Stefan and Ev Kudoke Introduce The Kudoke 2 SHH Edition

By Andre Frois July 3, 2025

As a two-time Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) laureate, independent watchmaker Stefan Kudoke is no stranger to curious emails. But one in 2020 gave him pause: a request to feature his handcrafted, highly coveted timepieces in a Hollywood film.

He initially dismissed it as another odd inquiry, until the filmmakers behind Last Looks (2021) persisted. Their determination paid off, resulting in an unforgettable collaboration that brought Kudoke’s watches to the big screen.

In a key scene, Mel Gibson’s character, Alastair Pinch, remarks on the rarity of Kudoke timepieces—a line that echoes sentiments held by watch collectors worldwide.

With each watch painstakingly finished by hand and produced in extremely limited numbers, Kudoke has become a grail brand for connoisseurs who value craft over hype.

Fashioned from Devotion

From the frosted dials and intricate engravings to the beveled edges and perlage often hidden within the movement, Stefan delights in executing traditional decorative techniques, entirely by hand.

His journey began three decades ago in a modest workshop outside Berlin, where he restored watches as a journeyman. After prototyping complications at Glashütte Original, he continued to hone his skills at horological giants like Breguet, Blancpain, and Omega. But as time passed, he found himself yearning for independence.

“I didn’t want to be a cog in a big machine anymore,” Stefan recalls. “I wanted to create something of my own.”

That desire led to the founding of Kudoke in 2004, built on Stefan’s quiet conviction—and the unwavering support of his wife and co-founder, Ev.

Power Couple, Shared Purpose

Would Stefan and Ev recommend starting a business with your spouse?

“Try it,” Ev says with a laugh, “but stop if it starts affecting your marriage.”

Parents of a young son and daughter, the couple admits they were hesitant at first. “We were scared of spending 24 hours a day together,” Stefan confesses. But as their relationship matured, so did their working dynamic.

“The most fulfilling thing,” Ev reflects, “is seeing Kudoke—our third child, really—grow and flourish.”

They’ll never forget the moment their family name was called at the 2019 GPHG awards. The joy was electric, but it was also deeply validating. Years of quiet dedication had finally resonated with the horological world.

Spotlight on a Shy Watchmaker

When the spotlight found the Kudokes at the 2019 GPHG ceremony, Stefan froze for a moment. “I’m a stereotypical shy watchmaker,” he says with a grin. “I’d rather hide behind my workbench.”

Ev remembers the moment vividly. “I could barely walk because my legs went wobbly.”

Their Kudoke 2 had just won the coveted Petite Aiguille award. In 2024, they repeated the feat with the Kudoke 3 Salmon, further cementing their place in independent watchmaking history.

“We created Kudoke for people who appreciate the art of fine watchmaking,” says Stefan. “Our pricing is fair, so that our clients don’t need to buy other watches to get the one they want.”

Yes, you can own a Kudoke for under US$10,000, but being allocated one is another matter entirely. Despite increasing output, the couple still limits annual production to around 200 pieces.

Trusted partners like Sincere Haute Horlogerie (SHH) now help manage global allocation and distribution, but each watch still begins where it always has—with a shared dream between Stefan and Ev.

Kudoke 2 SHH Edition

For those who’ve long admired Kudoke’s artistry, here’s your chance to own a piece of GPHG-winning watchmaking.

To celebrate its partnership with SHH, Kudoke presents an enthralling reinterpretation of its signature Kudoke 2—this time with a mesmerizing “Flakes” dial. While the 2019 original featured a finely grained silver finish, this exquisite reimagination glows with a frost-kissed texture in warm champagne rosé.

Each dial is painstakingly crafted using a hand-chipping technique that demands hours of intense focus. One slip—one incongruency that might be unnoticeable to the untrained eye—and the artisan must begin again.

The result is a dial that shimmers with an engrossing complexity, offering a luminous counterpoint to the celestial hand-engraved day/night disc and Kudoke’s now-iconic infinity-shaped hour hand.

Beneath the surface beats the in-house Kaliber 1-24H, a manual-winding movement with a 46-hour power reserve. A touch of openworking reveals glimpses of its many hand-finished surfaces—bevelled edges, graining, and that signature Kudoke flourish: a hand-engraved balance cock that has become a visual hallmark of the maison.