On a brisk January morning, I met with Lucie Motlíková, marketing manager for Czech watch brand Robot, and we drove an hour and a half east from Prague to the Czech watchmaking town of Nové Město nad Metují. There are three watch companies centered in the small town, with Robot being the latest one to establish its workshop there. During our drive, Motlíková narrated to me the story of how the Robot watch company came about.

The founding of the company began with Josef Zajíček, a passionate car enthusiast and chairman of the board for Autodrom Most — the racetrack well known for the Superbike World Championship and European car races. Previously the owner of an auto parts business based in Mladá Boleslav, the birthplace and manufacturing city of Škoda cars, Zajíček decided to sell his company during the pandemic after 22 years of supplying plastic and carbon parts to various car manufacturers.

Prior to doing so, he had discovered and been smitten by the world of watchmaking, and being a serial entrepreneur, Zajíček started to think about manufacturing watches as his next venture. His first instinct was to buy Prim, an already well-established manufacturer of Czech-made watches. However, negotiations fell through, so he decided to create a new watch company and began manufacturing in Nové Město nad Metují.

Zajíček originally named the company Bohematic and hired acclaimed designer Michal Froněk, then a watch industry outsider. When asked why he had engaged someone with no prior experience in horology, Zajíček replied candidly that he prefers an outsider’s perspective for creating unique designs rather than be limited to copying designs from existing watches. Froněk, though not an avid watch person before joining the company, had been interested in watch design since he was young, having gained ownership of his grandfather’s vintage Patek Philippe watch. He’s also co-founder of one of the best-known Czech design studios, and a professor of product design at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague. Both he and Zajíček have a common interest in vintage cars, which naturally became the inspiration for the first Bohematic watches.

Unfortunately, the Bohematic name was short-lived, as it had to be changed to avoid a potential clash with Richemont-owned Montblanc, which has a product line with a similar name. Zajíček soon began brainstorming for a new name. Having built a successful auto parts company, Zajíček had utilized robots throughout his manufacturing process. More importantly, he wanted to pay tribute to the cultural heritage of his homeland, and it was the Czech author Karel Čapek who first coined the term “robot” in his play R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots), which was published in 1920. Hence, Zajíček decided to rename his watch company Robot — Robot Hodinky, to be specific — two Czech words that would be familiar to most of us. “Karel Čapek’s vision of the future in which robots work on our behalf for us not to waste time, and be able to enjoy ourselves is symbolic even for our brand,” said Zajíček. “People need to use time efficiently today. Its scarcity and value are present in the fine materials traditionally used in watchmaking and the mechanisms that are made to last centuries. The Prague Astronomical Clock serves as an example.”

An entrée to Czech watchmaking

As we drove up the winding road leading to the center of Nové Město nad Metují, even on a gloomy winter day, the castle and the row of Renaissance-style houses made for a scenic backdrop. We were greeted by cheerful Renata Eichlerová, the production director for Robot watch manufacturing. After introductions, Eichlerová took us on a tour of Robot’s relatively small-scale production facility. She explained that Robot is a microbrand with an output of between 200 and 250 watches annually, with 50 percent of the watches being customized at the request of the customers. Customization can be as simple as a unique seconds hand in a specific color with the shape of the customer’s car as the counterweight. They also customize dials, cases and straps, and personalize sapphire casebacks with stamped printing. All the customization is done in-house, with the supply of parts being procured from the Czech Republic and Switzerland.

Eichlerová elaborated that Robot first and foremost offers uniquely designed watches. Simple customizations are offered at zero to a low surcharge. All watches utilize La Joux-Perret movements. These movements are selected for their thinness, making the watches more comfortable for daily wear. With three watchmakers sharing various responsibilities, they are efficient in turning around simple customizations, from rendering to a fully assembled watch, within three weeks.

As we walked through the design department, I observed the production of the entry-level, three-hand Aplos model. “Aplós” in Greek means simple, and this watch encompasses all the characteristics of simplicity and style. Robot uses electroplating techniques to make colorful dials, transforming Aplos into a contemporary watch. The watch has a diameter of 39.4mm, and with the slim La Joux-Perret G100 movement, its overall height is 10.3mm. With the long indexes and round counterweight, the Aplos resembles the shape of a wheel. The date is subtle and unobtrusive. The rotor on the movement has a series of robots that spell out the word “robot” with their hand gestures. Viewing the entire rotor from the compact opening on the caseback took me a moment, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at the robot animation on the oscillating rotor, which gives the watch a touch of whimsy and fun.

The second watch I saw at the watchmaker’s table was the Aerodynamic model. Holding the dial in my hand, I skimmed over the perforation and raised indexes, which have been accomplished to an impressive degree. The dial design was inspired by avant-garde Czechoslovakian aerodynamic cars of the 1930s, specifically the Tatra T77 — the first ever mass-produced car with a streamlined body. Hans Ledwinka was the chief designer and engineer while Erich Übelacker was responsible for the bodywork of Tatra T77. Its design was also based on the ideas and knowledge of the Hungarian- born Swiss aerodynamicist Paul Jaray.

The dial of the Aerodynamic also features a circular ribbed motif inspired by the bodywork of the first Wikov 35 Kapka and Zbrojovka Z 4 aerodynamic cars. Further automotive inspired features include a power reserve display in the shape of a fuel gauge, which is aesthetically balanced by a small seconds subdial at six o’clock. The manual winding La Joux-Perret movement within has skeletonization and decorative brushing, and provides eight days of power reserve. The muted 39.4mm sandblasted titanium case redirects all attention to the dial.

The future beckons

After the tour of the workshop, Ms. Eichlerová gave us an overview of all the watches in Robot’s portfolio. On our drive back to Prague, we discussed sales, retail presence and the growth of Robot. Motlíková stated that Robot has done well with 20 percent to 30 percent growth in 2023 by expanding retail presence within Europe and exhibiting its watches in the U.K., Germany and Austria. Robot will be presenting to an international audience, including retailers, in the upcoming Time to Watches Geneva exhibition in early April 2024. Nonetheless, Robot’s flagship boutique in Prague Old Town Square remains essential for domestic and international visitors.

Robot also has big ambitions, especially with gaining access to the U.S. market. Indeed, I believe its uniquely designed and Czech-made watches can resonate well with the great number of passionate car and watch enthusiasts in the States.

Motlíková emphasized as we near Prague’s outer ring road, “We are proud of having world recognized artists and designers rooted in Czech heritage, and inspired by iconic stories and visionary artists. Our designs embody the legacy of excellence that transcends time. Celebrating the renowned craftsmanship that gained international acclaim, we stand as a testament to Czech innovation and precision. We stand behind our Czech-made quality, and therefore we offer an eight-year warranty on all our watches.”

After visiting the Robot manufacture, I can say unequivocally that this is one of the up-and-coming microbrands that you might want to look out for.

Learn more on Robot’s website here