About Us – official.pookwatches.com

The origin of Pook Watches

Where it all began

In the 1970`s I was a very young boy. During the summer months my father and I went diving almost daily. We would go in any weather – sunny and calm or a day with a roaring sea. All of those days were filled with joy and excitement. Over the years we had hundreds of days together filled with diving and adventure. My father was a professional diver (from the late 60’s to 1990) doing underwater welding, and other demanding projects. But he was also passionate about diving as a free time hobby. He was a true 24/7 diver. What I did not realize at the time was that adventures shared with my father were truly the source of inspiration for me in life. I observed very closely everything my father did, and learned how to cope with weather and water. I fell in love with the sea, just like my dad before me. Every time I had the chance I studied my father’s gear, trying to figure out the function of the equipment and how it was used. When diving daily in the Nordic seas the equipment must be reliable. The weather conditions are often harsh. The strict rules of diving safety have to be adhered to. Unnecessary risks endangering yours or other diver’s lives must be avoided. The time spent underwater in the depths of the sea, was naturally a very crucial factor to follow. I held my father’s diving watch (a Citizen B52806) in my hands as often as he would allow me, usually during the diving trips. A few times he even let me dive with the watch. You can imagine how I felt during those rare occasions. I have come to realize that this was the very moment my watch enthusiasm started. After my father’s retirement from professional diving, his watch has travelled the world. Our good friend made a web article about the times and travels of this very watch.

You can read this fabulous story through this web link: The fabulous story of Seppo and his B52806 150m Citizen. Thank you Citizen Guy!

“Divers..

..inspiration finally realized"

I have been interested in and collecting watches ever since. The idea and dream of a watch design of my own was born. However, like many things in life; making an idea a reality takes time and patience. Several years went by, but the idea remained. Finally, decades later, I had the opportunity to design my own watch, converting my dream into a practical product. I wanted the timepiece to have the classic 70’s diving watch look, but updated to modern technical standards, quality and precision possible today. That is why I chose high quality materials and reliable component solutions for the design. The wristwatch is designed for everyday land use but can also take the demanding conditions of diving in salty seawater. Despite the fact that a watch is a vital instrument of timekeeping for a diver, a tool if you will, I incorporated form and elements of design to be visually enjoyed. Perhaps giving inspiration from a time when divers did not have the high-end technology gear and diving computers. Planning diving trips in the past required effort and extensive research, contacts and arrangements prior to the actual adventure of diving, exploration and finding. Today we have use of modern technology to make diving safer and the underwater adventure better than ever before. I am humbled and privileged to be able to leave something for coming generations in the form of a watch. The feeling of a lifelong inspiring adventure, a little boy looking at the horizon from the shore wondering how to gather enough courage, to dive into the depths of the sea for the very first time.

“From the Finnish nature..

..lighthouse called Pooki"

These watches are inspired by the joy of diving, adventure in the Finnish nature and the love of my family I experienced during my childhood in the 70’s.

Pooki (Lyökin pooki) is the name of Finland’s oldest archipelago lighthouse. More accurately; Lyökin pooki is an over 16 meter high nautical day beacon tower, built of granite blocks and painted red and white in four alternating squares. The beacon was built in 1757 on the small Lyökki island and is today preserved by the Finnish Heritage Agency. https://www.selkameri.fi/kohteet/show/674

We made many diving trips with my father in the sea around the Lyökin pooki beacon. It felt just right to hold on to the name of Pooki in my watch design – POOKWATCHES.
I hope you can share and enjoy the spirit that I have put into our watches.

All the “Lyökki” pictures in this website are taken by my father whom I greatly admire, love and respect. Lyökki & Mariehamn, Finland, between the years 1969-1980.

* Unfortunately, my father died suddenly in the fall of 2020. The last conversations with my father were related to the sense of peace in the Archipelago Sea that we experienced on our excursions decades earlier. Our journey together ended and we will continue it with great longing and respect. In memory of my father. I miss him so much, Andreas.

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