Larsen & Eriksen
LARSEN & ERIKSEN is a Copenhagen-based design duo built upon a lifelong friendship and an everlasting love for people and bicyclism. Jeppe Larsen and Magnus Eriksen have been best friends since they met in 3rd grade. Since then, they have traversed the farthest corners of the world several times and thus, throughout the years, they have observed the global watch market (and the world) from many different perspectives. Based on these worldly impressions, the idea of LARSEN & ERIKSEN was born.
Through LARSEN & ERIKSEN, Jeppe and Magnus wish to offer timeless Danish design, combined with a reliable Swiss parts movement, at a price point (and with an easy interchangeable strap system) making it possible for everyone, everywhere, to have more than just one watch in their “watch wardrobe”.
Drawing upon inspiration from the 50’s unique era of clean, timeless Danish design with a raw, urban twist of contemporary Copenhagen, the two designers have created a welcome-for-all universe evolving around a collection of watches combined with a socioeconomic initiative aiming at enhancing the quality of life for people in the underdeveloped areas of Western Africa.
THE WATCHES LARSEN & ERIKSEN spent two years on thoroughly designing and developing their first collection which they launched around Christmas time in 2016. Thus, there is not a single detail or choice of material that the two designers haven’t drawn by hand and adjusted to perfection.
Their first collection of watches is named after the Danish archbishop Absalon (1128 – 1201). In 1167, he founded the city of Copenhagen and later on, many years after his death, he had an elementary school named after him. At this very school, Jeppe and Magnus met in 3rd grade, and at that very moment, the story of LARSEN & ERIKSEN began.
The collection consists of 8 minimalist unisex watches based on two sizes – 41 mm and 37 mm – and all of the LARSEN & ERIKSEN watches come with a reliable Swiss parts quartz (battery driven) movement produced by the renowned Swiss movement manufacturer “Ronda” – hence the RONDA MVMT. at the bottom of the dial of the watches.
Due to an innovative “click-on/click-off” system, all of the LARSEN & ERIKSEN straps can easily be interchanged without the use of any tools, which permits a total of 18 different style combinations. The straps are highly durable and come in either padded genuine calf leather (black and brown) or stainless steel with a brushed finish. Although the design of the watches is strongly inspired by the clean lines of the Danish design heritage, one might see obvious references to the urban lifestyle of contemporary Copenhagen. Thus, the index lines running through the dial of the watch are inspired by the spokes of a bicycle wheel and all of the straps have a small penny farthing engraved on the buckle. Furthermore, all of the watches have a tribute to the architectural wonders of Copenhagen “hidden” on the caseback.
Improving the quality of life (for other people than just the ones wearing their watches), is a very centric part of LARSEN & ERIKSEN’s universe. Thus, through their #BIKESFORAHAPPIERWORLD initiative, LARSEN & ERIKSEN is striving to enhance the welfare of the underdeveloped parts of Western Africa.
In a collaboration with a Danish voluntary organization some of the more than 400.000 bikes that (per year!) normally go to waste in Denmark are instead collected, restored and then distributed to the rural areas of Western Africa. Here, a bike – compared to walking – makes a person able to travel 4 times further and carry 5 times more. In short, bikes increase access to education, healthcare and economic opportunities – and they decrease the time it takes to get there. Remarkably.
Currently, the bikes are being distributed to farmers, doctors, teachers, moms, dads and children in Senegal and the Gambia – and every time LARSEN & ERIKSEN sell a watch, they donate an inner tube to one of these amazing (bicycling) human beings.
