Microbrand
Alato
alato.seAlato is the project of Pierre Strömbäck, a watch enthusiast from southern Sweden who turned a private family endearment into a brand — "Alato" has been used within his family since 1990 as a declaration of affection, and ALATO Watches was formally established in 2023. The debut piece, the Ögonsten (Swedish for "apple of my eye"), launched via Kickstarter and leans into that romantic origin rather than tool-watch pretense.
Alato is a one-model, passion-driven microbrand in the affordable bracket. The Ögonsten is a 38mm dress-sport piece with 100m water resistance, sapphire crystal, 316L steel case, a distinctive double-bezel design and decorated caseback, offered as a limited edition of 1,988 pieces. It runs a Swiss quartz movement at around US$299, positioning it as accessible everyday wear with a personal narrative.
Worth knowing
Very new (2023) and effectively a single-model crowdfunded brand, so there's no track record on long-term service, QC or resale — treat it as a passion purchase, not an investment. It uses a stock Swiss quartz movement (not mechanical or in-house), and pre-orders ship on Kickstarter timelines, so expect a wait.
