Introducing the MAKINA Cassiel II: Industrial Design Reimagined
- Christian Norman Kleiser
- Jun 12
- 4 min read
The world of watchmaking is often guided by tradition. Chronographs, in particular, tend to follow familiar design codes inspired by motorsport, aviation, or military heritage. With the launch of the Cassiel II, however, MAKINA has chosen a different path.
As the newest flagship model from the independent, family-run watchmaker, the Cassiel II represents the brand's most ambitious project to date and its first-ever automatic chronograph. More importantly, it embodies MAKINA's unwavering commitment to industrial design, architectural form, and contemporary mechanical watchmaking.
The result is a watch unlike anything else currently available in its category.
A New Flagship for a New Era
Since its inception, MAKINA has built a reputation for creating watches that feel distinctly modern. Drawing inspiration from industrial design, brutalist architecture, and engineered structures, the brand has consistently challenged conventional watchmaking aesthetics.
The Cassiel II takes this philosophy further than ever before.
Rather than treating the chronograph complication as a nostalgic reference to racing heritage, MAKINA approaches it as an exercise in industrial form. Every element of the watch has been reconsidered through the lens of contemporary design, resulting in a timepiece that feels more like a precision-engineered machine than a traditional wristwatch.
Monolithic in appearance yet surprisingly refined in execution, the Cassiel II establishes itself as a true flagship for the brand.
The Architecture of a Machine
The first thing that strikes you about the Cassiel II is its case.
At 42mm in diameter, with a 48mm lug-to-lug measurement and a thickness of 15mm including the sapphire crystal, it occupies a commanding presence on the wrist. Yet thanks to its angular case profile and tapered caseback, it wears more comfortably than its dimensions suggest.
The design language is unmistakably industrial.
Large faceted surfaces dominate the case architecture, while the interplay between rough sandblasted textures and polished accents creates a fascinating contrast between raw functionality and refined craftsmanship. The result is reminiscent of modern brutalist architecture, where structure itself becomes the defining aesthetic.
A screw-down crown ensures a practical 100-metre water resistance rating, reinforcing the watch's credentials as a robust everyday companion.
Even the integrated rubber strap continues the same design philosophy. Deeply moulded and highly dimensional, its upper and lower sections intentionally avoid symmetry, creating a unique visual identity that feels like a natural extension of the case rather than a separate component.
A Dial Unlike Any Other
The Cassiel II's dial is where MAKINA's creativity truly comes to life.
Protected by a bevelled sapphire crystal whose sloping edges subtly refract light across the perimeter, the dial immediately creates a sense of depth and complexity. Finished in matte black with graphite-grey undertones, it eliminates unnecessary reflections and allows its mechanical architecture to take centre stage.
Traditional chronograph sub-dials are nowhere to be found.
Instead, MAKINA replaces them with rotating display discs that reveal information through carefully engineered apertures. A 30-minute chronograph counter sits at 12 o'clock, while a 12-hour totaliser occupies the 6 o'clock position. Running seconds at 9 o'clock are balanced by a day-date display at 3 o'clock, creating a harmonious yet unconventional layout.
Further enhancing the design is the unusual hexagonal architecture of the hour and minute track. Breaking away from the traditional circular format, this geometric structure reinforces the watch's architectural identity and gives the dial a distinctly mechanical character.
The display is completed by MAKINA's signature two-pronged hour and minute hands, polished metallic indices, and generous lume application. After dark, the Cassiel II takes on an entirely new personality, revealing a hidden network of illuminated markers, hands, and rotating displays.
Powered by a Legendary Chronograph Movement
Beneath the industrial exterior lies one of the most respected chronograph movements ever produced: the Valjoux ETA 7750.
Introduced in the 1970s, the 7750 has become one of the most successful automatic chronograph calibres in modern horology. Renowned for its robustness, reliability, and distinctive operating feel, it has powered watches from some of the industry's most prestigious names, including Breitling, IWC, TAG Heuer, Sinn, Chronoswiss, and many others.
The movement provides:
Automatic winding
Running seconds
Chronograph minutes and hours
Day-date display
Approximately 48 hours of power reserve
For the Cassiel II, MAKINA has customised the movement with a newly designed black rotor featuring an elegant sunburst finish. Visible through the exhibition caseback, it adds an additional layer of visual depth while remaining faithful to the watch's industrial aesthetic.
A Chronograph for the Modern Collector
What makes the Cassiel II so compelling is not simply its specification sheet or its movement pedigree.
It is the confidence of its design.
In a market crowded with vintage-inspired chronographs, the Cassiel II dares to look forward. It challenges convention without sacrificing functionality, combining proven Swiss mechanical engineering with a design language that feels entirely contemporary.
For collectors seeking something genuinely different, it offers one of the most original interpretations of the automatic chronograph currently available.
Specifications
CASE: 316L surgical grade stainless steel. 42mm width / 40mm bezel diameter / 48mm lug-to-lug / 14mm excluding the glass (15mm including) / exhibition style case back
DIAL: Lumed, matte black, cool graphite-gray dial made of brass, layered construction, cut-out rotating discs, polished metallic hour indexes
HANDS: Lumed two-pronged hour and minute hands, chronograph seconds hand
FUNCTIONS: Hours / Minutes / Running seconds / Central chronograph seconds / Chronograph minutes / Chronograph hours / Day-date display
MOVEMENT: Valjoux/ETA 7750 automatic chronograph, 25 jewels, with an operating frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (vph) or 4 Hz or 8 beats per second, 44-48 hour power reserve
GLASS: Bevelled, flat sapphire crystal glass with 3x anti-reflective coating.
STRAP: Asymmetrical integrated rubber strap with quick release spring bars with sandblasted buckle
WATERPROOFING: 100 meter water resistance rating
WARRANTY: 2 Years
Availability
The MAKINA Cassiel II is now available for pre-order.
Customers can secure their watch today at a special pre-order price of £1,660, representing a saving of £220 compared to the future retail price.
Deliveries are scheduled between 10th and 31st August 2026.
As the newest flagship of the MAKINA collection, the Cassiel II stands as a powerful statement of what independent watchmaking can achieve when design, engineering, and creativity are allowed to evolve beyond convention.
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