ARC II — Fordite Groovy "Cherry Blast"
VAT included. Free shipping.
History for Your Wrist
The Arc II — Fordite series features dials handmade from real “Motor City Agate”, a byproduct of the automotive industry reborn as art.
Fordite is the result of old oversprayed car paint, layer upon layer, hardened over time. Once considered waste, these vibrant strata have been reborn as something far more beautiful, each slice a geological snapshot of color, motion, and history.
At Arcanaut, we carefully mill, shape, and finish these cured paint blocks by hand to reveal their hidden patterns, transforming industrial remnants into watch dials that are as individual as fingerprints.
This piece, “Cherry Blast,” comes from the Groovy type of Fordite dials, where we cut straight across the layers to reveal bold, flowing bands of color with a dynamic, psychedelic feel. It has vibrant cherry reds, soft whites, deep graphite greys, and flashes of blue flowing together in layered, wave-like motion.
We named it “Cherry Blast” because of its vivid red tones and energetic rhythm, a composition that feels both deliberate and spontaneous, like captured movement in color.
Each Fordite watch we make is a one-of-a-kind piece unique, built to order, assembled in our Copenhagen workshop. The watches are powered by Swiss automatic movements from Soprod, which we regulate in-house to ensure their accuracy.
Estimated Dispatch 2–3 Weeks
Description
Fordite
Known also as Detroit or Motor City Agate, Fordite is a fascinating material created as a byproduct of the automobile industry. When it came time for bodywork panels to be sprayed, they were mounted to specially made jigs in painting chambers.
Over time, the overspray would build up on the walls, floors, and jigs and need to be chipped off so they could continue to be used. Initially considered nothing but a waste product, these lumps of layered paint, resprayed and baked repeatedly for years, were discarded until someone realized the incredible beauty that resided within.
Nowadays, genuine Fordite (which is far more compact and durable than the synthetic or homemade variety) is used in jewelry production. Arcanaut’s materials maestro, James Thompson, was the first to refine the process for using it in high-end watch design, and now the Arcanaut ARC II — Fordite pieces form an important cornerstone of our collection.
There are three types of Fordite dials crafted by Arcanaut: the “Groovy” variety cuts straight through the layers, revealing inimitable patterns of paints fused together.
The “Linear” variety is particularly challenging to make as the grain of each lump of Fordite has to be identified and then cross-sectioned with unflinching precision to ensure a perfectly linear result. These watches make up around 3% of our output.
Our "Ripple Milling" process takes either a Linear or a Groovy piece to begin with and cuts a topographical pattern into the surface for a 3D (or should that be 4D?) effect like no other...
Each piece is entirely unique, with hundreds of stories revealed by every slice. Sadly, modern car production techniques mean Fordite is no longer produced in such enduring quality, so these pieces are the first and last of their kind.
Case
316L stainless steel case, CNC milled north of Copenhagen with tolerances down to a micron. The case has a matte micro bead blasted finish, with hand-polished highlights applied by our watchmakers in Copenhagen. As with all our watches, the case features our signature "Pentablock" crown, which is shaped to follow the form of the case perfectly.
Hands
Our laser-cut micro-welded steel hands are made and hand-finished in Denmark and topped with solid Lumicast tips.
Straps
There are nine strap colours available for the Arc II case. Our strap types are Axe Red, Void Blue, Fett Green, Rex Brown, Kakarot Orange, Bondi Blue, Replicant White, Mellow Yellow, and Black (just black).
Delivery
Dispatch between two and three weeks. Watches are made to order.
Technical information
Name: Arcanaut ARC II — Fordite
Dimensions: 40.52 mm width (excluding crown), 12.82 mm thick (including crystal), and 49.06 lug-to-lug
Case: Micro-blasted 316L stainless steel case with brushed, and hand-polished highlights
Water resistance: 100 m
Dial: Genuine hand-finished Fordite
Hands: Laser-cut stainless steel
Movement: Soprod M100 — Swiss-made automatic
Functions: Time only
Power reserve: 42 hours
Operating frequency: 28,800vph
Limitation: Limited production
Price: EUR 3,595 Excl. VAT and tariffs, Incl. Delivery.
FAQ
Do you ship wordwide?
Yes, we offer free shipping from Denmark.
How will my watch be delivered?
Your watch will be shipping in an Arcanaut presentation box along with a strap change tool. If you order additional straps, these will be shipped within the box.
What is the total price of the watch delivered?
The retail price includes worldwide shipping, but it does not cover VAT, import duties, or other local taxes. These additional charges vary by country, so we recommend contacting your local customs or tax office to get a full landed cost estimate before purchasing. That way, you’ll know exactly what to expect—no surprises.
Where can I buy Arcanaut watches?
You can buy Arcanaut watches either here on the official website, through our US retailer, Collective Horology, or via our partners in Stockholm, INDP watches.
Why does it take between six and eight weeks for delivery? Can't you just ship the watch in the image?
Fordite pieces are assembled and checked to order. The image you see on this product listing is a composite created by merging an actual photo of the dial with an actual photo of an existing watch to give a realistic impression of the dial's orientation and appearance when finally assembled. We do this because we are a small, artisanal maker, who cares about delivering our handmade products as quickly as possible. As such, we assemble each unique Fordite piece once it has been ordered and not before.
Known also as Detroit or Motor City Agate, Fordite is a fascinating material created as a byproduct of the automobile industry.
It's car paint that has accumulated over time in the paint bays of Detroit area car factories between the 1970s and 1990s.
Technical information
40.52 mm width (excluding crown), 12.82 mm thick (including crystal), and 49.06 lug-to-lug
Micro-blasted 316L stainless steel case with brushed, and hand-polished highlights
100 m (10 ATM)
Laser-cut stainless steel
Soprod M100 — Swiss-made automatic
42 hours
Genuine hand-finished Fordite
Unique pieces
Super ergonomic rubber strap
316L stainless steel case, CNC milled
Domed sapphire with anti-reflective coating (both sides)
Badgerite — based on Super-LumiNova®
Nowadays, genuine Fordite (which is far more compact and durable than the synthetic or homemade variety) is used in jewelry production. Arcanaut’s materials maestro, James Thompson, was the first to refine the process for using it in high-end watch design, and now the Arcanaut ARC II - Fordite pieces form an important cornerstone of our collection.
Each piece is entirely unique, with hundreds of stories revealed by every slice. Sadly, modern car production techniques mean Fordite is no longer produced in such enduring quality, so these pieces are the first and last of their kind.
316L stainless steel case, CNC milled north of Copenhagen with tolerances down to a micron (a thousandth of a millimeter or about the same size as a bacteria). The case has a matte micro bead blasted finish, with hand-polished highlights done by watchmaker Claus Valentin in Copenhagen. As with all our watches, the case features our signature "Pentablock" crown, which is shaped to follow the form of the case perfectly.
Laser-cut micro-welded steel hands, made and hand-finished in Denmark. The hands feature a light matte micro-blasted finish, adding to the sleek, stealthy, and sophisticated appearance of the Fordite models, and solid Lumicast tips in a variety of complementary colours.
Nowadays, genuine Fordite (which is far more compact and durable than the synthetic or homemade variety) is used in jewelry production. Arcanaut’s materials maestro, James Thompson, was the first to refine the process for using it in high-end watch design, and now the Arcanaut ARC II - Fordite pieces form an important cornerstone of our collection.
Each piece is entirely unique, with hundreds of stories revealed by every slice. Sadly, modern car production techniques mean Fordite is no longer produced in such enduring quality, so these pieces are the first and last of their kind.
316L stainless steel case, CNC milled north of Copenhagen with tolerances down to a micron (a thousandth of a millimeter or about the same size as a bacteria). The case has a matte micro bead blasted finish, with hand-polished highlights done by watchmaker Claus Valentin in Copenhagen. As with all our watches, the case features our signature "Pentablock" crown, which is shaped to follow the form of the case perfectly.
Laser-cut micro-welded steel hands, made and hand-finished in Denmark. The hands feature a light matte micro-blasted finish, adding to the sleek, stealthy, and sophisticated appearance of the Fordite models, and solid Lumicast tips in a variety of complementary colours.
Fordite Watches Explained: Automotive History In A Watch?
Black Badger, otherwise known as James Thompson, co-owner of Arcanaut and the brand's arch-alchemist explains the process behind turning decades-old car paint into aesthetically beautiful and totally unique creations that can be worn on your wrist.
Video
The Story Of Ultra Ripple Milling
The Story of Ultra Ripple Milling The origins of the Ultra Ripple pattern can be traced all the way back to a RedBar Copenhagen meeting held in late 2022. Around fifty watch lovers gathered in a l...
Fordite collection
You may also like
