I’ve always had a thing for watches that go beyond just telling time. I’m drawn to brands that tell a story, that have some soul behind the steel. That’s exactly what caught my eye with Waldan. I first came across their watches in WRUW threads and on my Instagram feed, thanks to collectors who spotlight affordable microbrands. They looked sharp, and I figured they’d be solid pieces. And they absolutely are – but more on that later. What I didn’t expect was the story behind the brand. Waldan isn’t just another microbrand; it’s connected to an unsung hero of 20th-century watchmaking – a name you’ve probably never heard, and someone who, as it turns out, shares my roots: Poland.

There was a time when wearing some form of tailoring to work—a full suit, dress shirt, and tie, or a business casual look—was standard. While those rules still apply certain places, the shift toward more relaxed dressing has transformed our regular style decisions. The smart casual dress code sits front and center in that conversation.

Waldan is an American watch brand with an incredible backstory, founded in 1979 in New York City by Oscar Waldan, a holocaust survivor who learned the art of watchmaking while imprisoned in the Buchenwald Concentration Camp during WWII. His creations were sold through esteemed retailers such as Tiffany & Co., Tourneau, and Wempe, and Waldan is notably said to be part of the reason why Rolex adopted the Zenith El Primero movement in its Daytona, the El Primero being a favoured base calibre for Oscar’s own watches.