Aurelia KOLLEKTIV Edition 3 & 3s – Review (Live Pics & Price)

Today, I would like to talk about a young and prolific independent watchmaker whose vision and approach to watchmaking are truly distinctive. If I say an Austrian watchmaker, with experience at H. Moser & Cie. and then Hautlence, already backed by a rare level of exposure to movement development, complications, and high-end horological projects, the more attentive among you may already have recognised Benedikt Prand-Stritzko and his brand Aurelia. And yet behind this still young name already stands a particularly substantial journey, built with a speed, coherence and sensitivity that command respect. With the KOLLEKTIV Edition 3 and 3s, Aurelia is not simply introducing two new watches. The brand is making even clearer a vision of watchmaking in which engineering, elegance, wearability and personal experience move forward together.

What I find particularly interesting about Benedikt Prand-Stritzko is that he already brings together several qualities that are rarely found with such coherence in a creator so young. There is, of course, something very solid about him on the technical side, but also a real eye for design, an obvious human sensitivity, and that kind of restraint often found in people who prefer to let their work speak first. And yet his path has nothing improvised about it. Born in 1998 and raised in Langau, in Lower Austria, he comes from a simple rural environment, deeply rooted in local community life, between brass band, sports club and rural youth organisation. He grew up on a farm, in a world close to practical things, the rhythm of everyday life, collective life, and probably also to a certain relationship with discipline and humility.

Very early on, Benedikt developed a strong interest in engineering and design. He first pursued a technical education in mechatronics before moving on to Karlstein, a key place in his journey, since it is home both to a technical high school and to Austria’s only watchmaking school. That is where something truly clicked. One day, while still a teenager, he came across an HYT H2 in a catalogue. The impact was immediate. As an engineering student, he could not understand how such a watch could be technically possible, and that was precisely what fascinated him. He then told himself that he needed a watch like that, and that if he could not afford one, he would make it himself. He was only 17 at the time. It is a powerful anecdote, because it already says a great deal about the way he thinks: not simply to admire, but to understand first, and then to create.

From that point on, watchmaking ceased to be a simple curiosity. It became a direction. After his technical studies, joining Karlstein’s watchmaking programme felt almost natural. Benedikt wanted to learn the craft thoroughly. And above all, he wanted to do it without separating technique from aesthetics. That is a very important point with him. Very early on, one senses that he is interested not only in mechanical performance or in the construction of movements, but also in the way a watch should present itself, feel right and find its balance. That dual sensitivity, both technical and visual, still runs through his entire approach today.

His trajectory then reached another level when he discovered H. Moser & Cie. while looking for an internship. He completed a particularly formative three-month internship there, before returning after graduation. At the age of 21, he moved to Switzerland and joined the manufacture’s Research and Development department. There, he worked on demanding subjects such as the optimisation of escapement components, Breguet hairsprings, certain complication modules, and then more complete movement projects. He notably contributed to the development of the HMC 201 automatic calibre as well as the HMC 805 tourbillon movement. This gave him real technical depth, but above all a very concrete understanding of what high watchmaking means when it is approached with a high level of standards.

He later joined Hautlence, Moser’s sister company, where his role grew even further. As a development engineer and technical project manager, he worked on several calibres and notably led the complete redesign of the Hautlence Sphere, a project that would later receive a GPHG award in 2023 in the Mechanical Exception category. This stage is essential, because it clearly shows that Benedikt Prand-Stritzko did not enter independence with a simple desire to create his own brand. He arrived with genuine experience in development, design, technical refinement, and a real culture of demanding execution.

And yet the real turning point was not only professional. It was deeply personal. The birth of his daughter Aurelia brought him back to Austria, closer to his family, and opened a new phase in his journey. Back in the old family farm, he set up a small workshop and began working as an independent developer, designing complications and producing prototypes for several manufactures. During that period, he developed a broad range of mechanisms, including tourbillons, double retrograde hours and minutes displays, a three-dimensional moonphase, and integrated retrograde calendar systems. This phase matters enormously, because it corresponds to the moment when his expertise truly became his own, in a freer, more personal and more direct framework.

That is where the Aurelia brand truly began to take shape. Of course, the name comes from his daughter, but what matters most is that this birth represents much more than an affectionate tribute. It symbolises a new beginning. A form of regained independence. A way of building something more intimate, but also more aligned with who he is. At first, Benedikt simply wanted to create a watch for himself. A watch that would bring together everything he loves in high watchmaking: an interesting and well-finished movement, a wearable case, an enamel dial, hands finished by hand, a beautiful strap, and above all a coherent whole. The project was therefore not, at the beginning, something designed for the market. It was first and foremost the approach of an enthusiast who wanted to give form to his own idea of a beautiful watch.

Then things evolved naturally. Those close to him, his friends and family, became interested. The project began to gain momentum. What was initially meant to be a watch for himself became a first small series, and then the foundation of a more structured brand. And what is interesting is that one feels that this evolution did not happen against the original project, but from within it. Aurelia has retained something deeply personal, while gradually gaining maturity and clarity. The KOLLEKTIV Edition 3 and 3s, which I am going to present here, fit precisely within that logic. They do not appear as two isolated new references. They rather represent another stage in the brand’s maturation. New dial, new case, new movement, new proportions for the more compact version: everything points to a desire to refine, to do better, to push every detail further.

I had the opportunity to meet Benedikt for the first time in Geneva during Geneva Watch Days 2025, and then to see him again in Dubai at the Timezones fair. I was also fortunate enough to spend a few days with the Edition 3 and 3s. That allowed me not only to discover the watches up close, but also to better understand the person behind the project. What comes through very quickly in him is a rather rare combination of discretion, sensitivity and rigour. You can sense someone deeply human, perhaps still slightly reserved when it comes to the spotlight, but also a tireless worker who is gradually taking his place with a great sense of balance.

At the end of the day, that may well be what makes Aurelia particularly interesting today. We are talking about a young Austrian watchmaker who, at only 27, has already worked on major projects at Moser and Hautlence, developed complications for others, built the foundations of his own brand, and is beginning to assert a very personal language. A language in which technique, elegance, wearability and real personal sensitivity do not oppose one another, but instead strengthen one another. Now, let us move on to the presentation of the KOLLEKTIV Edition 3 and 3s.

What are the features of the Aurelia KOLLEKTIV Edition 3 & 3s?

Case

To my eyes, the case of the Aurelia KOLLEKTIV Edition 3 is one of the first elements that helps explain the accuracy of the project as a whole. What I noticed first was the way the watch sits on the wrist. Despite its 40.5 mm diameter, it never feels too large or poorly balanced. And that comes precisely from the fact that Benedikt designed this case around the movement, trying to contain its footprint as much as possible while also working on a measurement that is often far more revealing than diameter alone: the lug-to-lug. At 46.8 mm, the result is something very wearable, very controlled, with real presence yet never intrusive.

It is also worth pointing out that this case was designed in-house by Benedikt himself. The machining is done externally, but all finishing is then carried out in-house. And you can feel that immediately. There is real work here on surfaces, volumes and transitions. The watch is made of 316L stainless steel, with a domed and faceted sapphire crystal on the dial side, as well as a faceted sapphire caseback on the movement side. The whole thing gives a very strong impression of perceived quality, all the more so because the slightly concave bezel brings real elegance to the piece. There is also a fairly visible influence from certain aesthetic codes learned at Moser, but without ever becoming too obvious a quotation. The result remains personal.

What I particularly liked is precisely the contrast between the polished bezel and the rest of the case, which is worked more through satin and brushed finishes. This gives the whole watch a lot of depth without ever turning it into something demonstrative. The case remains very clean in its design, yet reveals many details once you take the time to look at it closely. This is especially true of the lugs. They are fairly short, so very well considered in terms of comfort, but they are far from neutral in their design. On their outer side, there is a polished angle that I found particularly successful. This detail starts from the lug and almost continues as it narrows toward the crown, giving real visual continuity to the profile of the watch. It is subtle, but it adds a great deal.

The crown also deserves attention. It is not logoed in the conventional sense, but it is far from standard either. Its grip is excellent, and I really felt that while winding the watch. Whether on the Edition 3 or the Edition 3s, winding is very satisfying. And that is exactly the kind of detail that matters a lot on a hand-wound watch, because it directly contributes to the daily relationship one has with it.

Another point I found very successful is the caseback. On the Edition 3, you get a very large opening onto the movement, which is especially appreciated given the interest of the calibre. And this caseback is not simply functional. It is also very well designed. The central section, secured by four screws, visually echoes the shape of the lugs, which gives the whole watch a real sense of unity. Once again, you can feel that the case was not designed only from the dial side, but as part of a broader overall logic.

And that is exactly what makes the comparison with the Edition 3s so interesting. Because the 3s is not simply a scaled-down version of the larger watch. It is a genuine reinterpretation. With its 34 mm diameter, 39 mm lug-to-lug and 8.8 mm thickness, it retains the same overall spirit, but with proportions completely rethought to work in a more compact format. And that is immediately visible on the wrist. For me, with a smaller wrist, the 3s sits particularly well, but I also think it can work perfectly on both male and female wrists. It remains a coherent, assertive and horologically serious watch, never giving the impression of being just a smaller version.

That is also visible on the caseback. Once again, Benedikt did not simply miniaturise what existed on the 40.5 mm model. The back was redesigned to adapt to the smaller movement and the new case proportions. The opening onto the movement is logically a little more restrained, but the overall result remains very harmonious. The four screws are not positioned in the same way, and you can clearly feel that real thought went into this adaptation. That may seem secondary, but to me it is precisely the sort of detail that shows this is a genuine horological approach, not just a catalogue variation.

On the wrist, the 3s also works remarkably well. The lugs come almost flush with the caseback, which allows the watch to sit very nicely against the wrist. It is very successful, and it contributes greatly to the overall comfort. You find the same case spirit as on the larger version, but with a more compact, tighter reading, almost even more natural on certain wrists.

In the end, I find both cases particularly successful. What I like here is that they share the same language while embracing real differences. The Edition 3 offers a very balanced, contemporary and wearable presence around a larger movement, while the Edition 3s shows that Aurelia did not simply reduce an existing model, but genuinely rethought its proportions, its caseback and its balance in order to propose a credible and coherent alternative. In both cases, you can feel real control over design, great attention to wearability, and above all the ability to create a personal, contemporary and very well-finished case without falling into gratuitous demonstration.

Dial

To my eyes, the dial of the Aurelia KOLLEKTIV Edition 3 and 3s is one of the most appealing elements of the watch, precisely because it first gives an impression of sobriety before revealing far more complexity than it initially suggests. What struck me first, very clearly, was the colour. Indoors, the watch looks almost black. Then, as soon as it catches even a little light, a purple nuance gradually appears. And once outside, the dial takes on a completely different dimension, with something that almost shifts toward the colour of wine lees. I found that extremely successful, because the dial never tries too hard. It stays discreet in daily wear, then reveals a real visual twist as soon as it catches the light.

That is exactly what I liked so much here. This is not a demonstrative or overly obvious purple all the time. The result remains very wearable, very elegant and very easy to live with. But as soon as light enters the dial, everything changes. The deep tone opens up, gains intensity, and the dial truly comes alive. To me, that is one of its greatest strengths: managing to be measured, refined and visually alive all at once.

The work on the shade becomes even more interesting when you look at both models together. Because in order to achieve the same visual impression between the Edition 3 and the Edition 3s, Aurelia did not simply use exactly the same dial in two different sizes. On the 3s, the tone was made slightly lighter in order to maintain a uniform overall rendering despite the reduced surface area. That may seem like a minor detail from afar, but it says a lot about the level of care behind the project. Once again, it shows clearly that this is not a simple downsizing exercise. The perception of the dial was thought through according to the proportions of each model.

Beyond the colour itself, I found the black fumé effect very successful. It brings real depth to the dial. If the entire surface had been treated in exactly the same tone, I think the effect would have been much flatter. Here, darkening the periphery allows the eye to enter the dial. It gives more relief, more density, and reinforces that sense of a living dial. It also allows the different dial elements to stand out more clearly, especially the railroad track, the small seconds and the hands, which detach themselves with real sharpness.

I also found the visual construction of the dial particularly well thought through. This railroad track plays an important role because it creates a very elegant transition between a lighter central area and a darker periphery. It structures the dial very well and further reinforces that impression of depth. Everything is very coherent, very harmonious, with a beautiful overall symmetry. There is no unnecessary flourish. The watch remains very elegant, very legible, and yet you can feel that there is real refinement behind it.

The grained finish also deserves mention. In spirit, it reminded me of certain executions seen at Moser, with that same ability to enrich the surface without making it too heavy. Here, the effect remains quite subtle, but it adds a real layer of texture to the dial. It avoids any sense of a surface that is too smooth or too flat, and contributes to the overall impression of a dial that is more worked than it first appears.

The hands obviously play a central role in this success. They are designed in-house, like the dial, then machined externally before being fully hand-finished in-house. And that work really deserves to be highlighted. Benedikt himself explains that this type of finish is impossible to achieve by machine. The hands are laser-cut, then each one requires between one and a half and two hours of filing and polishing. They are made in rhodium-plated brass, with symmetry in their base form, but not in their finishing. That means you are not simply looking at well-designed hands, but at true horological hands whose quality also comes from the time spent on them by hand.

And it shows. I found them particularly elegant, very well proportioned, with a real sense of delicacy on the dial. They never steal attention from the whole, but they contribute greatly to the watch’s balance. They bring precision and clarity, and extend the overall spirit of the dial very well. Once again, you can feel a real search for coherence between design, legibility and craftsmanship.

It is also worth stressing that despite all this richness of tone and finish, the dial remains very legible. That matters, because it would have been easy to fall into something too decorative. Here, that never happens. The small seconds is well integrated, the railroad track structures the reading nicely, and the whole retains real purity. The dial looks almost simple at first glance, while in reality it is far more complex, nuanced and subtle than it first appears.

In the end, I find this dial particularly successful. What I like here is the balance between visual beauty, depth of colour, quality of finish and craftsmanship. There is something very elegant, very coherent, but also very alive. And that is precisely what makes it, in my eyes, so interesting: a dial capable of being discreet when it needs to be, then revealing real personality as soon as you take the time to look at it.

Movement

To my eyes, the movement of these Aurelia KOLLEKTIV Edition 3 and 3s is one of the most interesting aspects of the project, precisely because it reflects a very honest, very intelligent and already very personal approach to independent watchmaking. Benedikt is not trying here to pretend that he is starting from a completely blank sheet, nor is he overselling a full manufacture movement story simply to tick a box. On the contrary, he embraces a middle path, but one conceived with a great deal of coherence. The idea is simple: start from a reliable, known and robust base, then replace, redesign, rework and finish in-house everything that can realistically be done at this stage. And to me, that is exactly what makes the approach credible.

What I really like in his thinking is that he never reduces the movement to decoration alone. For him, architecture is fundamental. And I think he is right. There is no point in drawing a movement overloaded with angles and demonstrations if, in the end, the level of finishing does not follow, or if it sends the price soaring without any real benefit to the collector. Here, by contrast, you can feel a real upstream thought process: designing an architecture that remains beautiful, coherent and recognisable, while allowing finishing efforts to be concentrated in the right places, with a genuine level of hand execution. To my eyes, this is a far more mature approach than gratuitous complexity.

In both cases, Aurelia therefore starts from a Unitas 6497 or 6498 base, as many independents have done before. But what matters is less the starting point than what Benedikt does with it afterwards. He explains it very clearly: in the end, he keeps almost nothing beyond the gear train and the original mainplate. The entire upper side of the movement is new, the bridges are specifically machined, the ratchet system has been redeveloped, the visible components have been reworked, and the whole is hand-finished in-house. So this is not a simple decorated Unitas. It is a deeply reinterpreted base, with real vision behind it.

On the Edition 3, what struck me first was clearly the overall architecture of the movement, and then immediately afterwards the German silver bridges. Visually, they bring something that more standard movements simply do not have. There is warmth, depth and a particular character that immediately give the whole thing more presence. And that is exactly what I like about this material: it has real visual personality, and it will also evolve over time with a slight patina. That makes the movement feel more alive, more organic, almost more endearing as well.

The JA98-3 calibre that powers the Edition 3 beats at 3 Hz and offers 58 hours of power reserve. Here again, I find the choices very coherent. The movement is built around a three-quarter plate and a German silver balance bridge, with hand-finishing carried out in-house. You also find Geneva stripes, hand-applied anglage, screwed 18k gold chatons, hand-finished purple screws, as well as a particularly interesting integrated ratchet system. That is not necessarily the first detail one notices, but it says a great deal about the level of thought that has gone into the movement’s construction. And above all, it shows that Benedikt wanted to intervene in structural elements too, not only in the overall appearance.

The balance bridge, on the other hand, really struck me at first glance. The fact that it is now entirely hand engraved brings real emotion to the movement. It is the kind of detail one does not necessarily expect at this price level, and yet it changes the overall perception enormously. It gives the movement a signature, an extra soul, something more embodied. To me, it is one of the very beautiful details of this Edition 3.

It is also worth talking about the crown wheel and ratchet wheel, both hand-finished with a sunray finish. Here again, you feel a movement that has been thought through as a whole, with real visual hierarchy. Nothing feels left to chance. There is a clear desire to give the eye several points of interest and several levels of reading without ever tipping into decorative excess. And when you observe the movement through a loupe, the level of finishing is genuinely impressive for this category of watch. Honestly, that was one of the points that surprised me most, in the best possible way.

The Edition 3s, meanwhile, is powered by a different calibre, the JA98s, also hand-wound, but running at 4 Hz with a 45-hour power reserve. I do not really want to compare it directly with the larger movement, because that would not make much sense. We are dealing here with a different architecture, designed for a smaller watch, with clear size constraints. And that is precisely what deserves praise: Benedikt did not simply miniaturise what already existed. He developed a true second movement, with its own identity, while preserving the key principles that structure the project.

So on the 3s, you find the same overall philosophy: German silver bridges, hand-finishing, 18k gold chatons, the same attention paid to architecture, perceived quality and the horological presence of the movement. To me, that is what a serious collector should take away here. Not just that these are two watches with two different movements, but above all that behind these two calibres there is real continuity of intention. Benedikt started from a reliable base, but pushed it as far as he could in order to make it something personal, beautiful, coherent and genuinely horological.

At heart, the three words that seem to define these movements best are simple enough: architecture, finishing and technical substance. Architecture, because you can feel it has been thought through intelligently. Finishing, because the level of execution is truly remarkable at this price. And technical substance, because it is never just about looking good: behind these movements there is a real logic of construction, hierarchy and legibility.

In the end, I find the whole approach extremely successful. Aurelia is not trying here to impress through exaggerated or artificial storytelling. The brand offers something much fairer: an intelligent interpretation of what a very beautiful independent movement can be today at this level of price. And when you see the quality of the German silver bridges, the hand-engraved balance bridge, the work on the ratchet system, the screwed gold chatons and the overall care given to finishing, you immediately understand that behind these movements there is much more than a familiar base that has simply been well decorated. There is already a real vision.

Strap

The Edition 3 and Edition 3S are fitted with a strap made by a small workshop based in Vienna. It is crafted from black Pamplona leather, paired with a purple nubuck lining, and incorporates a quick-release spring bar system that allows the strap to be changed easily without tools.

The whole is particularly coherent with the spirit of the watch. I especially appreciated that purple lining, which adds a discreet touch of personality while reinforcing the feeling of quality on the wrist.

The buckle also deserves attention. Far from being a standard component, it takes up the aesthetic language of the case with a great deal of coherence. The upper and lower surfaces are polished, while the central section features a vertical satin finish. Even the pin has a satin finish, a discreet detail that speaks to the overall level of care. Finally, Aurelia deliberately chose not to place its logo on the buckle, allowing the quality of its execution to speak for itself.

What is the price of the Aurelia KOLLEKTIV Edition 3 & 3s?

The 40.5 mm Aurelia KOLLEKTIV Edition 3 is priced at €5,900 excluding tax, while the 34 mm Edition 3S is offered at €4,950 excluding tax. As of today, both models are fully reserved until May 2027, a reflection of the deliberately limited production pace adopted by Benedikt.

Today, the workshop produces eight Edition 3 pieces per month and two Edition 3S pieces, a volume that allows it to maintain a level of execution and finishing consistent with its vision of watchmaking.

As is often the case in independent watchmaking, the price may seem significant at first glance. And yet, once you take the time to look at the work done on the movement architecture, the quality of the finishing, the materials used and the overall level of execution of the watch, the proposition strikes me as particularly coherent.

To my eyes, the Edition 3 is aimed just as much at a collector who has already discovered several independent brands or micro-brands and wants to take a new step in their collection, as at a more experienced enthusiast already familiar with independent watchmaking and sensitive to Benedikt’s approach. In both cases, what you find is a watch conceived with a clear vision, where every technical and aesthetic choice seems to have been carefully thought through rather than dictated by marketing considerations.

Aurelia KOLLEKTIV Edition 3 & 3s: far more than a promising young project, the already solid foundations of a real watch brand

With these KOLLEKTIV Edition 3 and 3s, Aurelia offers, in my eyes, far more than two well thought-out and well executed watches. What I see here is already the very clear expression of a vision. A horological vision, of course, but also a brand vision, almost already a manufacture vision. And that is precisely what makes Benedikt Prand-Stritzko’s project particularly interesting today. We are no longer looking at a simply attractive young project that should be observed indulgently while waiting to see what it might become. We are already looking at something coherent, structured, credible, and above all driven by a very clear ambition.

The Edition 3 and 3s genuinely convinced me because they are coherent from end to end. The case, the dial, the movement, the proportions, the finishing, everything seems to have been thought through with great seriousness and, above all, with a real hierarchy of priorities. Nothing gives the impression of having been added gratuitously. Nothing feels opportunistic. On the contrary, every element seems to have been weighed, adjusted and placed exactly where it should be in order to build a harmonious whole. And I find that to be a rare quality, especially at this price level. You can clearly feel that Benedikt has worked on his subject in depth, that he understands his constraints, and that he knows exactly where to focus the effort in order to offer as much substance as possible.

That is, moreover, one of Aurelia’s great strengths today: offering something genuinely horological, with real execution quality, while still remaining in a positioning that feels coherent. That also explains, in my view, why the watches are already finding their audience so quickly. Their success does not surprise me. Because beyond aesthetic pleasure or value for money, there is something deeper here: clarity of vision. And that is probably what strikes me as strongest in this project. Benedikt does not give the impression of improvising his trajectory. He already knows what he wants to build, at what scale he wants to do it, with what team, with what collections, and with what level of ambition.

That is where, to my mind, the project has already moved beyond the stage of being simply a promising independent name. You can sense in him not only a real watchmaker, but also a real entrepreneur. Someone who understands that in order to grow a house, it is not enough to have good ideas or beautiful finishing. You also need to know how to structure a team, delegate, create a coherent working environment, and prepare the next steps without ever losing the thread. That level of maturity seems especially remarkable to me in someone so young. And what makes it even more interesting is that it never seems to come at the expense of his sensitivity. Benedikt remains, in my eyes, someone very human, very humble, very grounded, with a real sense of balance.

The KOLLEKTIV collection plays a fundamental role here. It is not a secondary collection, nor a simple entry line designed to artificially broaden the clientele. It is the first real building block of the Aurelia universe. The one that allows you to understand the brand’s language, its rigour, its relationship to wearability, the way it thinks about movement, proportions, dials and finishing. It is also, very clearly, the collection that should allow Aurelia to become known to a broader panel of collectors, without ever betraying its identity. And it is no doubt this foundation that will later support the rise of more ambitious projects.

Because the other strength of the project is precisely that it does not stop there. You can already feel that Aurelia is thinking about its development on several levels. On one side, the KOLLEKTIV collection, which forms the core of the brand and its most immediately readable proposition. On the other, the future ATELIER line, which will represent a more advanced expression of its vision through watches that are more complex, more exclusive, and more demonstrative on a technical level as well. And once again, I find that structure very sound. It shows that Benedikt does not simply want to produce more, but rather to build an entire universe intelligently, with several levels of reading.

The next concrete step will already be the arrival of the Deadbeat Seconds in September, which clearly shows that the KOLLEKTIV collection is continuing to grow and gain depth. Then will come the Tourbillon 1, the first piece in the ATELIER line, which should be read as a more advanced demonstration of the workshop’s potential and as proof that Benedikt does not intend to stop at simple watches. And that feels entirely logical to me. From the beginning, you can sense that complications attract him, that technical challenges stimulate him, and that, in time, he wants to express all of this through a more ambitious line. That is also what makes Aurelia’s trajectory particularly exciting to follow today.

Of course, scaling up a team, volumes and processes will inevitably represent a challenge. Gradually moving toward a larger structure, with higher objectives, will require adjustments, new methods, and no doubt new responsibilities as well. But to me, that belongs more to the normal challenge of growth than to a real point of concern. Because everything I have seen so far gives me confidence in the way he approaches things. There is real rigour in Benedikt, but also real lucidity. And I think precisely that ability to think bigger while remaining structured is one of the most encouraging signs for the future.

At the end of the day, that may be what I take away most from Aurelia today. A still young brand, yes, but one already carried by real legitimacy, real direction and real ambition. Not a vague or abstract ambition, but an embodied one, a thought-out one, almost methodical. And that is what makes me genuinely believe in this trajectory. Benedikt Prand-Stritzko is not simply building beautiful watches. He is laying the foundations of a much broader horological project, with enough vision to last, enough sensitivity to remain fair, and enough discipline to keep progressing.

I truly wish him the very best for what comes next, because I appreciated the quality of his watches just as much as the quality of the person behind them. There is in him a real combination of technical rigour, human sensitivity and entrepreneurial energy. And when those three elements move forward together, something interesting often happens.

Aurelia KOLLEKTIV Edition 3 & 3s – Watch Specifications

• Brand: Aurélia
• Model: KOLLEKTIV Edition 3
• Case Material: Stainless steel 316L
• Dial: Deep purple Griffé Fumé Dial
• Functions: Hours, Minutes, Small Seconds
• Movement: JA98, Manual-Winding, 18’000vph frequency (2.5Hz) and 18 jewels
• Power Reserve: 58 Hours
• Water Resistance: 3 ATM
• Crystal: Domed sapphire crystal
• Caseback: Sapphire
• Case Dimension: 40.5mm × 9.2mm
• Lug-to-Lug: 46.8 mm
• Strap: Black Pamplona with Steel Pin Buckle
• Availability : 8 pieces per month – SOLD OUT until May 2027
• Retail Price: 5’550 EUR (excluding VAT)
  
  
• Brand: Aurélia
• Model: KOLLEKTIV Edition 3s
• Case Material: Stainless steel 316L
• Dial: Deep purple Griffé Fumé Dial
• Functions: Hours, Minutes, Small Seconds
• Movement: JA98s, Manual-Winding, 18’000vph frequency (2.5Hz) and 17 jewels
• Power Reserve: 45 Hours
• Water Resistance: 3 ATM
• Crystal: Domed sapphire crystal
• Caseback: Sapphire
• Case Dimension: 34mm × 8.8mm
• Lug-to-Lug: 39 mm
• Strap: Black Pamplona with Steel Pin Buckle
• Availability : 2 pieces per month – SOLD OUT until May 2027
• Retail Price: 4’950 EUR (excluding VAT)

What do you think of Aurelia’s trajectory and of the way Benedikt Prand-Stritzko is building, through the KOLLEKTIV Edition 3 and 3s, far more than a simple young independent brand?

If this article added value or sparked a discovery, you can support the project HERE. Your contribution helps me keep weekly articles and a biweekly newsletter free, accessible, and independent for everyone.

For more information about Aurelia, click here.