Studio Underd0g Targets Copycats With The Av0cado And Guacam0le 01Series Watches
Studio Underd0g continues to defy conventions with two new colorful additions to its 01Series chronograph range. The Av0cado and Guacam0le continue the playful mantra of Studio Underd0g by infusing color combinations to invoke various types of food. Adding these two style options may seem a bit old hat for Studio Underd0g since it has evolved beyond this original concept into bigger things like the 02Series and various collaborations. However, the reason makes a big statement about copycats and, in the brand’s words, plays an Uno reverse card on its imitators.
It’s fair to say the watch industry is a magnet for counterfeit products. Commonly hailing from the Far East, replica watches exist purely because the market exists. Most of the time, there is no reason to deceive or hide the fact that the watches are fake. Buyers are happy to pay a fraction for something perceived as luxurious and expensive. The excuses range from “I want to try it on my wrist before investing in a real one” to “I want to wear it in public and not care if it’s stolen.” I won’t dispute the reasons or judge the buyers, but their behavior undoubtedly keeps fueling the manufacturing of fake watches. The shadier area is homage watches that take key design features that are familiar but altered enough to avoid copyright claims. The homage sector is what Studio Underd0g sets its sights on with today’s release.
Studio Underd0g 01Series Av0cado and Guacam0le
With Studio Underd0g’s feet under the desk and a proven success story, it was only a matter of time before the copycats came along. Founder Richard Benc even felt pride seeing his unique designs and color combinations get the homage treatment. Figuring it would be a fruitless (wink) endeavor to get the lawyers involved, the offbeat British brand took it upon itself to address the situation. Upon seeing the first batch of homages in January 2024 from the Chinese brand Proxima, Studio Underd0g looked at the rest of the collection. I won’t link to the Proxima website, but alongside an obvious copy of the Studio Underd0g Watermel0n is the Avocado colorway. Giving Proxima a dose of its own medicine (or avocado in this case), Studio Underd0g replicates the concept in its 01Series chronograph.
Proxima’s Avocado and Studio Underd0g’s Av0cado
The green tachymeter scale and yellow dial mimic the gradient of the flesh of an avocado. Topping it off is the brown chronograph 30-minute totalizer with varying shades in three 10-minute segments. Along for the ride is the more original Guacam0le model that reflects the popular Mexican dip in more green tones. Both models came about due to a customer vote, with an even 50/50 split that resulted in both models coming to fruition. As a refresher, the 01Series is a hand-winding chronograph housing a bespoke Seagull movement with twin registers in a 38.5mm stainless steel case. An interesting tidbit is that the Studio Underd0g and Proxima share almost the same caliber, with the Underd0g using the ST-1901B and the Proxima using the ST-1902 from Seagull. That said, there’s no denying the originality and quality feel of the Studio Underd0g compared to its foe.
Final specs and pricing
While the Av0cado, at £550 / €600 / US$675, commands more than three times the price of its adversary, it still sits at an approachable price point. It’s a pillar of Studio Underd0g’s success to maintain affordability so that customers are more inclined to take a risk with an expressive design. As with all recent (Gen3) versions of the 01Series, the straps are supplied by The Strap Tailor. In this case, we get 20/16mm Italian Epsom leather straps in black or dark green. The Av0cado and Guacam0le models will only be available to order on May 8th between 15:00 and 00:00 BST via underd0g.com.
What do you think of this refreshing counterattack on homage watches? Let us know in the comments section below.
