The Story Behind StoneWorks: How a Lapis Wall in Sicily Became Kaya Watch Co.’s First Flagship Collection

By Leyton D, Founder & Owner, Kaya Watch Co.

When I started Kaya Watch Co., I knew I didn’t want our first flagship collection to feel like a product created in a boardroom. I wanted it to come from somewhere real — from a place, a moment, a feeling.

That is exactly how StoneWorks began.

StoneWorks is our first flagship timepiece collection, and at its heart are the Lapis models: one housed in a polished silver case, the other in a warm gold case. These watches represent more than a design direction for Kaya Watch Co. — they represent the beginning of the brand, the values behind it, and a memory I have carried with me for years.

A Birthday in Sicily

A few years ago, while travelling through Sicily for my birthday, I spent some time in Trapani and Marsala. It was one of those days that seems almost too perfect in hindsight: clear sea, bright blue sky overhead, warm air coming off the beach, and the feeling that comes with exploring somewhere completely new.

As I was walking through a quieter street near the waterfront, I came across a small shop tucked away beside the beach. On the side of the building was a slab of lapis stone set into the wall. It stopped me immediately.

The colour was extraordinary — a deep, vivid royal blue with natural variations and mineral flecks running through it. It felt alive. It was not a flat, uniform colour; it had depth, texture, and movement.

I remember standing there for a moment, looking at the stone and thinking about how perfectly it captured the atmosphere around me. The blue reflected the sea, the sky, the warmth of the day, and the relaxed feeling of being somewhere beautiful and unfamiliar.

That single moment stayed with me long after the trip ended.

Bringing Lapis to the Wrist

When I later began designing the first Kaya Watch Co. collection, that memory became the foundation for the Lapis models.

The dial was always going to be the hero. Every cut of lapis stone is naturally unique, which means no two dials are exactly the same. That was important to me. I did not want a watch that felt mass-produced or overly perfect. I wanted each piece to carry its own natural composition and character.

The result is a dial that tells a story in every variation of blue and every mineral pattern within the stone.

For me, seeing the Lapis dial on the finished watch brings me back to that day in Trapani. It reminds me of the clear sea, the bright sky, and the feeling of discovering a beautiful corner of the world unexpectedly.

That is what I hope people feel when they wear it: not just that they are wearing a watch, but that they are carrying a small piece of a memory, a place, and a moment of exploration.

Why the Collection is Called StoneWorks

The name StoneWorks came naturally.

This collection is built around the idea that natural stone can bring warmth, individuality, and depth to a timepiece. The watches are not designed around decoration for decoration’s sake; they are designed around the character of the material itself.

Stone has history. It has texture. It has imperfections that make it more interesting.

That philosophy became central to this collection: creating watches that feel refined and wearable every day, while still carrying a story that is deeply personal and connected to the natural world.

The Lapis Models: Silver and Gold

For the launch of StoneWorks, I wanted two distinct expressions of the same dial.

The silver case offers a cleaner, cooler interpretation. It feels crisp, modern, and versatile — a watch that can disappear into daily wear while still catching the eye when the light hits the stone dial.

The gold case brings a different warmth. Against the blue lapis, the gold tones feel richer and more celebratory, almost like late afternoon sunlight reflecting on the sea.

Both versions share the same dial inspiration, but they offer two different moods: understated and contemporary in silver, or warmer and more expressive in gold.

Finding the Right Size: Why 38mm

One of the most important decisions in developing the StoneWorks collection was the case size.

I kept coming back to 38mm because, to me, it is the sweet spot.

A 38mm case carries the proportions of classic vintage watches — balanced, elegant, and comfortable on the wrist. At the same time, it is large enough to feel relevant as a modern everyday timepiece.

I wanted the watch to have presence without ever feeling oversized. The dial needed enough space for the lapis stone to be appreciated, while still remaining refined and wearable on a wide range of wrists.

At 38mm, the StoneWorks Lapis models feel familiar, timeless, and easy to wear every day.

A Slim 11mm Profile

Thickness was another detail I cared deeply about.

The watches come in at 11mm thick, which was intentional. I wanted them to feel sleek enough to slip under a cuff, light enough not to feel bulky. Comfortable enough that you forget you are wearing them but substantial enough to remember you've got a reliable timekeeping companion on your wrist.

A good everyday watch should feel like part of you, not like an object sitting on top of your wrist.

That balance — enough substance to feel well-built, but slim enough to disappear into daily life — was essential to the character of StoneWorks.

Built for Real Life: 100m Water Resistance

The StoneWorks collection is rated to 100 metres, or 10ATM, of water resistance.

For me, this was the right level for the kind of watch I wanted to create.

These are not watches designed only for special occasions. They are designed to be worn while travelling, swimming, walking through a new city, sitting by the sea, or simply moving through everyday life without worry.

A 100m rating means the watches are more than capable of handling daily wear, rain, showers, swimming, and time spent around the water. It provides the confidence that the watch can accompany you through real experiences, not just sit safely in a box.

That felt fitting for a collection inspired by travel, exploration, and the feeling of being close to the sea.

The Details at a Glance

Collection: StoneWorks

Models: Lapis Silver and Lapis Gold

Case diameter: 38mm

Thickness: 11mm

Water resistance: 100m / 10ATM

Dial: Natural lapis stone

Movement: 4Hz in-house KWC tuned movement

A Watch That Carries a Place With It

When I look at the finished StoneWorks Lapis models, I do not just see our first flagship watches. I see the beginning of Kaya Watch Co.

I see a birthday in Sicily, a small shop by the beach, a lapis slab set into a wall, and the moment that sparked the idea for this collection.

I see the clear sea, the bright blue sky overhead, and that relaxed summer feeling of discovering a beautiful new part of the earth.

Most of all, I see a reminder that the best ideas often come from real experiences.

StoneWorks was created to capture that feeling and bring it to the wrist in a way that is elegant, wearable, dependable, and personal.

Launching Kaya Watch Co.’s first flagship collection has been an incredibly meaningful moment for me. I hope that when someone wears a StoneWorks Lapis, they feel not only the craftsmanship of the watch, but also the story behind it — a story of travel, discovery, natural beauty, and the beginning of Kaya Watch Co.

Thank you for being part of the journey.

— Leyton
Founder & Owner, Kaya Watch Co.