Store Norske gave us an exclusive tour of Mine 3 and Mine 7 in June 2023. Deep in the darkness, the guide turned off the headlamps: “This is what it will be like from 2025 – silent and pitch black.” That’s when we knew we had to preserve a spark of mining history before the doors close for good.
This watch is that spark.
Limited Edition Smart Ring
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GRUVEBUS
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Delivery: October
The Gruvebus statue on the caseback
Swiss automatic movement and lume
Collector’s Item – Individually Numbered Warranty Cards
Coal pattern on the dial.
Swiss Trigalight Tritium tubes
Coal from Mine 7 used in the production.
OFFICIAL COLLABORATION
WHAT MAKES THIS WATCH SPECIAL?
Built for the Dark
Swiss mb-microtec tubes (GTLS) glow on their own for decades – tiny glass capillaries filled with tritium that cause a zinc sulfide phosphor to emit light. We’ve embedded these tubes in the hour markers and hands, while the bezel and numerals are flooded with Swiss Super‑LumiNova. The combination is rare: Super‑LumiNova gives a burst of light when you step out of brightness, while tritium ensures readability even after a full week in total darkness – a practical choice for a “mining watch” that lives up to its inspiration.
Arctic Coal from Svalbard
Svalbard’s Mine 7 produces rare anthracite with 92–98% fixed carbon and almost no ash or sulfur.
This purity is why the Swiss specialty chemicals giant Clariant has sourced coal from here for over 40 years; at their factory in Germany, it’s refined into high-purity carbon used in catalysts and advanced pigments for the automotive industry.
We use the coal both in the casting moulds and as forge fuel. Its stable, low-oxygen flame lets us bring 316 L steel to around 870 °C without forming scale, then snap-quench it in a salt bath. The case hardness rises from ≈ 192 HV to 224 HV—about 17 % harder—giving improved scratch and impact resistance over ordinary 316L stainless steel.
The Gruvebus Statue – A Tribute from Longyearbyen
The caseback is crafted using deep stamping – the same forceful method used in coin production – creating a richly detailed relief you can see and feel.
The design is our tribute to the “Gruvebus Statue” in Longyearbyen. With permission from artist Tore Bjørn Skjølsvik, we’ve reinterpreted the figure into a proud symbol of Arctic resilience and the mining heritage that shaped the town.
Behind the relief beats a Swiss Sellita SW200 automatic movement – known for its reliability, precision, and long-lasting performance.
Design Features
The pattern on the dial isn’t a graphic effect – it’s the actual texture of Svalbard’s bedrock. We retrieved a piece of coal from deep inside Mine 3, pressed its surface pattern into the dial, and sealed it with three layers of clear lacquer. The result is a tactile, microscopic replica of polar coal – while creating a perfectly smooth surface for our self-illuminating GTLS tubes and applied hour markers.
And the hour markers? They’re more than just indices – their shape echoes the distinctive silhouette of the sign guarding the entrance to Mine 3.
Just below the logo, the dial bears the word GRUVEBUS — an affectionate nod to the hardy pickaxe- and headlamp-clad pioneers who carved the very foundations of Longyearbyen.
TIMELINE
"Between the sporty cases, dials inspired by cutting-edge scientific technology, and the attractive price point, there’s a lot to fall in love with here."
"Among the new Norwegian microbrands, ÁIGI has made a particularly strong impression."
"it has become a compelling watch in its own right, with beautiful design details and fantastic value for money."
"I'm truly impressed. It's my new favorite brand."
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