Author: thewatchwriter_bxif3w

I know one thing about CVSTOS: you’ve never seen anything quite like it.

Luxury meets innovation.

Sleek lines meet tourbillon.

Sapphire cases and sophisticated complications. 

Like I said, unique.

CVSTOS has something for the businessman and the yacht sailor; for someone who simply needs a watch to wear to the driving range and for the avid timepiece collector. But once you gaze upon the gorgeous design or feel the astounding quality of a CVSTOS, you may be surprised to know that the brand is just under 20 years old.

In 2005, watch industry aficionados Sassoun Sirmakes and Antonio Terranova started a small but mighty watch company called CVSTOS.  They saw a gap in the luxury timepiece niche and wanted to show that luxury doesn’t have to mean doing the same thing that’s always been done.  Instead, luxury can coexist with innovation, avant-garde style, and surprising creativity.

Sassoun and Antonio could have brought the style and mechanics they wanted to some other big watch brand easily.  Antonio spent years working with some of the biggest names in the watch industry and developed strong design and technical skills.  Sassoun is the son of Vartan Sirmakes – owner of Frank Muller Group, so Sassoun grew up in the watch industry.  Each had multiple connections within the watchmaking niche.  But luck favors the daring, so the two business partners decided to blaze their own trail.

CVSTOS (pronounced kOO-stoh-s) is Latin for Guardian. And their motto – “The Time Keeper” is in line with that imagery of a guardian, keeping and protecting time.  The brand does not just appeal to the eye; it’s also a Swiss-made powerhouse of quality and mechanics. 

CVSTOS has an amazing business model that allows them to continually create new timepieces without spending decades and millions of investor dollars on movement design and manufacturing equipment. CVSTOS identifies and obtains the Swiss movements that are of the highest quality.  Their master watchmakers then disassemble the movements to add visual and complication flair.  Then they reassemble the movements within the distinct CVSTOS cases.

And CVSTOS is an open book about their watchmaking process. Check out their headquarters, watch workshop, and showroom in the city centre of Geneva, Switzerland, and you’ll get a taste of their watchmaking in-person.  Or journey just outside the city to the CVSTOS manufacture atelier, for an open-concept dive into the production of watch cases, movement parts, dial parts, etc. on their 10 CNC machines.

CVSTOS has several collections in their lineup: Chronograph, Sealiner, Complication, Jetliner, and Metropolitan.  They also have a women’s line, Re-Belle.  While each collection shares some common threads, each is cut from its own cloth.

Chronograph, as the name implies, includes a chronograph and contains elements akin to speed and racing.

Sealiner are dubbed “a yacht for your wrist.”  They are nautical masterpieces and some include complications like moon phase and perpetual calendar.  Look closely and you’ll also catch glimpses teakwood through small “portholes” in the dial.

Complication is a subset within the other collections, wherein the basic design of a Sealiner or Chronograph is then enhanced with the use of a single or double tourbillon (yeah, I said double tourbillon).

Jetliner is to aerospace what Sealiner is to sailing.  It incorporates a design that pays tribute to the wonders of flight and space.

Metropolitan is the metaphorical new kid on the block; as the newest member of the CVSTOS family, it attempts to answer the question of whether the brand can step outside its typical design flair and deliver an elegant simplicity.  And it delivers powerfully.

With quality, style, and innovation – CVSTOS is ready to take the luxury timepiece industry by storm.  You’ll be seeing more of them in the coming years as they partner with legendary athletes like Brazilian soccer/football star Cafu.  Whether you’re looking to take the boardroom by storm with a Metropolitan or challenge the limits of what’s possible with a Challenge double-tourbillion, CVSTOS has the watch for you.  Check out all their collections here.

Matte black finish.

Red accents marks.

Steady automatic movement.

Solid black dial.

Oh, and a sin window.

Yeah, the Core “Seven Sins” isn’t your typical diving watch. At its roots, it is a diving watch. However, it might just be the most unique diving watch you can find. I’ll run down some of the specifics for you and I bet you’ll want to pick one up by the end.

Let’s start with the dial. The solid matte black dial background matches the watch perfectly. It’s not every day that you see a watch that flows so smoothly from band to case to dial. With the metal band also being matte black, that’s exactly what you get with this Seven Sins.

On the dial, there is a small Core Timepieces logo at the twelve o’clock position and a “Seven Sins” title just above the six o’clock position. The hour indices are simple white markers, and there are no digits shown on the dial itself. The hour and minute hands form the handle and blade of a switchblade – another unique attribute. Then at its three o’clock position is the trait for which the watch is named: the sin window. Instead of the seven days of the week, Seven Sins features the seven deadly biblical sins.

Sidebar – you make be asking… why are there sins instead of weekdays? Aside from just to be fiercely different than anything else on the market, that is? Core Timepieces’ founders wanted to instigate internal morality conversations in their consumers’ minds. The idea is that you look at the watch and ask yourself if today is a day where you’ll fight that sin or embrace it. On the day that pride comes around, will you flaunt your stuff or take a more humble approach? On the day that sloth comes around will you put on your watch and get back in bed, or will you fight the urge and go get stuff done? It does not get much more introspective than that. What other watch engages your psyche on such a deep level?

Moving on to the other details of the watch, the bezel embraces the classic “dive watch” design. It has red markings for the first 3 hour positions and white markings for the 9 remainng. There are also digits at the 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 position. The crown is, of course, matte black to match the rest of the watch. Although the matte black flows seamlessly from bezel to band, Core hooks you up with a free Bartlett NATO strap if you need to change it up.  The second band is a complementing black and red color.

In addition to the color scheme I described, Seven Sins has 4 other variations with slightly different colors. Most notably, the model called Black Gold features real 18kt gold plating on it instead of the red accents. 

In terms of the technical aspects of the watch, the watch earns its dive watch category with 300m of water resistance. It measures in at a solid 42mm and the case is made of 316L stainless steel.  This iteration of the timepiece has an automatic movement – a Seiko NH36 – which ticks like a beast.  Some of the other variations of the watch instead come with a quartz movement and a lower price point. While this is not your typical dive watch, it checks the major boxes of one.  

Do I recommend Core Timepieces’ Seven Sins?  In keeping with the theme of the sins: hell yeah! Check out all of Core’s watches here.

I wanted to talk to Matt Harkins of The Sacred Crafts for two reasons. One, I just love businesses that start with the word “the.” E.g. – my site, The Watch Writer. And two, Matt’s business tells an amazing story… A story that starts with sustainability.  Let’s unpack the story of The Sacred Crafts; Matt’s brand of sustainable luxury watches.

As an avid surfer and outdoorsman, Matt cares very deeply about the planet. Conducting business in a sustainable, environmentally conscious manner is very important to him. Yet, he adores the caliber and quality of a high-end, luxury product. The Sacred Crafts is the intersection of sustainability initiatives and luxury watches. Matt is trying to change the world one watch at a time so that luxury products can still exist in a sustainable manner.

Matt’s mission started in Thailand. As he was walking the beaches, he was shocked to find multiple grounded ships in the shallow water or washed up to shore. When he asked some locals about what he saw, there was no rhyme or reason for them being there. The boats were just part of the landscape, and everyone was used to it. Matt thought to himself that it was crazy for such a gorgeous beach landscape to be littered with these half-sunken monstrosities.

So, speaking of crazy, Matt did something that even he thinks was a little crazy – he bought a boat…  One of the grounded boats, that is. He paid some local laborers to bring a boat to shore then he tracked down the owner to make him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Of course, it was a sweet deal for the owner because he got money for a boat that was not serving any purpose. Why was it a sweet deal for Matt? That brings us to The Sacred Crafts.

Matt has worked for over 20 years in various industries including several aspects of the fashion industry. His experience was mostly in design, but he became very familiar with bringing unique materials into fashion. Earlier in his career, he worked heavily with a sunglass company and frequently tried to bring in wood and other materials to the products.  But he has always been fascinated with watches and their mechanics.  They were the perfect canvas for him to create his repurposed, sustainable luxury; thus, The Sacred Crafts was born.

After he had purchased his first sunken boat, Matt used all the materials he could and recycled the rest. He used a good deal of the wood from the boats, specially treating and repurposing it to use in building his watch boxes. Sidebar – if you haven’t seen one, check it out. This isn’t a $1 cardboard box – it’s a high-end gorgeous container truly fitting for a high-end watch.

Matt also used a lot of the bronze material from the ship’s propellers, as bronze is one of his favorite materials. In his La Grande Mer collection, you’ll notice some amazing and skilled bronze work around the bezel and case.  The Sacred Crafts is a unique, exquisite blend of stunning luxury and sustainability that will take care of the planet for decades to come. 

Matt is so passionate about what he does that he started The Sacred Crafts at the beginning of the pandemic. But starting the company in isolation was a challenging endeavor.  “The thing about a luxury watch,” Matt says, “especially one focused on materials and craftsmanship, is that people need to feel the intricate bronze work with their fingers and watch it tick.” Thus, Matt was elated when COVID restrictions started to lift, and he could bring his brand to trade shows.  His first show was LA MicroLux and I had the privilege of meeting him shortly thereafter at Austin MicroLux.

What’s next for The Sacred Crafts?  As a storyteller, is this the one “Matt story” I can tell? Definitely not! Right now, Matt is working on what may be one of the most unique watches I’ve ever seen. He’s working with one of his celebrity DIY friends – I can’t spill the beans on who – to make a limited edition watch focused on the American Craftsman. He is using tools that are over 100 years old in this watch and is matching those materials with wood. While the watch is still in production, I think you’re going to be blown away with the result. And Matt is also hard at work on new watch designs that will further the brand and allow consumers to embrace sustainable luxury watches.  Check out The Sacred Crafts here.

There’s just something about Texas… if you live here you’ll know what I’m talking about.  While many states have pride in their state, Texas has next-level pride.  It’s common here to see bumper stickers that proudly proclaim, “I wasn’t born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could!”

Peter Cho and Craig Carter, co-founders of Jack Mason watches, both live out that bumper sticker motto.  While neither was born in Texas, they have lived in the state for over 15 years and nearly 20 years respectively.  Texas is home.  Not only do they live here, but they also love it here.  They are proud to be Texans and they aim to bring that Texas pride to watchmaking.

Chances are you’ve heard of Jack Mason, but you may be surprised that the brand is less than 10 years old.  The brand has grown rapidly and at the heart of the brand is a deep love and respect for Texas.  At its core, Jack Mason has always had an affinity for the strong, rugged American spirit – a spirit that is alive and well in Texas.  Thus, since its inception, Jack Mason has subtly represented Texas.

On all of their watches, Jack Mason includes the colors of the Texas flag as the counterbalance on the second hand.  In addition, on each Jack Mason crown, you’ll find a tiny Lone Star – a shape every Texan is familiar with.  See, I told you they were subtle…

But after several years of a nationwide focus and subtle Texas pride, Peter and Craig have decided to be a little less subtle about their Texas pride.  If you follow Jack Mason you’ve probably seen their new Strat-O-Meter GMT watch.  For the first time, the Lone Star has migrated to a much more prominent position: on the dial.  That’s just a taste of what’s to come as the gentlemen behind the brand start getting back to their Texas roots.

I recently met the cofounders at the LA MicroLux watch show in Austin, Texas. Myself a resident of Texas, I was intrigued by Peter and Craig’s infectious passion for our state. I recently sat down with Peter to unpack it a little more. When I asked him “why Texas?” he simply responded that “there’s just something about Texas. When you live here, you get it.”

Peter grew up in the Midwest and spent several years living in various places around the country.  But when he got to Texas, he was home.  Something felt different about the Lone Star state, and he couldn’t put his finger on it at first.  But the more years he has spent here the more it has become clear: the thing that’s different about Texas is that Texan pride… That Texans help Texans…  And that Texans support Texans.

Jack Mason has thus made it their mission to bring the watchmaking community to Texas.  Today if you pick up one of their new GMT watches, you’ll see the back of the watch stamped with the words “Designed in Texas, Assembled in the USA.”  They aim one day to be the household name for watches in Texas. 

What about you?  Are you a proud Texan?  If so, you need a Jack Mason brand watch in your collection.  Whether you’re a fan of the Aggies or the Longhorns, the Mavericks or the Spurs, the Rangers or the Astros – there’s a Jack Mason for you.

If you’re not from Texas, Peter and Craig won’t hold it against you.  But they promise that you’ll be impressed by the quality of their watches and that you’ll leave feeling like family.  Because after all, that’s what being a Texan is all about.

 

 

 

 

It’s a tale as old as time itself.

Good versus evil.

God versus Satan.

Zeus versus Cronus.

Luke versus Vader.

But have you ever seen that eternal struggle on your watch? 

 

Core Timepieces has tackled the “good versus evil” struggle with their Seven Sins line of watches.  The watch model is thusly dubbed because the date window features something you won’t see anywhere else – one of the 7 biblical “deadly sins” every day instead of the day of the week.  The collection, which now includes several iterations, subtly asks, “will you embrace good or will you embrace evil today?”

But one of the beautiful things that Core Timepieces’ co-founders Stephen Conti and Kerim Kfuri embrace with the watch brand is a lack of judgment for whatever you choose.

Core Timepieces Founders Stephen and Kerim

To the brand owners, it’s all about you being you. And to that end, they also remain unapologetically themselves – two brothers-in-law who have a blast making unique timepieces.

 

One of the driving forces behind Core Timepieces is individuality. The very name of the company itself alludes to the fact that the brand (and brand owners) will always remain who they are “at their core.”

 

Speaking of that individuality, the duo did not set out to make a watch for the masses. Instead, they started by designing a fun and thought-provoking watch that they wanted to wear. They connected with the watch and its subtle nod toward morality so they decided to make more and sell them to the general public. After they began selling it, they were amazed that other people connected with the watch on a deep thought-level as well.

Why do people connect so deeply with Seven Sins?  Aside from the “sins” window, from the watch hands made in the likeness of a switchblade to the red accents, Seven Sins has many subtle references to morality.

Yet the founders make no recommendation as to how you should interact with that sin. Will you give in to the sin? Will you fight back and maintain your morality? The watch whispers the question but you decide how to answer it.

 

Over their years in business, Stephen and Kerim have become fans of the watch industry, both large and micro brands. However, they like to think of their timepieces as existing in a space where the watch industry meets art. Co-founder and designer Stephen grew up in the punk-rock scene in New York, so he tries to bring those influences into their brand. Kerim confidently believes that Core will always be trying to bring art and watches together, because of Stephen’s passion for the same.

 

Was Seven Sins a “1-hit wonder” in terms of connecting watches with deep meaning? Far from it!   Core just recently released the follow-up to the Sins watch – a collection called Fury.  With Fury, Core brought another strong meaning but in a more subtle way. Very similar to how the brand itself asks “what’s at your core?” Fury seeks to ask wearers “what’s your passion?” With Fury, Stephen and Kerim wanted to put out an incredible timepiece that was an insane value for the general public, while deeply integrating meaning and story into it.

And at the end of the day, that’s kind of become their mantra for Core. The timepieces? They will be fantastic. The value? You won’t find much better for the quality you get. And what will be at the heart – nay, the core – of the watches? Deep meaning. Passion. Story.

Whether you’re a sinner or one who fights for morality… Whether your passion is obvious or deeply-rooted and hidden to the world… You’re welcome at Core Timepieces.

Be sure to sign up for CORECLUB texting to snag 10% off all timepieces including limited editions!  CORECLUB 

And to see all the Timepieces Core offers, check out CoreTimepieces.com.

Nathan Trafford has always used art to tell a story. With most of his professional career being in graphic design and marketing, he has spent many years doing just that. However, only over the past few years has Nathan moved that skill set into designing watches. While he always admired watches, he never imagined watchmaking would be on his personal horizon. His path to designing watches started with designing custom watch faces to use on smartwatches for fun. Seeing his visual design come to life on the face of the watch excited Nathan. The more he did it, the more he wanted to continue designing. Naturally, he progressed to the point where designing watches just made sense.  Plus, he has a fine appreciation for quality goods that live for many years – perhaps even outliving people. Thus, Trafford Watch Company was born.

Trafford Watch Company Sign

With his first project, Nathan set out to tell amazing stories of bravery and valor that he had learned. Those stories were of race car drivers early in the 20th century and how they banded together to become one of Great Britain’s greatest tools as special operations agents in World War II. When Nathan heard those stories he fell in love with them and decided that he wanted to pay homage to those drivers with their own color watch in his first collection. That collection has long sold out but it remains one of Nathan’s favorite achievements. He even toys with the idea of someday making another run of them…

With his sophomore collection, Nathan wanted to focus less on a specific story from history and more on the individual stories that each person has.  Think of a person’s life as a horizon line, with the good moments and celebrations being lines that intersect it. That idea of a horizon line and intersecting celebratory moments actually served as the main design inspiration behind Trafford’s Crossroads collection. 

With Crossroads, Trafford celebrates those good times – the weddings, the promotions, or the milestone birthdays. And to make the Crossroads as accessible as possible, he released a quartz model in addition to an automatic. He also released multiple colors – something he did on his first watch as well. This time, the Crossroads’ 4 color choices pay homage to his home – Texas.

As a resident of Austin, Texas, Trafford is a proud Texan. That’s a point he and I connected over, as Texas watchmakers are some of my favorite people. Trafford dreams of someday assembling his watches in Texas, or earning a “made in USA” stamp on his watches (or both). The sky’s the limit for Nathan Trafford and Trafford watches.

  

And as far as what’s next for this Texan watch designer turned brand owner? After 2 widely-successful and fully-funded Kickstarter launches, he is already sketching out what the next watch looks like. And if you missed the Crossroads, he hopes to make it a permanent collection in his lineup – perhaps someday even upgrading it to include a GMT or chronograph.

Whether you’re a fan of watch microbrands, Texas watch design, or just fabulous looking quality timepieces, Trafford Watches is a Company to keep your eyes on.

*Note – Credit to Trafford Watch Company for the photos.  https://www.traffordwatchco.com/ 

I love finding new micro watch brands and apparently Facebook knows it because I’m constantly seeing a barrage of ads 😂. But one ad stuck out to me recently and led me to check out HYDN Co.

      

I think what intrigued me the most was the dial design on the images – not quite as minimalistic as a Movado or MVMT but not as busy as many other watches I own. It’s unique, which is a microbrand must for me.

Blue is my jam, so I fell in love with “Cobalt Steel.”  I got a killer deal on my watch and even bought a second (“Midnight Steel”) for a gift. When it arrived, I was really surprised – in a good way. The box was a unique slim shape. Inside the box I found the watch, a note from the CEO’s, a coupon for 15% off my next watch, and a matching bracelet. No – I didn’t order a bracelet; in an era where most brands are cutting back, hooking me up with an extra is major.

When I put the watch on, I loved the dial even more. This thing is hotter than the weather in Florida where the founders design the watches. The dial is fabulous, with subtle, rich color and hidden details that set it apart from a completely minimalist watch. For example, the subtle dots serving as hour markers.  And dang – the pops of yellow color are a great way to make a statement without wearing an obnoxiously bright watch.

The case size is perfect – large but not massive. The charcoal color of the case is a nice addition that you don’t see every day.  All aspects of the watch are designed fora great wrist appeal, but the watch is pretty darn comfortable too.  

All things considered, I think this HYDN Co. watch was the perfect addition to my collection. I would now consider myself an avid fan of the brand and I’ve been told they’ve got another collection in the works as we speak…

 

 

I had a chance to check out a Holgar Swiss quartz chronograph recently and was quite impressed.  And then I got to spend an hour with the brand’s founder and CEO, Nas Ekangaki, at Austin MicroLux 2022.  After hearing his vision behind Holgar, my desire to be part of the brand’s story grew even more so.

Let’s start with the design…  When you look at a Holgar watch the first thing you notice is the unique case shape. Its design embraces facets made popular in recent years but in a delightfully subtle way. If you’ve ever worn a watch with a faceted case you’ve probably noticed it wasn’t very comfortable. That could not be further from the truth for Holgar – Nas made sure that both style and comfort coexist seamlessly in the watches they produce.

But Holgar’s case is not just unique and comfortable, it is also incredibly durable. Made from 904L stainless steel, the case is durable and maintains a noticeable shine. At 44mm, it’s a perfect size to have presence on your wrist but not be a behemoth.  And Holgar also sells women’s watches, which run a bit smaller.

One of the next details you’ll notice about Holgar is the intensely-detailed dial that perfectly matches the band. No, the band does not match or complement the watch – the dial has an identical pattern to the band. This is probably the only watch I have ever worn that I would refuse to ever swap the band out. Why would you when it ties together so brilliantly?

Holgar is not just a pretty face, though. Nas has 1 driving core value for the brand – providing a quality watch at a fair price. Because of this, he will never sell a million watches a year. Instead, he insists on keeping his production quantity low enough that he can monitor every aspect of the watchmaking process. And while there will be a price tag to that high-quality production process, Nas brings it as low as possible. He could easily mark up the price significantly with all the quality and design that goes into a Holgar – but that won’t happen on his watch (I love a good watch pun).

And speaking of quality, I tested the quartz chrono with the Swiss Quartz Chronograph movement ETA 251.274.  I must say, it ticked like a champ. At the Austin MicroLux event, I was also able to check out Holgar’s automatic watches. As you could imagine, the Swiss Sellita SW200 automatic movements purr beautifully.

Some Swiss watch enthusiasts may love the design of a Holgar but are hesitant to buy a newer brand. But while Holgar was founded recently in 2021, Nas has spent his entire 33-year professional career in the luxury watch industry in Bien, Switzerland. He worked for many amazing brands there, including Swatch and Gucci. He worked in any department imaginable and is well-acquainted with all aspects of the production, distribution, and sale of luxury watches.

So in summation, how would I describe a Holgar watch?

 

Classic with a flair.

Swiss-made quality but not a Swiss-made price.

A perfect balance between unique design, uncompromising quality, and unwavering comfort. 

And all of that at an affordable, fair price for Swiss Watch enthusiasts who are not looking to drop tens of thousands on wrist candy.

Holgar is a newer brand that will be here to stay for many years to come.  All you have to decide is which Holgar watch will you pick?  https://holgarswiss.com/

 

I’m a history buff; because I love seeing how events shape people and how things so often work together for good. And so, in that vein, it’s time for The Watch Writer’s origin story. 

The Watch Writer with his personal watch collection

Growing up, my family didn’t have a ton of money. As such, we frequented garage sales and Goodwill for our fashions and accessories.  I’m guessing I was around 9 or 10 in this story. 

It was probably a weekend morning and I was at a garage sale with my sister and my mom. And at that garage sale, I fell in love… with a Structure water resistant digital watch made for skiing. And no, I didn’t ski. BUT the fact that wearing it made me feel like a badass X-Games athlete just added to the experience.

This particular watch came in a tin box and it must have cost $5, maybe $10. I had a few dollars saved up and was able to convince my mom to chip in the extra few bucks. The rest, as they say, is history.

I’m not sure exactly what drew me to that watch. As mentioned, I didn’t come from money. Ergo, I didn’t grow up watching my Dad or Grandfather wearing a Rolex every day, My grandpa wore a Timex Easy Reader and my Dad wore a simple black Citizen. But something in me loved the idea of snagging that Structure watch.

Over the course of my school years, I had that watch and later added a second one – an orange and black Fossil watch. I don’t remember how long I had that first, skiing watch but it eventually died. Maybe it needed a battery or maybe the electronics got wet and shorted out. I would assume it ended up in the trash many, many years ago. Regardless, the impression was made.

After I graduated from college and settled into life as an adult, well, that’s when the obsession took over. Since then I’ve had no fewer than a dozen watches in my personal collection at any time, and sometimes as many as 50 (as of today, that number is 44. But there’s another shipment on the way…)  And whether I want it to be this way or not, watches are a permanent part of my paycheck. 

I love sharing stories but I think an important component of that is unpacking lessons from those stories. So what are the lessons I see when I reflect back over this story? 

 

1 – I want my clients and friends to know a little about who I am, as I think that’s what makes social media an amazing tool. 

2 – Sometimes you make mistakes (throwing away that old watch, for example). But I believe in redemption. Sometimes bad situations can turn around. Sometimes good things circle back around decades later.  I often purchase boxes of broken watches online, fix them, and sell them in online auctions as a side business.  Funny enough, one of my boxes last year contained – you guessed it – another Structure ski watch.  It’s still a work in progress but a pretty cool thing to have in the collection again.

3 – That person throwing a garage sale decades ago doubtlessly had no idea the impact they would have. Ergo, the lesson is that you have no idea the deep impact of seemingly-tiny decisions you make. As much as possible, then, I think it’s crucial to live in a way that is mindful of the potential impact your decisions may have.

Taking #3 a step further, something so small as selling a watch had a ripple effect 1,000 times over into my personal and professional life. All that to say – a simple word you say or action you take could have immeasurable effects on others. So be sure to do whatever you can to make sure that effect is a positive one. 

Sidebar note – when I started a freelance copywriting business, the watch industry was where my passion met my clients’ needs. I could have entered larger space with tens of thousands of companies, but I wanted to spend the late nights and long hours talking about something I love. So if you are a watchmaker or watch brand owner and want to advance your business in the digital writing / social media era, let’s talk. My passion shines through when I write about watches and that passion can’t help but draw consumers in.

Created in Houston.  Sold in Houston.  Worn in Houston.

When Landon Aune set out to build a watch brand, he knew that it needed to have a connection to Houston. Raised in the greater Houston area from a very early age, he has many roots in the fourth-largest U.S. city. From attending local sports games (Go Astros!) to enjoying the various amazing cuisines that abound, Landon is a Houston guy.

So when it came time to find jewelers to sell his watches, I.W. Marks just made sense. Those who have lived in Houston will be very familiar with the iconic jeweler. But before we talk about buying Landon’s watches at I.W. Marks, let’s talk a little bit about those watches.

Bradley Marks (left) and Landon Aune (right) in front of I.W. Marks Sign

When I say the term “ugly watch” I’m sure quite a few things come to mind. As a longtime watch enthusiast who looks at thousands of watch pictures, I’ve seen dozens of very ugly watches over the years. I’ve seen everything from watches with overcrowded dials to those with too many colors. When I look at one of Landon’s Ugly Watch Company watches, “ugly” is not one of the terms that come to mind. What does come to mind?  Gorgeous attention to detail, amazing mother-of-pearl work, and classic with a twist.

That then begs the question: why did Landon Aune name his watch brand the Ugly Watch Company?

Landon has been a longtime fan of not just watches but many men’s accessories – including rings, bracelets, and necklaces.  He started melting metal and forging his custom jewelry as a hobby and loved talking about it and showing others. 

There was one occasion where he was trying to show his wife something about jewelry he had made but she was otherwise preoccupied.  Fed up and frustrated by his growing hobby, she yelled “get that ugly jewelry out of my face!” He humorously branded as the “Ugly Jewelry Company” and later kept the “Ugly” name when he pivoted his brand to his true love – watches. 

10 Ugly Watch Company Watches in a Case

The Ugly Watch Company is a relatively new brand as Landon started it at the beginning of the pandemic. However, his passion for attractive, quality, and affordable watches has led the brand to grow quickly. In fact, Ugly Watches already produces over a dozen models and Landon is always drawing up plans for more.  On the horizon, he hopes to create a GMT watch, a chronograph, and a smaller field watch.

Sketch of Ugly Watch 300m Dial

For Landon, creating watches is a matter of passion and love. He is constantly working on and investing in new models that both he and watch enthusiasts can enjoy.  Fun fact – Landon keeps at least one of every watch he produces for his own private collection. So when you buy one of the Ugly Watches, you know you’re getting such a gorgeous timepiece that even its creator wears it.

The most distinguishing characteristic of an Ugly Watch is incredible mother-of-pearl work. Most Ugly watches feature mother-of-pearl on the dial – and not just your typical colors either. Landon has experimented with blue, pink, purple, and his latest, orange. I’m pretty sure you’ve never seen an orange mother-of-pearl watch before… But just in time for Halloween (and the Houston Astros World Series run), Ugly has released the 100m sport in orange mother-of-pearl.  Available in both silver and yellow gold, trust me when I say it’s all treat and no trick.

Ugly Watch Company - Orange MOP Dial

As part of growing the Ugly brand, Landon began looking for jewelry stores to help sell the watches. When it came time to add a Houston jeweler to the fold, there was one store that made 100% sense. That store? I.W. Marks. If you’re a Houstonian, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve heard of it.  Founded in 1978, I.W. Marks gained popularity in the 1980s with a series of commercials starring wrestler Paul Bosch. Today, Marks is one of Houston’s elite customer-centric jewelry stores. Landon grew up watching the Marks commercials, so he was ecstatic about starting a partnership with them.

 

Bradley Marks, owner of I.W. Marks Jewelers, was thrilled to be part of Ugly Watch Company as well. As a born and raised Houstonian, Brad believes Houston is the greatest city in the country.  Because of that, he is delighted to support Houston brands – from watchmakers to sports teams.

Brad was also excited to team up with Landon because he believes Ugly Watch Company’s products are excellent. He absolutely loves how they are fashionable yet affordable and are high-quality timepieces. When asked about his favorite part of Ugly Watches, he immediately replies the dial. With mother-of-pearl work that you don’t see in many other places – or anywhere for the orange color – Brad believes the dial is what sets Ugly apart from other watch brands.

 

If you live in or near Houston, check out I.W. Marks when you’re ready to pick up your Ugly Watch.  In an era where you could buy jewelry via many different avenues, Marks promises a truly fantastic shopping experience. And within the next few weeks, they will be finished with a major, comprehensive renovation to level up their store and selection.  With that bigger selection, they will have accessory options in your price range whether it’s the size of Houston or a much tinier Texas town. But when you finish snagging your Ugly at Marks, you can proudly tell your friends it was… 

Created in Houston. Bought in Houston. Worn in Houston.

IW Marks Renovation Mockup