What's In A Name? Part the third - Do your homework

Courtesy of Louis Moinet

Ladies and gentleman and children of all ages! Allow me to introduce you to the Space One. Now while I do not claim to know all of the ins and outs of the operations of Louis Moinet, nor the machinations of Jean-Marie Schaller, I suspect that he would probably not be too thrilled to know that the two partners from the brand formerly known as Argon were using the name SpaceOne not only for their watch model (which would be in conflict to a previously established model name - i.e. Louis Moinet's), but are now doubling down and renaming their brand with the same moniker - SpaceOne. 

Now a few curious factoids:

1. Argon which had already raised 1 million bones on Kickstarter got a rather public 2-part spanking by Kickstarter who first froze their project, then completely cancelled it and returned payments to the backers. This was owing to an intellectual property dispute. No further details were provided, but some of us had our theories.

2. The two young men behind Argon claimed that they had no idea what the problem was, but this turned out to be not exactly 100% for realsies. It seems that another brand - Aragon, had already sent cease and desist letters to these young entrepreneurs and showing perhaps a lack of business savvy (or self-preservation), they opted to ignore them. Aragon also filed a complaint with the USPTO back in April of this year. These two actions caught the attention of Kickstarter's legal and compliance folks and that put the kibosh on the project. So, while they were tossing their curls and saying how unfair this all was, the truth is much starker - they were warned, and they opted to ignore the warning. Aragon finally felt that they had no other option but to file suit against Argon. As of this writing no one is talking about the current state of this litigation, but that will be an added hurdle for "the brand formerly known as Argon" to try and get over.

3. In what appears to have been a mad scramble to pull the lunch box out of the toilet bowl, the brand name was changed from Argon to SpaceOne this past weekend. There was even a new URL for it, and as of Saturday or Sunday the site appeared to be live. 

Today - an attempt to visit the site led both of my browsers to give me the following message:

Your connection is not private

Attackers might be trying to steal your information from spaceonewatches.com (for example, passwords, messages, or credit cards). Learn more

Now I make no claims to be a wizard of marketing on the level professed by some, but I am pretty sure that this is not good. I am also curious as to why a website that was perfectly functioning only a few days ago now is triggering the "Stranger-Danger" - cootie alert from both Chrome and Safari.

And once again, the whole "Brand formerly known as Argon, now tentatively known as SpaceOne" saga takes another twist. What about the Louis Moinet Space One? It is indeed possible that the boys from Argon/SpaceOne reached out to Jean-Marie Schaller, asked for a favor and he did them a solid by allowing them to use the name SpaceOne.

But then again, maybe they did not. And if that is indeed the case, this is where we go beyond simple misunderstanding to a somewhat tragically comic chain of events. 

So grab your Jiffy Pop and a comfy seat, something tells me there is a bit more in this tale to untwist.

What's In A Name - Part the Second: Lawyer Up!

Before going any further, I want to thank Brendan Cunningham for sharing an article from his excellent site - Horolonomics that provides a very well researched bit of background on the latest chapter in what has rapidly evolved into a true Watch Town "Shit Show".

As I had theorized in my post of exactly one week ago, it seemed that the intellectual property dispute that had thrown a bucket of cold cat pee on the Argon kickstarter project was most likely down to similarity of naming conventions between what some of my colleagues in the Fourth and Fifth Estates identify as the Protagonist (Argon) and the Antagonist (Aragon).

For those of you unfamiliar, the Protagonist is meant to be the "good guy" or "white hat" in the story. The Antagonist is, well, the opposite. But as we all have learned by now, life is not exactly black and white. I would propose that the roles in this little mini-drama have been confused by my colleagues (and many of their readers / listeners / viewers) and I will elaborate on that shortly.

But first, I draw your attention to Brendan Cunningham's article on the dispute which has now become a legal one -

https://www.horolonomics.com/2023/06/argon-trademark-dispute-goes-to-court.html

And this is where I feel that the roles of Antagonist and Protagonist have been incorrectly assigned. Put yourself in the shoes of the Aragon owner. You own a brand, you've put in time and money, you might not be the sexiest beast out there, but you've had successful Kickstarter campaigns. You may not be a household name in Watch Town, but you've pretty much played by the rules. In my book? You are the Protagonist.

Across the great expanse of the Atlantic, a pair of young men are working on a new watch design. They pick a brand name, and for better or worse (and this is giving them the benefit of the doubt), because there was not an EXACT match in names registered in the US (I'm not going to wade into EU or global registrations), they decide to try to register the name as is. Again, we will assume that either they did not do a deep enough dive when they searched the directory to learn that there was an existing brand known as Aaragon, or they simply assumed that it would not be an issue. Again - this is giving them the benefit of the doubt. And it is also an assumption that maybe, just maybe, the ink had not completely dried on an approval of their name registration here in the lower 48. Per Mr. Cunningham's article, the owner/ operator of Aragon initially filed a complaint with the USPTO back in April. This is the organization that determines eligibility to register a trademark or trade name in the US.  But wait, it goes deeper. In addition to this, Aragon's lawyers sent not one, but two cease and desist letters to Argon's owner/s. According to the suit that was filed (more on that in a moment) Aragon's lawyers got back crickets. And yes, that is a "pun intended" which we will also get to in a moment. With no response to what at that point would be 4 warnings: Complaint to the USPTO, complaint to Kickstarter, and not one, but two cease and desist letters sent from genuine lawyers, the current understanding out there is that Argon opted to not reply. 

And so this past Tuesday - June 27, Aragon filed suit against the (on paper) owner of the nascent Argon - Theo Auffret. Curious to relate, on pretty much all of their promotional material, written communication, interviews, Kickstarter and even their website, Mr. Auffret and Mr. Laidet have shared equal billing. Mr. Laidet is by many accounts one of the owners of Nivada Grenchen, as well as Excelsior Park, as well as the owner of a white label assembler / contractor. Also worth noting is that Mr. Laidet has gone on record as referring to himself as the CEO of Vulcain during an interview with Wei Koh of Revolution - 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR6eKmxacgg&t=173s

Needless to say, it's all a bit confusing. 

Courtesy of NBC

But back to the matter at hand. Despite two communications going to Argon HQ in Paris, no response came. Nor, as far as anyone knows, did Argon make any effort at mediating a solution with Aragon. And owing to this, I would place their role as the Antagonist.

And then this most recent twist in the tail - communication went out to some of their Kickstarter backers that Argon would now be known as SpaceOne. Long story too late to make short, Kickstarter completely shut down the initial project and refunded all of the backers. I was forwarded what I assume as an official "Brand formerly known as Argon" communication sent out to some of their backers which was forwarded on to me by a few different readers. Apparently Argon will now try to fund their launch via direct backing (i.e. pre-order through their website). And the brand will now be known as SpaceOne. Let's just hope that name hasn't already been registered somewhere else...

And this raises even more questions, and reinforces my feelings that if there is a bad actor here, it is Argon: 

1. Did they wait for final confirmation that they had indeed secured the name before launching their Kickstarter campaign.

2. If they did, why are they changing the name now?

3. Did they make any real or sincere effort to reach out to the owner of Aragon and try to resolve the dispute?

As I said the first go round, the real victims here are the Kickstarter backers. Whether or not Aragon is willing to accept a sincere apology and settle the dispute is up to them. And lastly? Let's hope the guys at Argon have, or at least will learn from the experience. The final (as of now) outcome could have been avoided at several points along the way.

What's In A Name?

And when Kickstarter's revolving door of compliance hits your ass on the way out.

Okay, confession time - I have NEVER participated in a Kickstarter project apart from two times that I donated money to help a friend make their goal. Particularly so in a watch project. I still have fairly vivid memories of when the first Kloker's Kickstarter dragged on and on. Several supporters getting their watches nearly a year after the project ended, and frankly a not so warm and fuzzy outcome as many of the watch cases were defective (plastic cases with the metal-like coating peeling away).

Ultimately the company failed, although their Kickstarter launch absolutely made their first few years much more successful fiscally, and probably helped keep them alive after the initial investment from larger backers had been burned through.

But what happens when confidence (perhaps inflated) gets confronted with reality? And that brings us to today's topic - Argon. Without getting into too many particulars about the two partners behind the nascent brand, the sudden removal of Argon from Kickstarter does serve as a cautionary tale for every other would-be watch entrepreneur about the importance of dotting all "i"s and crossing all "t"s. After raising over one million George Washington Dollars for their Spaceone watch, the virtual funding rug was unceremoniously yanked out from under Argon's feet. 

Why?

Long story somewhat shortened:

Although some details are as yet to be fully fleshed out, there is an intellectual property dispute. For those of you unfamiliar - you can absolutely send in the paperwork to register a name. But with that said, that is only the first step. There is a lengthy process that (at least in the US) takes months, not weeks. Here in the lower 48, your trade mark registration can be denied for any number of reasons by the feds in DC. 

Argon or Aragon?

And then this fun factoid, a brand known as Aragon appears to have planted their flag first in Watch Town. Curious to relate? They also had a successful Kickstarter back in...

2018!

And needless to say, one thing might have absolutely nothing to do with the other.

So whether this intellectual property dispute is merely at the Kickstarter level, or if it is deeper problem is something that we will have to do a "wait and see" on.

What is known is that the two young men behind Argon have informed backers that Kickstarter has halted their project and is holding onto the funds. They also state that they have retained legal representation here in the US of A. 

And here is where, unfortunately, the folks who put up their money to back the project are now presented with the fuzzy end of the lollipop. 

It is a fun watch design, and it clearly had a lot of support from individuals wanting to have one. 

Is there a solution? Of course there is, but it will require something beyond simply retaining legal representation. Mediation would be advisable, as it creates an opportunity to resolve the dispute more elegantly. 

So we shall wait, and we shall see... maybe.

SNGLRTY - This Is Not A Watch Review

I recently had the opportunity to wear the SNGLRTY  Desert Sunset for a few days -

So as the title informs you, this is not a watch review, but you will get my feedback on the SNGLRTY Desert Sunset.

For those of you just tuning in, SNGLRTY launched through a crowd funding effort a few years back. The brand currently offers 2 models one with a date function which uses the Ohi-4 module configuration, and one without which uses the Ohi-2 module configuration. The Desert Sunset does not have a date and uses the Ohi-2:

Module & Movement

MODULE	OHI2 time adjustment
BASE MOVEMENT	SELLITA SW200-1 Standard Execution
OHI MOVEMENT SIZE	25.6mm Diameter, 4.6mm Height
FREQUENCY	28’800 A/h (4Hz)
POWER RESERVE	38 Hours
NUMBER OF JEWELS	26

The case is of stainless steel and measures 40.5 mm in diameter and is 12.2 mm thick -

For me this offered a good size and fit -

In terms of design, I have to say that overall I like it. In terms of the "outside" of the watch, my only disagreement is that the case lugs utilize hex key screws to secure the strap -

I know and appreciate that there are folks out there who love feeling like they are "handy" using tools to remove and attach their own straps. And I accept that this is a personal choice from my side - I simply can't be bothered. To this end whenever I get straps made by Lic I always request quick spring bars. (Publisher's note - James Henderson has worked with Lic straps in the past to help promote them in the US. While he does not currently distribute Lic straps, Tempus Fugit believes it is important to fully disclose this previous relationship).

As far as the strap and buckle goes, they are absolutely first class!  Very comfortable and well made.

Needless to say, the movement has a staring role with this watch. I like single-handed watches and am the proud owner of a MeisterSinger. That being said, the actual mechanics behind the SNGLRTY and its patented module have taken the ideas governing single handed watches to a whole new level. The SNGLRTY watches offer the wearer a much more accurate read on time as the minutes are displayed within the ring at the tip of the hour hand as the minute ring circles counter clockwise as the hour hand circles clockwise. 

You won't be reading about all of the technicalities here - remember, this is Tempus Fugit ; ).  Suffice it to say, I think it offers something truly different than what has come before it. And add into the bargain that you have the opportunity to customize a SNGLRTY to your own design (within the constraints of the SNGLRTY customizer anyway).

For me, this is about more than a watch. It is a very interesting story about two guys who probably could have picked better ways to obsess, fret, get frustrated, and ultimately succeed than making a brand new concept for a micro brand. But that's what makes the story great. 

The Duality of Henki

Roving around Indeed yesterday, I stumbled upon this -

Courtesy of SNGLRTY

For those of you tuning in from outside of the US, yesterday was significant here for reasons other than American Football. But with that said, it also served as a reminder that life moves forward, nothing is permanent and the only constant that you can guarantee is change. And to prove that point, my alma mater (the Ducks) waddled out of the fabled Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio victorious! We have played Ohio State before, and suffice it to say, we have lost...not infrequently ; )

On a personal note, I grew up in Ohio, but opted to attend university in Oregon. At the time (late 80s), a football game was not something to be taken seriously in terms of winning and losing. No offense to my U of O generation of footballing Ducks, but those games were more like men against boys - and Oregon were the boys in that scenario.  

So needless to say, SNGLRTY's Linkedin post grabbed my attention as if it were composed just for this Northern Youth.

In case you missed it in the past, SNGLRTY (as far as I know) started life as a Kickstarter project and dropped a few years back. The concept is pretty straightforward - a patented one-hand watch that can be customized by the owner.

This is the Black Hornet (love the name!) -

Courtesy of SNGLRTY

The case is of stainless steel, measuring 40.5 mm in diameter. The movement is the Sellita SW200-1 imbued with super powers by an OH12 time adjustment. 

Courtesy of SNGLRTY

Curious to relate, when you Google OH12 time adjustment you get information on daylight savings time adjustment in... Ohio.

Spooky!

Priced at $2,470.00 Inc. VAT
It's a pretty drip take on a one-hander, and for those of you as intrigued as yours truly, here are the pertinents -

Module & Movement

MODULE
OHI2 time adjustment

BASE MOVEMENT
SELLITA SW200-1 Standard Execution

OHI MOVEMENT SIZE
25.6mm Diameter, 4.6mm Height

FREQUENCY
28’800 A/h (4Hz)

POWER RESERVE
38 Hours

NUMBER OF JEWELS
26


WINDING
Automatic & Manual Winding

SHOCK ABSORBER
Novodiac

BALANCE WHEEL
Gilt

MIDDLE RATE
+/- 12 seconds per day

ISOCHRONISM
+/- 20 seconds per day

FINISH
Standard with Smoothed Decoration on Rotor


Watch Case

SIZE
40.50mm Diameter, total height 12.20 mm (without crystal 11.95 mm), 47.00mm Total Length

MATERIAL
Stainless Steel 1.4404

WATER RESISTANCE
10 ATM (100m)

CRYSTAL
Flat Sapphire Crystal, 1.50mm thick, with 7 Layers Anti-reflection Coating on Both Sides, additional Hard-Coating on Exterior Side

CASE-BACK
Integrated Domed Mineral Crystal Opening Secured with 4 Hex Key Screws. SNGLRTY Logo printed in Red on Crystal

BAND ATTACHMENT
2 Visible Hex Key Screws for 21mm Band Width

The Transatlantique GMT

From Laventure -

Courtesy of Laventure

Courtesy of Laventure

Now ordinarily I have a pretty strict "no pre-order/Kickstarter" rule.  But in fairness to Laventure, they have been around for a bit, and to the best of my knowledge, they have not left any potential customers high and dry.  

And... one of the above versions has apparently already sold out, so there you go!

Here are the pertinents, straight from the source -

Case

316L Stainless Steel case, polished and satin finish
Case diameter (10h-4h) 40.5 mm
Thickness (without Crystal) 10.30 mm
Length of lug to lug 48.80 mm

Movement

Mechanical movement with automatic winding
ETA 2893-2 caliber base // 42-hour power reserve

Winding crown

Screwed 316L Stainless Steel Crown

Waterproofness

Waterproof up to 200 m

Bezel

316L stainless steel 24 notches bidirectional rotating bezel
with 24-hour graduated PLEXIGLAS® insert

Dial

Matt Cream Gradient “sandwich” type dial

Crystal

PLEXIGLAS® Superdome type Crystal

Bracelet

Integrated bracelet in 316L stainless steel, polished and satin finish with 3-blade clasp // Clasp width = 17 mm

Klokers Is...Back?

In perhaps one of the oddest press releases I have received in some time - and believe me, I've seen some dillies, this little biscuit snuck into my in-box this AM -

Courtesy of Klokers

2020

At the start of the year, Klokers announced a new, timeless journey with a new team and new ambitions. After having worked for 9 months on preparing this exciting adventure, we look forward to seeing you in a few days’ time with our totally upgraded e-shop! To celebrate both this renaissance and the 5th anniversary of the founding of Klokers, we propose a limited edition watch brimming with character...  Sketch out your dreams!

TO CELEBRATE ITS 5th ANNIVERSARY, 
KLOKERS IS REINVENTING ITS BEST-SELLER, FEATURING A SPECIAL EDITION ANTHRACITE 
limited to just 365 models.

Highlighted by the white graphic design of the markings, the anthracite colour of the watch face subtly matches the blood red squares.

This harmonious colour combination emphasises its masculine identity and its modest adaptation to the world around it.

This version superbly displays its graphical heritage with the circular slide rule and pushes back the boundaries which chalk and blackboard technology once imposed on mathematical demonstrations.

As every dad is unique and because every action shapes our personality, 

klokers is dedicating this new klok-01 to to the concept of otherness, something wonderful we all have in common.

from 545 € limited to just 365 models

Here's the link to the full announcement -

https://www.klokers.com/en/product/klok01anthracite

Remember that fun little watch that came out in 2016?  I remember it intimately as I, along with a handful of other outlets, promoted it prior to and during their Kickstarter. We then cheered it on during launch.  Then watched as the founders became increasingly aloof and (if I'm honest), arrogant.  

And then?  Less than (if memory serves) 3 years from introduction)...

The whole thing imploded.  

You can find some commentary on that here: Things Were Great Until They Weren't - Klokers

What went wrong?  Plenty.  Deliveries were sluggish on the first edition.  Some customers received watches that didn't work and then were challenged in getting them repaired.  The cases of the first iteration were actually plastic coated with material to look like metal.  Fair enough.  But then the coating on some models began to peel.  More Kickstarters happened, more delays.  Long story short?  A lot of money came in, but it seemed to run through the company like shit through a goose.  The distribution was not helpful as at least one distributor dumped a fair amount of stock onto the grey market to try and get a quick sales pop just months after the watch had been launched.

Here's the funny part - the guys who started Klokers were, pre-launch and launch?  Nice, cool guys who you wanted to see succeed.  Post launch and forward?  Let's just say there was a marked change of demeanor.

A brand is more than an item or product.  A brand is the people behind it.  

And as if to underscore this, the new iteration of Klokers is now known as (brace yourself) -

Klokers Branding

I have no idea what in the wide world of sports that is supposed to mean, I have no idea who is behind it, if the original founders are involved, and honestly?  I truly do not know if anything branded as "Klokers Branding" is going to resonate with the folks who went along for the ride the first time.

So here's hoping.  Here's hoping that whoever is taking up the mantel to try and resuscitate Klokers is fully committed and adequately funded.  Let's hope they take heed to everything that went wrong and could have gone better.  Let's hope that they listen to their customers - both the positive and negative.

A Few Minutes With Marcella Dolan

I first bumped into Marcella Dolan back in October at the District Time Show in Washington DC.  She and her partner Stephen Rowley have been working away at the launch of their new brand - Stella.

Courtesy of Stella W

We had a brief chance to speak and we did a brief write up about their launch prior to their Kickstarter announcement - 

Breaking the Sapphire Crystal Ceiling with the Stella Watch Company

I am particularly enamored with the Downtown Red -

Courtesy of Stella Watch Company

Now that the dust has settled on the Kickstarter campaign, I thought it would be a good time to follow-up.  So gentle reader, a few minutes with Marcella Dolan

James Henderson - Tell us about your first watch.  Was it a gift?  Is there a story behind it?

Marcella Dolan - The first watch I actually remember falling in love with was a sterling silver Navajo design with turquoise stones and hand tooled feathers on the arms. It had a mother-of-pearl dial and an expansion back and fit my scrawny wrist perfectly. My mother and I would roam the flea markets on Saturdays and when I saw this on a table with a bunch of odds and ends, I thought I found a treasure! That was sometime in the late 70’s, early 80’s when I was into fringe leather jackets and moccasins so this was for sure my pièce de résistance! 

JH - When you were younger, what did you want to be when you "grew up"?

MD - That’s easy - a starving artist! My dream was to live in a small, sunny art studio where I could have the solitude and freedom to paint all day and night. I assumed I could sell a piece of art whenever I needed to eat or, you know, pay rent. It’s a romantic dream until you have to, you know, pay rent!

JH - Where did you go to school?  What did you study?

MD - It’s a long story but for the sake of brevity, I’ll just say I did not go to school. I lived in and traveled around Europe for three years after high school. Paris, Aix-En-Provence, Germany, Belgium, Amsterdam, Italy and Luxembourg. It was the school of life and I do not regret a moment of it.

The education that would lead me to a career came later when I first set eyes on a Macintosh computer. Remember the first Mac commercial, “1984” with the woman throwing a sledgehammer at a projector screen? That was just a few years before I sat down in front of my first Mac and was instantly enthralled. Although the programs were still very rudimentary, I was amazed that you could create art digitally! I found a book and taught myself how to use the programs and from there, taught myself everything I needed to land my first graphic design job. I have been an autodidact throughout my entire career and I believe hands on learning is the best way to gain knowledge (unless you’re a surgeon).

JH - What did you do before you got into the watch business?

MD - See above! I’m going to just admit here publicly that I lied my way into my first “real” job as a graphic designer. It was for a firm that manufactured ATM machines and they needed a graphic artist to render the machines in real life settings. I hadn’t learned the program they were using yet but when asked if I had the experience I said yes and then immediately found the “how to” book in the library (remember those days of no internet?).  At the next interview I got the job. From there I had a few graphic design jobs before a previous boss left to work for a small watch company and subsequently asked me to work for him. It was very early in my career and since that first job, I never left the industry. Along the way I learned everything I could, not only about watches, but also about business and eventually became the VP of Timepieces for a large NY fashion accessory company.

JH - As someone who has worked in the watch industry for some time, how long had you been thinking about starting your own brand?

Courtesy of Stella Watch Company

MD - I would say it’s something I always wanted to do. I love designing watches but when you’re designing for someone else, you have to work within the constraints of that brand’s DNA. I do enjoy sculpting out a watch line as the extension of a brand. But the idea of having the freedom to create something with the only constraint being my imagination was always enticing. It was my partner Stephen’s idea to start our own business.  Having worked together before, we developed a mutual respect for each other’s talents and work ethic and when he approached me with the idea, I was all in. 

Courtesy of Stella Watch Company

JH - So what makes Stella special?

MD - I think what makes Stella special is that it is not trying to be something else.  I have tons of respect for the microbrand community but I have seen a lot of homage watches and that is not what we wanted. Stella is a watch with its own DNA and you would be hard pressed to put a “label” on it.  Some reviewers have called it a type of field watch or a dress watch but Stella was intended to be just a cool looking watch that you could wear every day, on any occasion. It can be dressed up or dressed down, depending on your vibe. It is neither masculine nor feminine and at 40mm, it really can be worn by anyone.  That is what we wanted to create. 

JH - I often talk about the Sapphire Crystal Ceiling - essentially, that the watch business is fairly replete with middle aged white men and not necessarily so welcoming for women in the upper echelons.  This is of course, my opinion as a middle aged white man.  What's your take on the industry as an insider of many years?  

MD - Honestly, I don’t consider this industry different from any other.  The unfortunate truth is that women have to fight harder, work harder and constantly prove that they are just as capable, or even more so, than their male counterparts in every profession. But in this industry in particular, yes, I agree there are a lot of “old school” stodgy middle aged white men who don’t understand the benefit of having a woman’s perspective. And that’s a huge miss in my opinion.  If there were more women in this industry, classic upper echelon “men’s” brands would try to do more than just vomit diamonds on smaller rose gold versions of their best sellers and call it the “ladies collection”.  Come on, it's degrading! If I were running a brand (which I am!) I would respect that in 2020 diamonds are a cliché and women have more depth of character. I would take the time to design interesting models without a gender label and I would do my best to accommodate all wrist sizes (which I am!)

Courtesy of Stella Watch Company

JH - You were able to raise a decent amount of funding through Kickstarter.  Did the campaign go as well as you'd hoped?

MD - Given the timing of when we launched, yes, we were very happy with the campaign. Stephen and I debated whether we should go ahead with the launch or hold off for “better” times.  We ultimately decided to just go for it because we were anxious to “be in business” and the Kickstarter campaign was the launch. We already decided to go ahead with production months earlier because we were fairly confident we would be well received and we didn’t want customers to wait so long to get their watch. We didn’t have production worries since I already knew which manufacturers I wanted to work with and because of our long-standing relationships, they were happy to take on the venture. Still, in a time of Covid, it was a gamble but what in life isn’t?

JH - Who do you see as the "Stella" customer?

MD - Everyone and anyone who appreciates a well-made Swiss watch with a cool, unique design. I’ve learned not to tell my customers what they like. If it appeals to someone, that’s our customer.

JH - What are some of the challenges that you've encountered during this process?

MD - Even with all the experience Stephen and I have in the industry and in business, there are things we had to learn, like how to build an e-commerce website or what is the right demographic for a Facebook advertisement.  When it’s your own business, you are the designers, developers, marketers, sales team, accountants, procurement managers and file clerks! If there’s something you need to get done and you don’t know how to do it, you learn it – quickly!

JH - Who else is making watches out there that you admire?

MD - Honestly, I admire anyone who has a vision and the drive to see it become a reality. Stephen and I both have a strong work ethic but building your own company from the ground up takes a LOT of work and commitment. Anyone doing it and succeeding is to be admired.  But there are a number of brands that I think have done a great job, from design to a good quality build. Chris Ward tops my list although I don’t know if we can still consider them a micro? Farer as well, they have a unique aesthetic and I love their use of color. Jonathan at Brew because I love that he sticks to his brand story. I think Aevig did a really nice job with the Huldra, Nodus is solid, the new Marternero Bayshore is sharp and I’m hoping it will be as good in person. Monta, Halios, Baltic, there really are so many.

JH - If you weren't doing this, what would you be doing?

MD - Starving - as an artist.

JH - What advice do you have for the next Marcella Dolan out there?

I’ve been very fortunate to have been able to build a career doing something I love. I’ve seen a lot of ups and downs over the years in this industry and today I don’t know if I would recommend it as a profession to go after. BUT, I know that having a passion for watches cannot be denied. So, I would say if you have been bitten by this bug, find a way to make it work. Whether that’s as a career or as a collector, seek out people who are knowledgeable and never be afraid to ask questions. I think most people in the watch community have this hidden fear that it will someday be a lost art and are therefore happy to pass down their knowledge. Embrace it, and it will embrace you, for better or for worse!