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Swiss independent Norqain has hidden a real-life Golden Ticket inside one of 500 new Freedom GMT “Holiday” watches. One buyer will win a six-night trip for two to the Maldives, although neither the customer nor the brand will know which watch contains the prize until September. It’s an obvious nod to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the latest in Norqain’s playful ‘Enjoy Life’ series, following its “Ice Cream” and “Sprinkles” editions. It’s not the first brand to pair a watch with an experience – Panerai has recently been offering buyers the chance to train with the Navy SEALs – but a week in the tropical Indian Ocean is arguably the more appealing proposition.
For those who aren’t in the know, the family-owned brand was founded in 2018 by the former Breitling exec Ben Küffer and has gone from strength to strength since then. In 2025, Mark Wahlberg called the aforementioned ‘Ice Cream’ “the watch of the summer”, and the brand has worked closely with a roster of athletes who have taken on shareholder status.
In March, we interviewed Küffer about the journey so far – and where he sees the watchmaker going next. “Norqain is the challenger brand,” he told us. “That’s what I love. For us it’s about surprising people and bringing out new concepts, fun things”.