For those unfamiliar with the brand, GRØNE Oldenzaal is run by brothers Tim and Bart Grönefeld, the duo behind the renowned luxury watch brand Grönefeld. While owning a Grönefeld remains a dream for many enthusiasts due to its limited availability and haute horlogerie price tag, GRØNE Oldenzaal offers a more attainable alternative while retaining some of the design cues and characteristics that have made the brothers' watches distinctive.

Case, Dial and the Movement

The Horologium comes in a stainless steel case with curved lugs and a concave bezel. Measuring 39 mm in diameter, it follows the current trend of watches moving back towards more modest proportions. At just 10 mm thick, it has the slim profile you would expect from a dress watch. Framing the bezel is an orange gasket, a design element that is also seen on the brand's previous release - the Moment Meter chronograph. The Horologium offers 50 metres of water resistance, so if you're cycling to work, as many people do in the Netherlands, and the country's (in)famously unpredictable weather suddenly presents a rain, the Horologium should have no trouble handling the conditions.

Turning the watch over is an exhibition caseback, providing a view of the movement within. GRØNE has chosen a hand-wound movement from La Joux-Perret that delivers a 60-hour power reserve. While the brand has not disclosed the exact calibre, a manually wound movement seems like a fitting choice for a watch designed around traditional dress-watch principles. The movement is finished with Geneva stripes and heat-blued screws. An interesting design detail on the exhibition caseback is the orange gasket, which mirrors the one surrounding the bezel — a subtle design detail that reflects the brand's Dutch heritage.

The dial follows a classic layout, with the brand's name and its hometown of Oldenzaal printed beneath the 12 o'clock position. A small-seconds display is positioned on a raised plateau at 6 o'clock, creating a layered dial construction. The hands are heat-blued and are designed to stand out against both the orange and salmon dial colours. Surrounding the centre section is a ring featuring diamond-cut polished hour markers, which is itself framed by a raised minute track around the outer edge of the dial. At the 6 o'clock position on the minute track, the word "Netherlands" is printed as a subtle reference to the brand's country of origin.

The Quirky and the Classic

The Horologium is available in two dial variants: Quirky and Classic. Let's start with the Quirky. It features a bright orange dial, the national colour of the Netherlands. So, if you're Dutch, an expat like me, or simply someone who loves the country known for its windmills and tulip fields, this could be the variant for you.

Had this watch been released a little earlier, I would have suggested wearing it while watching the Netherlands during the FIFA World Cup. While everyone else would probably have been wearing an orange T-shirt, you could have supported the Dutch in a slightly different way—with a Dutch-made watch featuring a striking orange dial. Chances are, no one around you would have heard of GRØNE Oldenzaal, making it a conversation starter, especially if there are fellow watch enthusiasts nearby. Fortunately, you'll still have another perfect opportunity to do just that — King's Day next year, when the entire country turns up in orange attire.

The Classic version comes with a warm salmon dial. It is still colourful and distinctive, but noticeably more understated than the bright orange Quirky.

Apart from the dial colours, there is another detail that distinguishes the two versions. Exclusive to the Quirky is a subtle inscription printed on the sapphire crystal on the caseback: "Zoals het klokje thuis tikt, tikt het nergens", meaning "Home sweet home" in Dutch. It is a playful nod to the Grönefeld brothers' Dutch heritage and complements the watch's expressive personality. The Classic version omits this inscription, leaving a cleaner view of the movement through the exhibition caseback.

Pricing and availability

The GRØNE Horologium will be available to order from 13 August 2026 at 3:00 PM (CEST). Priced at €2,390 excluding taxes and shipping, each dial variant is limited to 188 pieces, and GRØNE has confirmed that the Horologium will not be reissued once sold out. For enthusiasts who have long admired the Grönefeld brothers' work but found it financially out of reach, the Horologium represents a more attainable interpretation of their design philosophy.