I rarely get excited about new watch brands. The market is flooded with Kickstarter projects that promise the moon and deliver mediocrity. Another microbrand with a Miyota movement and generic case? Hard pass.
Then I found Perun.
A small Croatian company making watches inspired by Slavic mythology. My first reaction was skepticism. My second reaction, after actually holding one, was something I haven’t felt in years.
Genuine enthusiasm.
The Story #
Perun is the Slavic god of thunder and lightning - our version of Thor or Zeus. Veles is the god of earth and the underworld, often depicted with elk horns. The mythology runs deep through Croatian and broader Slavic culture.
The founders wanted to build a watch that honored this heritage while meeting serious horological standards. Not just a pretty dial with a vague mythology tie-in. A real watch.
They succeeded beyond any reasonable expectation.
The Specifications #
The Veles measures 40mm in diameter with a 47.5mm lug-to-lug. Case height is 12.35mm. That’s a proper modern size that wears comfortably on most wrists without dominating your arm.
316L stainless steel case. Screw-down crown and screwed caseback. AR-coated sapphire crystal. 150m water resistance. These are specs you’d expect from watches costing twice as much.
Inside sits a Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement with 38-hour power reserve. Swiss made, proven reliability, easy to service anywhere in the world. Smart choice for a startup that wants customers to actually wear their watches without anxiety.
But here’s where it gets interesting.
The Pointer Date #
The Veles features a pointer date complication - a central hand indicates the date on a chapter ring around the dial’s edge. This is relatively rare. You see it on watches like the Oris Artelier Pointer Date (€2,000+), Montblanc Heritage Spirit (€3,500+), and vintage pieces from JLC. Not on watches at €1,350.
The execution is flawless. The date hand is perfectly weighted. The jump at midnight is crisp. Reading the date becomes intuitive within hours of wearing it.
I cannot stress enough how unusual it is to find a pointer date at this price point, done this well.
The Design #
The dial is clean and purposeful, with no unnecessary decoration. The focus is on legibility and balance.
The Veles horns appear on the crown. The caseback features the Slavic sun symbol - a wheel representing the cyclical nature of time and seasons - along with thundermarks (gromoviti znaci) and other symbols from Slavic mythology.
The wooden presentation box is silk-screen printed with symbols from the Slavic pantheon. Inside, a strap change tool and an extra leather strap come standard.
Every detail connects to the mythology. But nothing feels forced. The watch works as a clean, sophisticated design even if you know nothing about Perun or Veles.
On the Wrist #
I’ve worn the Veles in Pearl White for three weeks now. The lug-to-lug fits my 17cm wrist perfectly. The included leather strap is genuinely good quality - not the afterthought straps most microbrands ship.
Legibility is excellent. The pointer date adds visual interest without compromising time reading. The hands and indices carry enough lume for night visibility.
Water resistance was tested at my local pool. No issues. The screw-down crown operates smoothly with no complaints.
Movement accuracy sits around +4 seconds per day. Perfectly acceptable for an SW200-1, and actually better than some Swiss brands using the same caliber.
The Price #
Here’s where everything comes together.
The Perun Veles retails at €1,350.
Thirteen fifty for a Swiss automatic movement, sapphire crystal, 150m water resistance, pointer date complication, and finishing that embarrasses watches at triple the price.
I’ve handled Tissots and Hamiltons and Longines at €800-1,200 that don’t match this level of thoughtfulness. The Veles punches so far above its weight that comparisons feel unfair.
The Catch? #
There isn’t one. Not really.
Brand recognition is limited - this is a young company. If you need the Rolex crown or Omega seahorse to feel confident, this isn’t for you.
Customer service is handled by a small team. Response times might be longer than big brands. That’s the reality of buying from an independent.
But for pure value - design, build quality, movement, finishing, price - the Veles is the best watch I’ve discovered in years.
Conclusion #
I started writing watch content because I love finding hidden gems. Pieces that deliver more than they cost. Watches that tell stories beyond their specifications.
The Perun Veles is exactly that.
A small Croatian company made something remarkable. They honored their heritage without compromising on quality. They priced it fairly instead of chasing margins.
I cannot believe this watch exists at this price point. If it were Swiss with a heritage brand name attached, it would cost €3,500 or more.
Buy one at perun.watch. Before word spreads too far and they can’t keep up with demand.
This is the watch I’ll be recommending all year. Maybe all decade.
Perun Veles. Remember the name.