Apiar
Gen1.1 Underground
Gen1.1 Underground
Sometimes everyday systems hold the best design ideas.
For the Gen1.1 Underground, Apiar turned to one of London’s most iconic pieces of engineering: the Tube. Its map is a masterclass in organising complexity through clarity, hierarchy, and structure.
When Apiar co-founder Matt Oosthuizen saw the recent circular reinterpretation of the network, the geometry immediately resonated with the way watch dials organise information. That moment became the starting point for this British Watchmakers’ Day special edition.
At first glance, the Gen1.1 Underground is colourful and playful. Look closer and the engineering reveals itself.
The dial begins as a CNC-machined brass blank, laser engraved and then hand-filled with enamel paints by dial artist Chris Alexander using colours drawn from the London Underground lines. Each dial is coloured freely by hand, ensuring both watches are completely unique.
Paired with Apiar’s generatively designed titanium case, the Gen1.1 Underground brings together British infrastructure, graphic design thinking, and advanced manufacturing.
Limited to three watches, available exclusively at British Watchmakers’ Day.
Couldn't load pickup availability
Share
Specifications
Specifications
Dimensions:
- Case Diameter: 39mm
- Case Thickness: 9.2mm
- Lug to Lug: 43.75mm
- Lug Width: 20mm
Case Architecture:
- 3 Part Case Construction
Case Material:
- Grade 23 Titanium
Watch Weight:
- 40g (Estimated)
Crystals:
- Front - Sapphire Crystal with AR Coating
Water Resistance:
- 3 ATM
Movement:
- Brand: La Joux Perret
- Version: G101 Soigné
- Power Reserve: 68 Hours
- Jewels: 24
- Type: Automatic
- Accuracy: +3/-4s Per Day
Strap:
- 20mm to 18mm Taper
Dial:
- Brass dial with laser engraved tube map inspired pattern
- Hand filled with enamel paint by Chris Alexander (The Dial Artist)
Manufacturing Transparency
Manufacturing Transparency
Watch Case:
- Additive Manufacturing: Wales - Ebbw Vale
- CNC Machining: England - Gloucester
- Polishing: England - Newcastle
Dial :
- CNC Machined, finished and hand painted: England - Tenbury Wells
Strap:
- Alcantara with titanium buckle: England - Aylesbury
Packaging:
- SLS Nylon Case: England - Gloucester
Assembly:
- England - Maidenhead
Movement:
- Switzerland
Crystals:
- Japan
- Pad printed: England - Tenbury Wells
Hands:
- India
Crowns:
- Japan
Shipping Details
Shipping Details
Our Availability Commitment:
- As this is an event special edition, it will not form a part of our core 'unlimited' collection. Therefore only 3 watches will be made on a first come first serve basis at the BWD event.
UK Customers
- For our UK customers, your purchase price will include UK VAT to be paid.
EU Customers
- For our EU customers, we've tweaked the pricing so that you won't get hit with UK VAT (20%) on your order. When it comes to these EU orders, we're doing things on a DDU (Delivery Duty Unpaid) basis. Put simply, this means you'll need to handle the local duties and taxes before receiving your Gen1.1.
International Customers (Including USA)
- As for EU customers, you will not pay UK VAT (20%) on your order. Since all orders are shipped from the UK, there's a chance that import duties or taxes may come into play. With these international orders, we're using a DDU (Delivery Duty Unpaid) setup. Put simply, this means that any remaining import duties, clearance fees, brokerage fees, or any other extra charges are the responsibility of the customer and will need to be settled upon delivery.
Iconic Artistry
The dial of the Gen1.1 Underground draws inspiration from one of London’s most recognisable systems: the Tube. Rather than reproducing the map directly, its structure was interpreted as a dial layout. The network geometry is first laser engraved into a CNC-machined brass blank, creating a series of precise channels across the surface. From there, dial artist Chris Alexander completes the dial by hand. Using enamel paints drawn from the colours of the London Underground lines, each section is carefully filled and balanced by eye. The colouring is applied freely rather than to a fixed layout, meaning each watch is genuinely unique while retaining the same underlying structure.
Built Impossible
The Gen1.1 is made from grade 23 titanium, leading to a watch that’s incredibly light yet also strong. Zoom in on the lugs and you see the geometry that makes it possible. Fluid lines and impossible angles blend together to create a natural, organic frame, which acts as a strong cradle for the rest of the case.
For an Iconic Design
The London Underground map is one of the most recognisable pieces of functional design ever created. First introduced in 1933, its strength lies in its clarity: organising a complex transport network through simple geometry, hierarchy, and balance. Designed to be read at a glance, the map allows millions of commuters and visitors to navigate London every day. It prioritises legibility over geography, transforming a complicated system into something intuitive and easy to understand. For the Gen1.1 Underground, this same approach to structure and clarity became the foundation for the dial, translating the logic of the network into a form that feels natural on the wrist.
Built British
The UK is full of amazing manufacturers. We have built a supply chain that means we build the bulk of our components at home – and assemble everything in the UK, too. Our first watches were around 75% British-made and the number is even higher today. We are working towards 100%.
Apex Additive Technologies
Apex prints our titanium cases using laser powder bed fusion, a process reserved for rockets and high performance automotive. If it’s good enough for NASA and Bugatti, it’s good enough for us. Together, we build geometries no traditional method could ever reach.
Silvey Engineering
Silvey uses advanced 5-axis CNC machining to transform our printed titanium into functioning watch cases, cutting waterproof sealing surfaces, press-fit grooves, and bezel interfaces to micron precision.
Bedford Dials
A family-run business with centuries of watchmaking heritage, Bedford Dials brings precision and tradition to every crystal. They pad print our numerals and markers on the underside of the sapphire, making the details appear to float above the dial. It’s subtle. Technical. And perfectly executed.