Independent Watchmaker AURA Pursues Accessible Luxury Timepieces

In the world of luxury timepieces, “accessibility” is not a word that is often used or even comes to mind. However, a new brand has emerged that is looking to change that — in providing watches that are offered at an entry-level price that won’t break the bank.

The brand in question is AURA, established by a diverse team of creatives with one common goal, design high-end luxury-quality timepieces at an accessible price point.

To learn more about the brand and its range of watches, we spoke with its co-founder Tyler Thurman, who took us through everything from the origins of its name to the design inspirations behind its core models, as well as a few things to look forward to from the brand in the new year.

Inspiration and Influence

Thurman explained that the brand was founded by a group of like-minded creatives, with a singular aim, to design high-end luxury-quality timepieces at an accessible price point.

“We chose the name AURA because we feel it embodies the spirit of what our watches were created to evoke in bringing out the wearer’s inner ‘AURA’ that prioritizes autonomy – their truest selves, ever-changing moods and states of being.”

While all members of the AURA team certainly share core similarities, they also bring to the table unique differences, an aspect that can also be seen in the brand’s range of watches. Thurman shared that the team includes multi-faceted artists and creatives from musicians and models to photographers and digital designers.

“We’re all united in the pursuit of excellence in design – both in form and function,” he explained, adding “In what’s an already coveted and competitive market, we have chosen to focus on prioritizing quality craftsmanship and customer experience. Our watches, which are always built from high-quality components and materials, are a testament to our commitment to raising the bar for affordable watch brands.”

The Design

What caught our eye when we first came across AURA was the thoughtful design of its watches. Looking at models like its Date 001, it is clear to see inspirations that nod to those of Gérald Genta, the Swiss watchmaker behind the iconic Royal Oak and Nautilus. These elements are primarily observed in aspects like the timepiece’s integrated bracelet, case screws, protruding ears, waffle dial and hexagonal crown.

While watches that pay homage to iconic brands and designs are not uncommon, what is uncommon is originality in execution — using just enough inspiration to capture the timeless nature of the underlying design but with a combination of originality that allows the timepiece to stand on its own.

Speaking more on this, Thurman shared “We designed these watches to give our customers more, not less, than they paid for. Each of AURA’s watches initially started as prototypes and iterations that were quality tested, tweaked, and improved until we were confident that our products would stand out in offering alternative, accessible luxury that challenges the current norm and status quo.”

He further explained that quality of design and functionality comes first, with everything from products to customer experience being carefully crafted by individuals who prioritize artistry and creativity.

Observing other watches in the AURA ecosystem, a few others stand out, as having quite notable inspirations, these watches include the 1023 and the FKM Skeleton 001. These watches, by our observation, seem to tap into design elements like those found in the ALYX AP, particularly the 1023 with its minimalist approach and modern fashion look. Additionally, the FKM Skeleton 001 taps into a broader trend, with its rubberized strap, an option that is often offered by a variety of top-tier luxury watchmakers.

“While we have analyzed a number of various design queues from industry-leading watch models, we chose to use that inspiration to create something entirely different — a substitute for high-end, yet inaccessible high-end luxury timepieces, rather than a copy that the market is oversaturated with,” Thurman explained, adding “For those fortunate enough to be able to afford these industry-leading luxury branded timepieces, it comes at a cost with respect to enduring the stresses of theft, damage, safety, security, and longevity.”

He added that with this in mind, AURA intentionally designed its watches to evoke the most attractive aspects of the luxury watch sector, enabling its wearers to feel as though they are wearing a luxury timepiece with a substantial reduction in traditional pain points.

While admittedly, these watches might not serve the purpose of an investment piece, which you can find in timepieces that often start in the mid to high five-figure range — they do offer daily wearability and a luxury feel that is an excellent entry into the space for emerging collectors.

“We actively design and produce alternative luxury selections that lend themselves to genuine high-end fashion that doesn’t compromise the wearer’s identity and their evolving style palette, while also maintaining a clean, sharp, and accessible look,” expressed Thurman.

The Specs

To learn more about the specifications of AURA’s watches, we took a closer look at its Date 001, arguably its most classic offering. Like a majority of its watches, outside of the Skeleton models, the Date 001 is powered by a Seiko Japan NH35A self-winding movement, beats at 21,600 VpH or 3HZ, features 24 jewels and has a power reserve of 40 hours.

As for external materials, the watch features a 316L stainless steel case, with a 41mm profile, sapphire front glass, mineral caseback and a water resistance rating of 5 ATM or 50 meters — all paired with a stainless steel integrated bracelet.

While all of AURA’s watches currently operate using automatic movements, a preference for most watch aficionados, Thurman did share that the brand does plan to explore the use of quality quartz movements and that it plans to release different models utilizing these movements in the future.

Sharing more on why AURA went with the NH35A, Thurman said “Seiko is a brand and manufacturer with a long history of quality, success, and reliability, and we aim to achieve that same status as well. This Seiko movement in particular is a legendary workhorse in the watch world, and is known to be as solid and reliable as they come in this category, with an outstanding rating in overall quality and excellent specs in resilience and power bank capacity.”

He added that while they carefully and extensively researched a variety of movements, the NH35A provided AURA with the highest quality available on the market which still enables the brand to provide high-quality design at an accessible price point.

Accessible Luxury

Unlike traditional offerings, AURA’s pricing is the same across the board, with all timepieces in its initial offering being set at $400 USD — whether going for the rubberized FKM option on the Skeleton or the integrated steel bracelet on the Date 001.

Explaining this pricing decision, Thurman said “With these initial offerings, we did not want differences in pricing to be a factor in our customers’ choice in any way, stepping away from the expectations historically embraced in the traditional luxury watch sector.”

He further shared that the idea is to have the wearer choose the product that best suits their style and personality, rather than them being influenced to make their decision based on price tag alone — with the uniform pricing designed to eliminate this subconscious obstacle.

“We want to embrace today’s younger generations taking more of an interest in the traditional watch sector, outside of the smartwatch industry. In an increasingly digital world, we find value in the design and craftsmanship of a traditional analog timepiece,” he shared, adding that the goal is to “Enable our customers to naturally feel that they are getting more than they paid for while maintaining control over their autonomy and identity in choosing the products that best represent THEM and bring out their AURA.”

Looking forward, Thurman teased some of AURA’s upcoming plans, which include a multicolor line of FKM staps, featuring “a huge swatch of colors” that will be interchangeable with every one of the brand’s watch models. Additionally, AURA plans to expand its available sizes, while it currently offers both 40 and 41-mm case options, designed with medium-to-large wrist profiles in mind, it will also soon be offering smaller case models alongside an ultra-thin line.

AURA’s entire initial range, including five key models, in 13 different iterations, is available to shop now via its official site. Additionally, enjoy a closer look at the Skeleton 001 in the video below.