Apiar unveils Gen1.0 3D printed timepiece

Bristish startup Apiar is seeking to transform the world of watchmaking through the use of additive manufacturing. The company’s upcoming product, the Gen1.0, does just that, integrating metal laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) components that break previous design limitations and introduce a more sustainable way or working. The new 3D printed watch will officially be released August 15th, 2025.

Apiar was founded in 2022 by Matt Oosthuizen and Sam White, two engineers who had seen first hand how transformative additive manufacturing was becoming in industries like aerospace. Driven by this experience and their shared passion for horology, the pair decided to design their very own wrist watch that took advantage of all the benefits of metal additive manufacturing.

The result of this work is the Gen1.0, a £2,250 ($2,583) timepiece that combines “additive manufacturing, generative design-inspired aesthetics and precision British engineering”. Printed from Grade 23 titanium, the watch case is made up of three pieces and weighs a modest 38 grams. These pieces are characterized by an intricate organic design, including a dial with a web-like structure and a case that has a distinctly generative aesthetic. The watch’s movement is from Swiss-based La Joux Perret.

A big driver of Apiar’s mission is to deliver a product made locally in the United Kingdom and it is making good on this goal. As the company says: “We’ve built a supply chain that means we can build the bulk of our components at home—and assemble everything here in the UK, too. Our first watches were around 75% British-made and the number is even higher today. Our goal is to get to 100%.” Notably, Apiar is committed to manufacturing transparency so customers can see where each watch component is made. For instance, the Gen1.0’s watch case is additively manufactured in Wales, machined in Gloucester and polished in Newcastle.

The company has also emphasized that its watch design is not only enabled by AM, it has also pushed the limits of the technology through the mastering of thin, unsupported features. This, it says, was achieved in close partnership with Welsh company Apex Additive Technologies. “Developing the Gen1.0 took expertise, patience and the right people,” Apiar stated on LinkedIn. “We’re proud to say we’ve got something special. And we’re bringing it to market on 15th August.”

Indeed, the Gen1.0 timepiece is coming out next month, when the company will reveal two colorways for the wearable (in an anodized aluminium colour plate). The new watch is the company’s second model, building on the original Invenire, which was unveiled by Apiar in 2023. The Invenire was notable for offering customers a range of customization options, including different 3D printed lattice geometries, a variety of dial combinations and different strap options. The Gen1.0 deliberately narrows these options in the interest of manufacturing efficiency and customer demand.