There is nothing like cruising the Chicago lakefront in a classic car, the wind in your hair and an amazing watch on your wrist.
In fact, matching the perfect watch to my car for the weekend is something I love to do. If I’m not driving to a car show, then I’m off to resale shops to buy more watches, to my wife’s dismay!
I’ve collected watches my whole life and as a graphic artist I have designed dials and cases for several microbrands. After years of dreaming, I decided to get to work and start my own company.
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I’m Mark Para, and along with my wife Helena we are the founders of Carpathia Watch Company.
We started Carpathia Watch Company in 2016, and it has been a very busy few years trying to get our brand off of the ground.
My wife and I are first generation Polish Americans, and we wanted to create something that reflected our shared background.
This Watch Is Live On Kickstarter
For our watch we wanted to blend the Chicago art deco influence with the look of vintage European wristwatches, and to achieve a unique and elegant piece that reflects our heritage.
At the onset of design, we knew we wanted our watch to feel traditional but to reflect modern trends.
Having collected watches my whole life, I knew what I normally look for; an excellent movement, a distinguishing factor, an interesting backstory.
I loved travelling to Poland with my family, and bringing a rare watch back to Chicago, knowing no one else would have one quite like it.
I wanted to convey that sense of rarity through my own watches as well.
I drew influences from those little-known European watch brands I always collected, as well as high-end luxury watches.
I worked together with my wife to pick finishes that reflected modern trends and stood out. For our first model, we wanted to celebrate our hometown of Chicago, a diverse city that was built by immigrants, adorned with art deco details.
My vision was to allow entry level watch enthusiasts to experience a movement that would otherwise be found in watches outside of their price range.
We pride ourselves on our dedication to using high quality movements rather than cutting costs by using cheaper movements as many microbrands do. Authenticity and commitment to quality are paramount to Carpathia.
The most important element to us is a high-quality movement. We opted to use an ETA 2824-2 elabore with top grade finishes.
Top grade finish means our movement is fully decorated with an engraved rotor, blued screws, and Geneva stripes.
Our movement is beautifully displayed in an exhibition case back. The sapphire glass on both sides is anti-reflective coated.
Cases are made of a 316L stainless steel plated in their respective finishes. The watch has a standard 5 ATM water resistance.
Meant to be a versatile dress watch, the case is 42mm in diameter. The art deco influence can be seen in the exaggerated, curved case lugs as well as the oversized onion crown.
The oversized logo and styling of the numerals and markers are also reminiscent of the art deco era.
Our name, logo, and the Chicago inscription can be found on the dial.
The case back will be engraved with the production number; a feature limited to our Kickstarter backers.
This watch comes in five unique finishes, all of which can currently be pre-ordered on our Kickstarter campaign!
We also have many different strap options available to suit your personal style, we offer leather, suede and mesh bracelets.
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