The Aubergine Has Landed — Thank You From Studio Underd0g And Fratello

Thank you to everyone who bought (and those who patiently tried to buy) the recent Aubergine Limited Edition from Studio Underd0g and Fratello, created together in the name of charity. All of the profits from this hilarious and heartwarming project will be donated to Cancer Research UK to help fund the fight against testicular cancer, a disease that has touched and will touch many of our lives.

Charity projects elicit a lot of emotions in people. It’s understandable, of course. The causes these charities support hit all too close to home for many of us. I’m sure most of us know someone lost to or personally affected by cancer. It’s a brutal, uncompromising disease that ends and ruins lives indiscriminately. Whenever we (all of us) have the chance to contribute to the fight, in however small a fashion, it’s worthwhile doing so.

We know our little project won’t change the world by itself, but if the motivations behind it spread, then real change could manifest. It’s heartening to see our friends in the digital world over at Monochrome and our buddies in the physical realm at Oracle Time magazine saw fit to cover our collaboration in the spirit of togetherness. For that, we thank you all.

Thanks to you, the backers

Getting charity projects right is difficult. I know many of you were disappointed you couldn’t get your hands on the watch (which was, let’s face it, pretty darn cool). When laying out the parameters of such a project, a brand must decide what percentage of the take to hand over to a charity. Nothing feels more morally comfortable or is as straightforward to communicate as 100% of the profits going to charity. That’s why we, together with Studio Underd0g, decided on this route.

Of course, that limits the number of watches a brand Studio Underd0g’s size can make for a run of this nature. Consequently, that means more of you will be left empty-handed this time, but there is a silver lining…

The project was a great success. We raised £13,000 for Cancer Research UK. We enjoyed doing it. The reaction was incredibly positive. The joy and humor in the comments were palpable. I feel for those of you that wanted the Aubergine on the wrist but missed out. I really do. But the popularity of this shared endeavor means there will almost certainly be more to come in this vein.

Cookbooks at the ready!

So don’t dwell on last week’s aubergine. It’s already starting to mold. The fridge can’t save it now! Instead, let’s turn our attention to the future. What wild and wacky recipe would you like to see Richard of Studio Underd0g fame cook up next? I’ve already seen a hot dog being kicked around the comments section somewhere (very tasty), but I’m ravenous for new ideas!

Share with us your wildest and wackiest concoctions. Fruits. Vegetables. Sweets. Three-course meals. You name it! Whatever you want to see the Willy Wonka of watchmaking rustle up next, stick it in the comments. And if you want to stay ahead of the curve for all Studio Underd0g × Fratello releases, sign up for the waiting list below:

And if you can’t wait for us to cook up some more deliciousness with Richard, head over to his site directly because he’s just announced that he’ll be restocking the brand’s core range on the 26th of April for deliveries starting in June and concluding by July. Thanks for following this project, and stay tuned for more.