Launched in 2013 during Milan’s Fashion Week, D1 Milano is currently one of the fastest growing companies in the watchmaking world. Having surpassed the sale of 90,000 watches per year, the brand is currently distributed in 35 countries through 600 plus stores spread across Milan, the Middle East and Asia. Inspired by vintage Italian fashion, the brand focuses on research and development of new technologies while maintaining simple lines, defining themselves as having a “70s soul with a modern twist”.

The brand’s manifesto states – “Our aim is to engineer the highest quality materials through a meticulous care in our research and development of materials, finishing, and chromatism, pairing it with details of irreverence. The reality is that we do not like too many words. Our watches have to speak for themselves.” One of the notorious characteristics of the brand is their ability to create successful collaborations with different companies, allowing them to endlessly reinterpret iconic silhouettes seen through the eyes of their renowned creative partners. “Through collaborations we create new worlds and new visions that allow us to stand out as a cool design accessory, effortlessly combining style and functionality”.

D1 Milano has successfully collaborated with the Kodak Group, Seletti, MAD Paris and many others. Their most recent release partnering with Inter Football Club, is already sold out online. One of the brand’s most memorable collaborations was alongside the IoT specialised company, Olivetti. Similarly to D1 Milano, Olivetti shares the same values: beauty, innovation, “Italianness” and savoir-faire. Therefore, a collaboration was born of the desire of creating a timeless accessory with an unmistakable design.

However, despite frequently collaborating with multiple parters, D1 Milano manages to stay true to their essence, presenting a strong collection of their signature models. The first watch to be launched by the brand was the “Polycarbon”. Originally constructed in 40.5 mm lightweight Polycarbonate cases, their bestseller has been constantly reinterpreted, featuring over 40 different combinations of bracelets and silicone straps. Another of the brands best sellers is the “Ultra Thin” model, renowned for a 6mm thin stainless steel case, available in 38mm and 40mm sizes. Their strap choices include leather, steel and nylon options. A new edition to the signature collection is the “Ultra Thin 30mm”. Vintage inspired, and thinner than ever, this new model looks to the past in terms of shape and size, but to the future in terms of finishes and colours. Their most recent variation is the Ultra Thin Mirror, a watch completely polished and reflective that creates an interesting play of illusions and reflections with its mirror-like appearance. On the other side, among their more intricate designs we find the “Skeleton”(showcased below in our photos), part of their mechanical collection featuring an “open-heart movement”. Their “skeletonized” dials are housed in cases thinner than 10mm. And last but not least their duskiest model, which is our all time favorite, the “Chronograph Shadow” which exudes an aura of understated elegance, the multiple shades of black create a striking contrast while adding depth to its dark design.

Another factor of the brand’s success is their pricing. The brand aims to present people with luxury watches that could be “aspirational” while still being affordable. Despite their price point, D1 Milano doesn’t like to label themselves as “sport” or “fashion” watches. The attention to detail, quality and constant innovation in material research puts the brand into a category of its own.