Would people be interested in a WatchCrunch special edition?
Hello everyone!
So with a lot of private watch groups, they have special editions made. If you get enough people together, a lot of brands will allow you to customize part of the watch. Depending on the size of the order, more options become available for customization. As you can see from this order, it only took 16 :).
This was the NZ Redbar 2020 addition (The back of the watch is key cover photo above):
So how this works, is @Max, or whomever else he puts in charge, would work with the community to figure out what would be the right price range and style, and a good faith estimate of who would order. He would then go and find a watch company that would be willing to do such a thing and get a price quote. Before he puts in the order, we all pay (it can be to him, or directly to the manufacturer, depending on the agreement)
This would be a lot of work for him, so before we all ask him to do it, I am curious how many people would be interested, and what brand they would personally select.
My first thought for a brand would be Long Island watches. They are priced where most of us could buy, they have the means to take payment, and Mark is a standup guy.
Also, it seems the color this year, is WatchCrunch colors!
A Kiwi-American, living in Thailand :)
you can order watch dials from Aliexpress with your own logos and get one of the modders here to put it together to keep the project inhouse. They are used to small orders and can tailor the projects to the taste of the buyer. Mark would want a bigger order for the same watch.
you can order watch dials from Aliexpress with your own logos and get one of the modders here to put it together to keep the project inhouse. They are used to small orders and can tailor the projects to the taste of the buyer. Mark would want a bigger order for the same watch.
While this would be a way to go about it, it would remove the special edition part of it from the equation, as anyone can just do that with little investment. It would be nice to have something that you can really only get, if you are part of the event.
Very few of us will ever meet in real life but the watch logo would mark the event. Taste in color and style is all over the map here. You would get more people to participate if the rest of the watch was tailored to the end user. A 28.5mm dial will fit a wide range of cases. An easier sell would be a Nato with a logo. Fits on all watches with a bigger custom logo.
if it isnt too expensive im in
HkEd is the man you want for this type of project. He has done so many custom forum designs and done them exceptionally well.
Wearing one of his right now. WUS vintage diver project, The Emperor, from several years back.
Custom embroidered Nato straps are between $30.00 (nylon) and $60.00 (leather)
Silkscreened Natos start at $5.00 (nylon) 100 order minimum. Custom watch would start at $200.00 and leave a lot of guys here out of the running. Even a Casio would look good with a custom Nato.
I’d be interested unless it’s a dive watch but a variation of one of these would be cool
Great point! I like what Hodinkee does, they do special editions with several brands, being a Timex guy I can attest they did an amazing job with the Q and the Waterbury. So maybe it can be a few watch companies, from budget to somewhat luxury? However, that would probably be a lot of work. Just thinking out loud. Or like Oldsnafu said, we most likely never meet in the analog world, so maybe create a gift shop and something inexpensive with a logo to show our solidarity. Viva the Crunch! I'd fork over $100 to $400 for a Crunchwatch!
Are we talking about a 2-300 NH35 or a quartz? LIW has an ameriquartz now, maybe go in that direction. I'd be interested in participating. Personally, I'd like numbers on the dial like an explorer type case and layout, not a copy.
I’m definitely interested. I’d be more interested in a special edition WatchCrunch watch than buying straps with a WatchCrunch logo on. Of course like others have said it would be price and design dependent.
Oh I could definitely be interested in this. May I suggest a Baltic chrono if they’re up for it?
Fun suggestion @Jeremy! The pic of your handwind is gorgeous 😍.
Yes, any full consensus will be hopeless so I’d suggest a basic poll by the project chief. Diver/dressy, auto or handwind, date no date, colorway options … etc. Find what would be acceptable to most crunchers.
Im with HoneyB as well, an inexpensive mechanical would likely be most popular.
What about Ivan and Judy from Vario? Maybe we could take one of their popular models - the Empire, the Trench, or the recently released mecaquartz chrono.
They would create a custom case back for WatchCrunch. If we had enough orders, maybe we could get a design on the case back.
Even if we don't have enough for a custom pressed caseback, they do custom engraving on the caseback like with the Trench Watch - here is the example:
The various designs are:
I would definitely be interested regardless of where it is done. I think Marc would be willing to work something out if we can get enough people interested, but a guess would be he would want at least 50 for one variant, and it could well be more than that. I am basing that off of the two variants for the Spinnaker collaboration. Each of those was a run of 50.
Another option might be to look at Fine Timepiece Solutions, where the Ameriquartz movements are made, if we were interested in a quartz movement at all. Something like the #ISL-78, which was assembled at FTS. Max & Co could either come up with a dial or have a contest for the dial design..
The name 'WatchCrunch' on the back and possibly a number out of 50? 100? 250? Whatever, would be fine.
Something with 'WatchCrunch' on the dial? I'd run a mile in the other direction.
I’ll be in on this kinda cool, kinda similar with worn and wpuns seiko collab, which I was lucky enough to grab one. for me ideally a Seiko 5 if Seiko would ever allow us…
While this would be a way to go about it, it would remove the special edition part of it from the equation, as anyone can just do that with little investment. It would be nice to have something that you can really only get, if you are part of the event.
Also, I'm down with buying from an American company like Marks not so much helping the Chinese based AliExpress vendors.
I would love this for sure!
European or Japanese, Analog and Mechanical, Steel and No Date, then show me the Seconds, and I’m in!
I would be in only if the ones shipped to @chronotriggered and I don’t work and have to immediately be taken to the watchmaker.
After seeing numerous "forum watch" discussions and attempts over the years I'll just say best of luck from the sidelines.
I’d be interested unless it’s a dive watch but a variation of one of these would be cool
The linen dial 🤩
I would be in only if the ones shipped to @chronotriggered and I don’t work and have to immediately be taken to the watchmaker.
Ha - yes. Bonus credit for pin-pallet movements.
If it’s not from Timefactors and is claiming to be a Smiths I’m also in.
Can we ensure @Aurelian’s also has no lume if we are putting together requirements.
Baby step. go with the monogram Nato. Its in everyone's budget and will fit all watches.
We can facilitate this.
We can facilitate this.
Cool, so if this happens, and the end choice is a mod, we have someone already on board :)
Cool, so if this happens, and the end choice is a mod, we have someone already on board :)
Check out our xx121 project as a reference.
Great idea! Good luck getting 30 watch nerds to agree on a design 😉
Canadian online forum did this, and apparently CW were great to work with.
It would depend in the brand tbh , a custom rainbow Seiko with the watch crunch logo , I would be sold lol