His Watch World Has Right Angles

New York Times

12-02-2025

As the founder and chief executive of the Swedish brand Soner Watches, Freddie Palmgren says his brand has never produced a round watch — and never will.
Now he has turned his preference for square and rectangular timepieces into a book, 'Beyond Round Watches,' a 105-page paperback that explores in words and images the evolution of angular watches. It may be purchased through the Soner website or from Amazon ($22.90).
'Square and rectangular watches, to me, represent an elegance and balance that round watches simply cannot achieve,' Mr. Palmgren wrote in an email. 'They break away from convention, offering something for those who value individuality.'
The book begins with the origins of timekeeping and the wristwatch before delving into square and rectangular aesthetics in nature, science and art. 'Both belong to the geometric group of quadrilaterals,' Mr. Palmgren wrote in the email about the shapes, 'yet their unique proportions create different visual effects.' And in watchmaking, 'rectangular designs carry an Art Deco sophistication,' he noted, while square timepieces 'exude a symmetrical boldness.'
Most of the book traces the history of angular watches, from the release of the Cartier Santos in 1904 to their place in modern-day watchmaking, as well as the challenges of angular watch design and the future of square and rectangular timepieces.
Mr. Palmgren's email said he wrote the book, with some research help from Christie's, because angular watches had been in the circular shadow of their round counterparts for too long. And he noted that only about 2 percent of all watches today are angular.
'Most articles and discussions seemed to revolve around the Cartier Tank, TAG Heuer Monaco or the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso,' he wrote in the email. 'While these are iconic models, they represent only a fraction of the story behind angular watches.'
Niko, the host of the 'Beyond Horology Podcast,' who is based in Finland and goes only by his first name, pointed out that the book's December release came shortly after the introduction of the Patek Phillipe Cubitus, a 45-millimeter stainless steel sport watch. The Cubitus, the first new collection by Patek Phillipe in 25 years, has revived interest in angular timepieces.
'The Cubitus has taken the world by surprise,' the podcast host said in an interview, 'even among us seasoned watch nerds.'
In 2016 Mr. Palmgren founded Soner, which means sons in Swedish and was named for his two offspring, William and Widar. It is, according to Mr. Palmgren, the only brand in the world that produces solely rectangular watches, echoing his own collection of dress watches.
He said he was inspired to start the brand, which is based in Kungsbacka, a town on Sweden's west coast, by a disappointing hunt through a sea of round models for a high-end watch to celebrate a milestone event.
'None of them felt distinctive,' he wrote, 'or aligned with my vision of what a watch could be.'