Tag: Watch

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.

Epos is about dropping jaws and blowing minds…

Close-up of epos dial

In its intricate and fine-tuned movement mechanics…

In its innovation into the possibilities of mechanical complications…

In how much mechanical prowess can fit into a watch a fraction of the cost of its Rolex or Breitling peers…

In just how far a family-run business can soar…

 

Epos Logo

I recently got my hands on an Epos to observe firsthand and I’ll give you my thoughts momentarily. But first – let’s introduce a brand you may have never heard of. And no – it’s not because they’re newbies.  In fact, Epos is about to hit 40 years in business. It was started as a Swiss watch company in one of the most daring entrepreneurial endeavors I’ve ever seen – it was started as a brand exclusively focused on mechanical movements during the “quartz crisis.” Much like sailing out to sea as a hurricane comes into harbor, Epos was a mechanical watch lover’s dream unleashed into a horological nightmare wherein dozens of watchmakers had to conform to quartz or go bankrupt.

 

Close-Up of Epos Movement

 

But Epos didn’t drown… In fact, much like Epos’ diving watches, the company took whatever water the rainstorm sent and came out the other side unscathed. Why did Epos succeed where so many others failed? Maybe it had to do with their unwavering commitment to the horological art of mechanical movements – both in continuing successes of the past and of constantly innovating upon them… Maybe it was the focus on value, in making sure the price tag didn’t inflate to the level of some other luxury watch brands… Maybe it was their focus on family values; Epos was started by husband-and-wife team Peter and Erna Hofer and was later passed on to Ursula Foster and Tamdi Chonge – another husband-and-wife duo… Or maybe it was a combination of all the above.

 

 

 

 

 

Regardless of the reason, I’m delighted that Epos is here. And not just here as a scared survivor but here with gusto, bringing with it watch collections that are as breathtaking as they are unique. Collections (8 in all) that range from classic to daring, and everything in between. For a full list of the collections and timepieces in each, check out www.epos.ch. The timepiece I’m reviewing below is from the Sportive collection.

Sportive Logo

I know what you’re thinking – this review is about to tell you to buy the watch because all of the above good stuff about Epos, right? Wrong. Buy this watch because it’s freaking awesome.  Let me introduce you to the Epos 3441SK.

Here’s why you need to add one to your personal collection immediately:

  • Orange is the new black… just kidding, but if you love orange, it doesn’t get better that this. At least not without spending double or triple on a high-end luxury brand. Orange isn’t your cup of tea? Did I mention that the 3441SK comes in various mixtures of blue, yellow, and black? Other Sportive watches with similar skeleton dials contain accents of green, yellow gold, and silver too. So no matter your hue, they’ve got one for you.

 

  • The movement moves me. The movement is a mechanical and horological powerhouse. It consists of a SW200 movement and is bad to the bone (get it? It’s a skeleton dial).

 

  • It’s complicated… the date complication, that is. I’ve been around the block a few times and I have never seen the date presented in such a unique and attractive way. Gone is the magnifying bubble over the digit window. This method of displaying skeletal numbers is hotter than hell.

 

  • Faster than the speed of light. The luminosity is intense and will keep you on time regardless how late at night or the weather.

 

Overall, the watch is magnificent. You know you want one. Before you click the link to buy it (http://www.epos.ch), let me wrap things up…

 

  • Should you buy an Epos? Yes. An impressive brand with potentially unmatched Swiss quality for the cost. And if you’re not in the market for a dive watch, I dare you to go check out their Oeuvre D’Art (French for “Masterpiece “) or Sophistiquee collections. If you don’t find one you love, you might want to check your pulse.

  • Should you buy a Sportive Skeleton Dive Watch. Also yes. There’s no question that I’ll be buying orange. Which one is going to be yours?

Check it out here: https://epos.ch/en/product/3441-135-99-15-52/#

Cross-posting from prior Wix blog, 09.04.22

The X-Wing. Aside from sharing its name with the famous Jedi-led spaceship, the X-Wing watch by #Invicta has gained some fame of its own.

Part of the #CoalitionForces subcollection, the X-Wing offers a gorgeous timepiece in a durable exterior. But forget for a second that I’m a huge Star Wars nerd (Grogu will be making an appearance on this blog within the next month or two). I love my Invicta X-Wing for other reasons. The unique shape of the watch itself and the contrast of the black and the red on this watch are both phenomenal. And then comes a surprise on the dial which serves as the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae that is watch. Before we name it, let me take you on a journey to understand its origination. #SuspenseTime.

 

Rewind 75 years. Aside from gold, pearls were one of the most popular components in feminine jewelry. The strand of pearls around one’s neck became a quintessential symbol of the American housewife — made popular by some of the earliest sitcoms produced. Men had virtually no interaction with pearls, aside from buying them for their wives, but the men of the 40’s and 50’s had no qualms with that.

 

Snap back to today. Pearls are still a symbol of femininity but are a lesser part of American culture. A major factor in that was the push for more colorful jewelry. Femininity in the late 20th century and into the 21st century became fiercely unique and women needed more than the simple off-white pearl could offer. Alternate colors of pearls were developed but the pearl itself has still taken a back seat to other forms of jewelry. However, while pearls have slowly faded from the forefront of culture, they have been eclipsed by a close relative. You could say that the pearl has been upstaged by its parent. We are, of course, talking about mother of pearl (hereafter referred to as “MOP”).

Bear with me for a few seconds here, lest you fall prey to the idea that MOP is but a shimmery paint that is applied to a watch dial. MOP is actually an organic substance made from nacre, which is a composite material secreted by oysters and pearl-producing mollusks. To put it plainly, nacre is the canvas on which a pearl itself is painted. The oyster or mollusk creates a layer of nacre that spans the entire interior of the creature. From that point, pearl-producing oysters or mollusks proceed to create the relatively small pearl. As the nacre is what allows the creature to produce a pearl, it literally is the parent (the mother) of the pearl. There’s your fun fact of the day to use at your next cocktail party…

MOP is more plentiful than pearls themselves, allowing for a lower cost and larger “canvas” than its pearl descendant. Not only are MOP jewelry pieces typically larger in size than a pearl, but they also have more color variation. The result is a piece of jewelry that is both dramatic in size and stunning in appearance. And not only that, MOP has become a large part of men’s jewelry creation. This is where we come full circle back to our discussion of the watch.

Now on to the star of the show, the Invicta Coalition Forces X-Wing, model #31685. This dial on this X-Wing is covered end-to-end with dark-tinted MOP and red accents. Depending on the lighting, the overall dial color has a charcoal or green hue to it and is very reflective. While pictures can’t fully do the dial justice, you can see hints of the iridescent reflection on the above. While MOP is front-and-center on the dial, there are nearly a half-dozen other winning elements on this X-Wing. The “points” in the top and bottom of the dial give the watch its unique “X” design. The chronograph subdials are controlled by bumper/pusher switches that take the badass level of this watch up a few notches. The dial and glass are moderately smaller than the bezel, which further serves to make the dial the focal point of the eye. With an attractive crown and a soft silicone band, this watch isn’t here to play.

 

Suffice it to say, Invicta’s X-Wing is the droid that you’ve been looking for. After all, how many other watches can give such a subtle homage to Star Wars? Sidebar — want something less subtle? Peruse Invicta’s Star Wars-themed X-Wings and dozens of other models. Plus, the gorgeous MOP work and a unique X-shaped design…

 

 

 

 

 

Strap one on and you’ll be ready to head to a galaxy far, far away…

Cross-posting from prior Wix blog, 08.22.22

Let me tell you a little story about how a watch changed my life (or at least played a role in life change). The year was 2021, I had been at a corporate job with my then-company for 11 years. And while I would love to say it was all rainbows and unicorns, nothing could be farther from the truth. It was a toxic work environment and I knew I needed out. But the last time I got a job it was entry-level all those years ago. Things were different now.

Dozens (heck, maybe hundreds) of job applications later, I finally landed an interview at a stable company through a former peer of mine. Yes! But then came the hours of dread and worry. It was my first interview in many years AND it was my first virtual interview. I decided to wear my old suit – it barely fit my dad bod but I figured nobody would notice the gym shorts I was wearing under the desk. But then came an important decision – and typically one of my favorite decisions of the day. What watch do I wear? My current watch collection is about 30 watches deep, so I had a variety of looks and colors at my disposal. But this decision was huge to me, because my watch says a lot about me and is one of my primary drivers of confidence. So which one to pick?

After standing in the closet for what must have been a half-hour, I decided to wear one of the earlier watches in my collection – my Invicta Project Abda SubAqua Noma III (which I dub “The SubAqua” for short). This gorgeous automatic timepiece is the perfect blend between business and play. The classic black and white appearance allow it to fit nicely with any suit and tie; however, the 200m water resistance and the unique dial with a SubAqua “S” monster pattern make it clear that I’m also here for adventure and fun.

It may seem silly that a watch makes me feel like that but it’s 100% true. Adding it to my wrist before that interview, I felt professional, adventurous, and fun (not to mention dashingly handsome). You can probably guess the rest of the story. I nailed the interview and was scheduled for a second interview with the department AVP. Sporting the same SubAqua on my wrist, I aced that interview too and started the new job a month later.

A watch changed my life? Yeah, I think it kind of did. I have since dubbed it my lucky watch and it’s helped me on other endeavors too – including my first freelance copywriting client meeting. My challenge to you is to find your life-changing watch. If this sounds like your lucky, life-changing watch waiting to happen, search it out and snag yours. It’s a rare find and is sold out many places but as the good book says, search and you will find. Good luck and Godspeed.