QAE | NADEAU WATCHES

Celebrating over 20 years of business

Designed as a tribute to the history and growth of Sydney based business Quality Air Equipment, this build included five identical watches (one for each senior member of the business). The watch design includes many references to the company, its founding, and its future.

This page includes background on the timepiece design, its specifications and photos.

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DESIGN CUES

DESIGN

UNIQUE WATCH HANDS

A standout feature of this timepiece are the unique custom made watch hands with intricate cutouts designed to mirror the design of air-conditioning grilles sold by QAE.

This hand design is the most complex ever made by NADEAU Watches and will serves as a key centrepiece of the design.

INDEX RING

Encircling the face of the timepiece, the index ring holds some key design elements for the watch. Along with baton shaped index markers at each hour it has three baton markers at the 12 o’clock position, representing the three brothers who founded the business. The 12 o’clock position on a watch provides both a beginning and an end of an hour and a day, and the reference to the brothers at this position on the watch similarly signifies the founders being there from the start and into the future.

In place of the 10 o’clock marker ‘2000’ has been listed - a reference to QAE’s founding in October 2000.

Finally a diamond has been included at the six o’clock position - representing strength, love and family - further information on the diamond can be found below.

DIAMOND

Each watch was fitted with a diamond at the six o'clock position. The stones used are round cut, with a top diameter of approx. 3.1mm (0.12ct). The diamonds have been sourced through Melbourne jeweller Artelia, and provide depth and shine to the watch face.

ENGRAVINGS

There a number of engravings across the watches - including:

‘QAE’ on the crown on the watch
Several light ‘QAE’ engravings on the steel watch band
Engravings on the watch back noting ‘Custom made’, ‘Nadeau’, ‘Swiss Mvmt’ and the name of the watch recipient.

SPECS

The watches include:

Three piece precision cut watch dial
Automatic Swiss movement visible through an exhibition case back
Sandblast textured watch face
Polished stainless steel watch case with brushed accents - 13.5mm thick, and 41mm wide
Laser engraved case back and crown
Steel watch strap with QAE engravings
Customised leather travel case
Custom made watch box and booklet

MECHANICAL MOVEMENT

Sellita SW200-1

Drive type: Automatic mechanical movement

Manufacture: Swiss made by Sellita watch co

Power reserve: 38 hours

Diameter: 25.6mm

Jewels: 26

The Sellita SW200 (and its counterpart the ETA 2824) have a long history in luxury timepieces. With a reputation of being a beautiful, reliable and long lasting the movements have featured in watch models from brands such as Tudor, Steinhart, Tissot, Oris, Maurice Lacroix and Sinn.