I’ve been trying to remind myself lately that interesting material choices aren’t supposed to be locked behind five-figure price tags. Somewhere along the way, stone dials became another luxury signaling device instead of what they actually are: texture, color, and personality on the wrist. By 2025, they were everywhere, but mostly in the hands of brands more interested in status than substance. That’s why the AC2 Volcán from Anders & Co. caught my attention.
What I noticed first wasn’t even the stone dial. It was the proportions. A 37mm tonneau case at 5.6mm thick immediately puts this in a different conversation. That’s genuinely thin, not “thin for the category” thin. The polished steel case has a soft curvature through the lugs that suggests it’ll wrap the wrist instead of sitting there like a polished coin. I’ve learned the hard way that comfort has very little to do with diameter alone. Lug behavior and case geometry matter more, and this looks like someone actually thought that through instead of just shrinking numbers for a spec sheet win.
Design-wise, Anders & Co. aren’t pretending they invented dress watch language. But it all feels practical. A clean layout that lets the dial material do the talking. Turquoise, charoite, red agate. These are stones that usually come bundled with price tags that make you question your life choices. Here, they’re treated more like design elements than trophies.
The brand’s own marketing leans a bit hard on the adjectives, but what interests me more is the finishing discipline at this price. At $628 – $716, the goal is coherence and cohesion. The dial textures are the star, but the case doesn’t feel like an afterthought propping them up.
Inside is a Miyota 9T22 quartz movement, which will probably turn off the usual crowd on principle alone. Personally, I think it makes sense. There’s no way you get this case profile with a mechanical movement without pushing the watch into a completely different tax bracket. And because there’s no seconds hand, you’re not constantly reminded that it’s quartz anyway. You set it, you forget it, and you just live with the beautiful stone dial.
The included alligator-embossed quick-release strap is… fine. I understand the choice, but it’s not where I’d land long-term. I’d throw this on grey suede or something soft and matte almost immediately. The watch feels calmer that way in my head.
Once the novelty settles, what’s left is a well-proportioned, thoughtfully designed watch that doesn’t ask you to buy into a lifestyle narrative. It’s not promising transcendence or status or a shortcut to good taste. It’s just a watch that seems to wear well, looks interesting, and doesn’t punish you financially for wanting something different. In the current climate, that restraint feels almost radical.
Co-Founder & Senior Editor
Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.