to say, I jumped on the occasion.

Let me just say that I was never a huge fan of light watches before this one. Sure, I appreciate the materials and technology that go into them, but I prefer feeling a little heft on my wrist. But the Spidolite is different. Unlike other watches where say a titanium model is offered in addition to a steel and gold model, the Spidolite concept, inspired by F1 weight reduction technology, has always been to create a light yet durable sports watch and was thus first offered in Titanium.

While the Spidolite Tech II follows the same design and proportions as the more recent Spidolite models in Titanium and Gold, the Tech II is a different beast entirely.

The Linde Werdelin forged carbon case is quite different from other carbon cases I’ve come across. While weaved carbon fiber is the prevalent form you’ll find in watch cases and dials, forged carbon is a rarity that few brands offer. What I find appealing about Linde Werdelin’s forged carbon in particular is the way it remains relatively discreet, even under the brightest lights. It doesn’t shine and reflect light the way carbon fiber normally does, perhaps a result of the matte finish on the case. I have also never seen a carbon case as intricate as the Spidolite with all its facets and angular cutouts that give the watch a sculpted look.

A neat touch that really shows Linde Werdelin’s extraordinary attention to detail is the matching green tension desks under the 4 titanium screws on the case. Made of Hytrel, a thermoplastic polyester elastomer, the tension disks provide a bit of flexibility and help protect the carbon outer case.

Contrasting against the anthracite carbon case is a scratchproof black ceramic bezel, also skeletonized to reduce unnecessary weight and continue the spider web theme of the watch. The bezel has a circular satin-brushed finish that gives a certain stealth aspect to the piece. If you’re as clumsy as me you will definitely appreciate having ceramic on the part of the watch that gets bashed into doorframes and what not.

Under the carbon fiber exo-skeleton and visible through the angular cutouts on the sides of the watch is the inner case, made of an aerospace material that is being used exclusively and for the first time in a watch by Linde Werdelin they’ve dubbed ALW. The metal alloy/composite is almost 50% lighter than Titanium yet significantly harder than steel. The visible parts of the inner case are painted green, with the limited edition number also painted in green on the inner case. From the side profile, it almost looks like a spider staring right at you!

The spider web-inspired dial is also partially skeletonized, revealing parts of the movement’s top plate beneath. The brushed metallic date wheel with green numbers is also partially visible under the skeleton dial and, like the matching crown, is treated with a bronze/ceramic coating I’ve never seen before, complementing the vibrant green markings on the dial. White luminous bars make up the hour markers on the outer rail, while the minutes can be read via the faceted black radials on the same rail. I find it clever how the lume-filled skeleton Dauphine hands were left in a Titanium color and matte-finished for maximum legibility.

The LW 04 automatic movement is custom-made by Concepto and is exclusive to Linde Werdelin. Visible through the display back, the movement is handsomely finished in circular perlage, blued screws, and is signed with a discreet Spido spider web icon engraving. The Linde Werdelin logo is also inked on the black rotor, matching the rich green accents on the dial and case.

The strap is made of a light but durable textured fabric with a soft calf leather lining, finished with the brightest green stitching I’ve ever seen. For weight reduction, Linde Werdelin opted for a titanium tang buckle, blacked-out to match the case.

On the wrist it’s pure sorcery: You know you’re going to be strapping on a light watch, but nothing can prepare you mentally for just how light the Spidolite Tech II is. The case (without the movement) weighs only 33 grams, yet doesn’t feel insignificant on the wrist. It sits incredibly well even on a small wrist like mine, and since the weight of the piece is centred in the movement, it doesn’t wobble up and down my wrist like some of my other 44mm+ watches. With its alluring forged carbon exo-skeleton, “nuclear” green touches and mind-baffling weight, The Spidolite Tech II feels more like something smuggled out of Area 51.

To me, the Spidolite Tech II Green is the most impressive Linde Werdelin piece to date. It is an attestation to just how far the brand has come in the past few years in brand and product development, as well as in creating an easily identifiable and appealing style. It is the culmination of the Danish duo’s pursuit of the perfect sports watch, with enough flair to make it as enticing visually as it is impressive technically.

I know what I’m asking for this Christmas.

Special thanks to Jorn Werdelin and Madina Maglione for making this post possible.