Hensley & Co.
www.nlhensley.com
Nathan Hensley of Fort Dodge produces a beautiful mechanical wristwatch—the model One-7, for men or women. Hensley, a 33-year-old resident podiatric surgeon, started repairing old watches, and then assembling new ones, to sharpen his scalpel-wielding techniques.
Each watch ($900) is made to order—expect a wait of two to three weeks. Its movement is Swiss; its case is polished stainless steel. Every dial is crafted in-house, from cartridge-grade brass, and printed with distinctive Gothic numbers by a hand-operated machine. Hensley also carefully cuts and stitches each cowhide strap. The name of his timepiece, One-7, comes from the number of ruby pivots or jewels in the movement. And every watch arrives proudly emblazoned with the word “Iowa.”
Written by Deb Gore Ohrn
Deb Gore Ohrn is creative marketing adviser for the e-commerce site Goodsmiths.com. Her best shopping spree was a 15-minute dash through Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City, where she bought a pair of Chanel boots at 50 percent off. The number of purses in her closet is classified information.
