Born in Moscow in 1960, Alexander Shorokhoff first began training as a civil engineer and became an architect student, two areas that don’t necessarily link directly with the world of watchmaking but areas that no doubt shaped his success all the same. He would one day become a pioneer in watch development. Having moved to Germany in 1991 Alexander headed up a Russian brand, specialising in European sales and distributing watches for a manufacturer. This role, however, was not enough. The entrepreneur wanted to influence the watch industry in a greater way, so his quest continued, launching an in-house watch brand of his own. Poljot International was founded in 1994 but it was not until the year 2003, however, that the brand, Alexander Shorokhoff would be born, carrying the founder’s name as a direct reference to the brand’s unique DNA and the driving force behind it.
Located in Alzenau in Germany, Alexander Shorokhoff is a small, independent Bavaria-based company that specialises in handcrafted timepieces. From the engraving stages to the calibration, case cutting and assembly, each timepiece developed by the manufacturer is considered a work of art with a “made in Germany” distinction. All the timepieces made by Alex Shorokhoff follow the same motto – art on the wrist. The brand offers three main categories, Avantgarde, Vintage and Heritage, and branching off from that, a range of sub-categories. Some Alex Shorokhoff watches are inspired by the Russian art movement of the early 20th century and flaunt skeletonized, enamelled and engraved techniques upon their designs.
Belonging to the Alex Shorokhoff Heritage collection are watches that feature hand-engraved movements that are put on show through the dial side, enabling the wearer to appreciate both the watch’s design and the complexity of its engine at the same time. incorporating some used movements from the founder’s former brand Poljot, as well as some ETA movements, the Avantgarde collection of Alex Shorokhoff watches has been re-worked in-house to showcase intricately decorated gears and embellished bridges. The company also produces its own modules, however, such as its chrono-regulator and regulator movements.
Alex Shorokhoff Babylonian watches are inspired by Cosmos elements and celestial objects. The movement is interpreted as the centre of the galaxy in these models, hand-engraved and adorned with a decorated sunburst pattern to accentuate the beauty of the watch’s inner zodiac ring finished in blue mother of pearl tones. The brand has also dedicated its artisanal skill and expertise in exemplary watchmaking towards creating wristwatches that evoke emotions, such as the award-winning Alex Shorokhoff Winter watch series. These watches feature blued hands that add to a wintery tableau. Calling attention to the season itself, the designs from the range include ornate decoration depicting frosted foliage, with surfaces covered in diamond powder.
Alex Shorokhoff watches are not only examples of true German manufacture, but their unique designs, meticulous decoration and intricate hand-applied finishes make for popular novelties to collect by those in favour of unconventional design. Other lines include the Watch Dandy, Sixtythree, Lady Automatic, Kandy and Glocker, as well as the German brand’s Day & Night watch, which halves the dial into two sections characterised by sun and moon icons.
