BURO sat down with Mehmet Koruturk, Chairman of Vanguart, for an insightful conversation about the brand’s visionary approach to watchmaking and the extraordinary evolution of its acclaimed Black Hole collection. Known for pushing the boundaries of haute horology, Vanguart is set to unveil two groundbreaking releases at Dubai Watch Week 2025: the Black Hole Rose Gold and the Black Hole Arabic Numerals editions.
The Black Hole Arabic Numerals edition marks a pioneering moment in horology, seamlessly integrating Arabic numeral design into a contemporary, titanium-encased masterpiece. Meanwhile, the Black Hole Rose Gold edition introduces a faceless generation of timepieces that redefine luxury through purity, form, and light alone, offering collectors an understated yet strikingly sophisticated expression of artistry and precision.
In this exclusive sit-down, Koruturk shares the philosophy behind Vanguart’s unmistakable identity, the meticulous craftsmanship of its newest releases, and how the brand continues to balance innovation, cultural resonance, and timeless elegance in every creation.
VANGUART IS STILL A YOUNG INDEPENDENT BRAND, YET ALREADY CARRIES A SENSE OF ASSURED IDENTITY. WHAT WAS THE DEFINING MOMENT WHEN YOU REALIZED THE BRAND HAD ITS OWN UNMISTAKABLE VOICE IN THE WATCH WORLD?
The defining moment came when collectors stopped asking us what inspired us and started telling us why they recognized a Vanguart instantly.
It wasn’t about aesthetics or complications, it was about architecture, emotion, and attitude. When people could identify a piece without seeing the name, I knew the brand had found its position. From that point on, our responsibility shifted from finding an identity to protecting it.
THE NEW DUBAI WATCH WEEK EXCLUSIVES FEEL CRAFTED WITH THE REGION IN MIND. WHAT ELEMENTS, EMOTIONS, OR CULTURAL CUES FROM THE MIDDLE EAST FOUND THEIR WAY INTO THESE PIECES?
The Middle East has a very refined relationship with beauty, it’s bold, but never loud; expressive, yet deeply respectful of craftsmanship.
For these pieces, we thought about light, depth, and presence. The way materials react under strong light, the sense of monumentality without excess, and the emotional weight of an object that feels ceremonial rather than decorative.
CRAFTSMANSHIP TODAY IS SHIFTING FROM “PERFECT” TO “MEANINGFUL.” HOW DOES VANGUART ENSURE ITS WATCHES AREN’T JUST MECHANICALLY EXCEPTIONAL, BUT ALSO EMOTIONALLY COMPELLING?
Mechanical perfection is a given, it’s the entry ticket. Meaning comes from intention.
At Vanguart, every technical choice is tied to an emotion we want to evoke: curiosity, wonder, even playfulness. We design movements that invite the collector to engage, to discover, to feel something beyond precision.
A watch should not only tell time impeccably, it should tell a story every time you look at it.
BUILDING AN INDEPENDENT WATCH BRAND IS EQUAL PARTS MADNESS AND MAGIC. WHAT PHILOSOPHY OR PRINCIPLE HAS KEPT YOU GROUNDED, AND WHICH ONE HAS KEPT YOU BOLD?
What keeps me grounded is respect, for time, for craftsmanship, for the people who make our watches by hand. What keeps me bold is curiosity. The willingness to ask “why not?” before asking “why.”
Independence allows us to take creative risks without dilution. That balance between humility and audacity is where the magic happens.
IN A REGION WHERE APPRECIATION FOR HOROLOGY IS GROWING RAPIDLY, WHAT CONVERSATIONS AT DUBAI WATCH WEEK HAVE SURPRISED OR INSPIRED YOU THE MOST?
What surprises me most is the level of intellectual curiosity. Collectors here don’t just want to know what a watch is, they want to understand why it exists. The conversations go deep: about movement architecture, finishing philosophies, long-term serviceability. That depth is incredibly inspiring and confirms that the Middle East is not just a market, but a cultural force in modern horology.
WHEN DESIGNING A WATCH THAT “RESONATES,” WHAT’S THE FIRST QUESTION YOU ASK YOURSELF: WHAT DOES THE COLLECTOR WANT? WHAT DOES THE REGION NEED? OR WHAT DOES THE BRAND STAND FOR?
Always: what does the brand stand for.
If the brand is honest, resonance follows naturally. A collector may be in Dubai, Geneva, or Tokyo, but authenticity travels. Once the foundation is clear, we refine the expression to suit the region and the collector, without ever compromising the core identity.
WITH MOMENTUM AROUND WATCHES STRONGER THAN EVER, HOW DO YOU BALANCE TAPPING INTO CURRENT EXCITEMENT WHILE BUILDING TIMEPIECES THAT STILL FEEL TIMELESS, INTENTIONAL, AND UNMISTAKABLY VANGUART?
Momentum is exciting, but it’s also dangerous if you chase it blindly. We’re very disciplined about time, in design, in production, and in decision-making.
Every watch is designed to feel relevant today, but meaningful decades from now.
Trends fade. Identity endures. That’s how we ensure every Vanguart remains timeless, intentional, and unmistakably ours.
