Florijn Watches - Background Story

Background Story

In 2014 FLORIJN introduced its first watch model. Passionate watch lover Hans Heuvelman had taken the initiative; his passion for watches stemming from the fact that time is one of the most precious things on earth (and everyone here seems to be in chronically short supply of it). This wealth deserves to be carried around in a way that fits its value, with mechanical ingenuity. A watch offers this possibility!

After having collected, viewed, assessed, purchased and sold watches for many years, the time had come to translate this experience into their own watch brand.

The name

FLORIJN is of Dutch origin. The first guilder (in Dutch gulden, meaning ‘golden’) was called FLORIJN, after the Florentine lily from the arms of the city of Florence, where in 1252 the first major golden coinage since the Carolingian period was minted. With FLORIJN we wanted to refer to all the good that the Netherlands have produced without being nationalist. We think of Dutch landscapes, beautiful buildings and architecture (Berlage, Rietveld, Koolhaas), dikes, dams and embankments. Traditions of tolerance, salesmanship and conviviality. FLORIJN feels at home in all these circumstances. And FLORIJN finds its way across borders, as the Dutch have always done. As a companion who travels with you, whether for business or leisure.

Design and vision

As a Dutch brand we are inspired by Dutch Design, something we are famous for worldwide. FLORIJN wants its own place in this tradition. In general, Dutch Design is described as ‘simple and powerful’, without being simplistic. This is expressed in clean lines and functionality without any frills.

Our objective is to offer a pleasant, comfortable, affordable and reliable watch; clearly indicating the time and date and suitable to wear in any circumstance.

Quality and reliability is established by using materials like stainless steel and sapphire glass. Also our choice for a reliable and durable mechanical Seiko movement, so no batteries are needed anymore. Since the watch is waterproof for 300 meters (30 ATM), the watch can be used in all humid circumstances. Your FLORIJN went through a quality assurance process before it will be send to you.

Because of our cost structure and and our direct relationship with suppliers and factories, we can offer you the moste value for money with FLORIJN.

Logo

Dutch designer Henry Smaal designed our logo. The shape of the escutcheon is based on the escutcheon depicted on the first Dutch FLORIJN. The figurative mark is also called a ligature, a combination of two letters. We like this typographic phenomenon and our ligature is especially designed for FLORIJN, based on the Dutch font Scala (used by the Dutch postal service PTT Post).