What makes Jack Mason unique? Also, who is Jack Mason?
Howdy Y'all
As many of you know, the Jack Mason brand and the popular Strat-o-timer GMT has had a presence on the WC platform. It's been awesome to connect with each of you, some in-person at shows, and in many ways the brand has continued to mature together with the WC community.
I wanted to take a moment to share some information and address reoccurring questions and comments that I see pop up from time to time. You might want to get comfortable and grab a beverage. *This post will be lengthly*
Who is Jack Mason?
Obviously, I am not, him. Jack Mason is a real person. He is the oldest son of one of my business partners and the company was named after him when he was about 4 years old. The reason why we decided to roll with his name is because we felt that it perfectly personified the type of brand we wanted to be. American, Classic, Legacy brand. The name was easy to remember (A key factor in launching a brand) and unmistakably American. We also felt that the name was one where upon hearing it for the first time, it already sounded familiar and was in establishment for many years. Our long term vision is for JM to be around as long as possible and build a legacy here in our home state of Texas.
What makes Jack Mason different?
Objectively speaking, it's become harder for different brands to truly be different from one another. There is just too much at our disposable when it comes to supply chain and e-commerce. You often hear "I can get X for Y dollars cheaper". Well, it's true, and it's become extremely competitive from a pure spec sheet standpoint.
So how do you create value in a brand? This is where myself, and the team at JM take a lot of pride in. In one word, I would sum up Jack Mason as authentic. We are a design forward company with a deep deep passion for product design, visuals, and story-telling. Being an industrial design grad myself and a lover of good brand design, it was important for me to make sure Jack Mason was built on thoughtful and intentional decisions.
For every new watch that's developed, there is a lot of time spent on research so that we may form a reason for the watch and perhaps discover a story behind the watch. This is the only way we get inspired and build up material to go through an entire design exercise. Without this, we don't do it at all as it doesn't feel authentic. Sometimes this approach, and a spec sheet that an enthusiast may want, do not align, and that is perfectly OK with us. Our main source of inspiration does not lie in specs or materials. There are plenty of brands that do operate this way, which is also OK. Our passion lies in building something authentic and with reason, because we also love telling the story of 'the why'.
I've been designing watches professionally for nearly 20 years and many of my peers along the way have either burned out or chased other dreams. I knew early on I had to dig deep into discovering what my purpose is as I knew that without this, I am just a human artist that pumps out watch designs. The ironic and scary thing is today, we have AI that can almost do the job. For me, what I discovered was that my passion lied in discovery. Discovery in stories, which led to discovery in purpose and intention, which finally then led to discovery in good product design.
I also did not want this passion to just start and end with the watch itself. I wanted Jack Mason to be thought out from the moment you first come in contact with the brand, whether that's through me or an advertisement, all the way through purchase and after sales. For this reason I've built an incredible team in @duhstin and @Cornelius who is responsible for literally every visual touchpoint you see from JM. For example, we spend a lot of time on just coming up with copy that's written in our website, emails, socials, ads. Every word, expression, tone, is something that's highly considered. It was important that we kept web-design, photos and videos in-house and built vertically as it was the only way to have total control of our brand identity.
I also wanted to take a moment to celebrate Dustin and Corey, as without them, there is no way in God's earth that JM would be where we are today. Their ability to share stories about JM through photos, videos, and copy is exactly why we are where we are. So even though you are forced to see my face in all of our content (sorry), the real MVPs are the creative team at JM.
So with that, I wanted to share a wonderful series of YT videos that we created called Design to Watch. This was created as a way to express ourselves in the way we do work at JM. There is one for the Strat-o-timer, Hydrotimer, and the new Ellum. If you only have time for one, this is the one we are most proud of. The hope is that you're able to feel the passion that we possess behind everything we do. It truly is a joy to sit down and talk about how we are going to present our latest and greatest to the community at large.
These videos were directed, produced, and edited by me @duhstin @Cornelius .
So what draws you to a brand outside of the watch itself? I'd love to know what you find value in.
Hello! My name is Peter Cho, and I'm a co-founder and the designer of Jack Mason watches. In 2006 I got a degree in industrial design, got my first job as a watch designer and never looked back. After...
Love this. Authenticity is such an important factor. As I am putting together this year’s tournament, I am weighing that more and more, and there may be a popular brand or two excluded because they are part of some micro/independent conglomerate. I know most people don’t care, or see it, but there is something unique when a brand is not simply relying on a private party to do all the work and the brand itself is, more or less, a financial backer. We should celebrate those who take greater control more.
There is something special about what you, Nodus, and several others do to take the QC and building in house. Does it result in a premium over XYZ brand that risks their watches going out with issues? Yes. Does it slow down the process? Yes. Is it worth it? Time, heck yeah. The team at JM take the time to engage with the community and have tremendous sense of pride in what ends up in our wrists, so thank you.
PS love the video series highlighting the specialness of the Ellum.
First of all, it's great to hear insight like this from the brand's point of view. And specifically from a brand of which I enjoy the end product (I own multiple).
But also, I'd like to just say that I really enjoy the video series that you all have created. I first found the jack mason brand from the first or maybe second episode of the gmt series. I was fascinated with the 9075 when I first heard the news and came across the video on youtube. From there, I spent more and more time seeing your posts on youtube and instagram until I eventually purchased the gmt for myself. I'm a big fan of the stratotimer but I'm an even bigger fan of the brand. After holding the watch in my hands, it's quite apparent that there has been many hours put into creating something that feels very high quality. On top of that, following the brand on instagram has made it clear that the same sentiment carries through to the whole brand. Hats off to the whole team and I look forward to following along on your journey as it continues.
By the way congrats on the new dress watch. Good looking watch!
Love this. Authenticity is such an important factor. As I am putting together this year’s tournament, I am weighing that more and more, and there may be a popular brand or two excluded because they are part of some micro/independent conglomerate. I know most people don’t care, or see it, but there is something unique when a brand is not simply relying on a private party to do all the work and the brand itself is, more or less, a financial backer. We should celebrate those who take greater control more.
There is something special about what you, Nodus, and several others do to take the QC and building in house. Does it result in a premium over XYZ brand that risks their watches going out with issues? Yes. Does it slow down the process? Yes. Is it worth it? Time, heck yeah. The team at JM take the time to engage with the community and have tremendous sense of pride in what ends up in our wrists, so thank you.
PS love the video series highlighting the specialness of the Ellum.
I knew you'd understand. I especially loved your most recent insightful post. Honestly, interacting and forming friendships in the community makes the entire thing feel authentically collaborative! Thank you back!
Absolutely. Sadly my wife has a conflicting trip for Windup in SF, but I hope to see you and team in Chicago.
First of all, it's great to hear insight like this from the brand's point of view. And specifically from a brand of which I enjoy the end product (I own multiple).
But also, I'd like to just say that I really enjoy the video series that you all have created. I first found the jack mason brand from the first or maybe second episode of the gmt series. I was fascinated with the 9075 when I first heard the news and came across the video on youtube. From there, I spent more and more time seeing your posts on youtube and instagram until I eventually purchased the gmt for myself. I'm a big fan of the stratotimer but I'm an even bigger fan of the brand. After holding the watch in my hands, it's quite apparent that there has been many hours put into creating something that feels very high quality. On top of that, following the brand on instagram has made it clear that the same sentiment carries through to the whole brand. Hats off to the whole team and I look forward to following along on your journey as it continues.
By the way congrats on the new dress watch. Good looking watch!
Great to hear that you were an early viewer of the D2W series! This was something we enjoyed creating, even if nobody watched it! lol. We find joy in the process and control what we can. That's what brings us to work everyday. Thanks for all your engagement and support!
Absolutely. Sadly my wife has a conflicting trip for Windup in SF, but I hope to see you and team in Chicago.
We'll miss you in SF, but will definitely see you in Chicago! Looking forward to the microtournament! Honestly more than the basketball 😂
My first name is Maison lol, I don’t own a Jack Mason but there is a couple I would maybe get if they were cheaper, not something I really need right now. And I already got me a custom logo watch with my name.
My first name is Maison lol, I don’t own a Jack Mason but there is a couple I would maybe get if they were cheaper, not something I really need right now. And I already got me a custom logo watch with my name.
I actually have several customers who's name is also Jack Mason, so it worked out for them! Haha. Love to see the enthusiasm, Maison. Hope to see a JM in your collection one day!
It's always great to hear from one of my favorite brands. I have been following closely along since the beginning of Strato timer and your journey/story has been a joy to follow. I've seen the ups and downs. I've seen the success and issues. At the end of the day, you guys handle everything with such class and grace, and for that, you have my respect. Thank you for your transparency as always. There's something about being this close to you guys that makes my watches from you guys that much more special. Big shoutout to your team! I had the pleasure of meeting y'all at windup a bit ago. You and your guys are a pleasure to talk to. Some of the nicest people in that room. Genuinely! I hope to see you guys at Intersect ATL! Keep pushing the boundary. This is how I see it: The U.K. has CWard. The U.S. has Jack Mason.
This post couldn’t not have been written at a better time personally in my watch collecting passion
Let me explain. (Now it’s your turn to fill your coffe cup)
Starting off in the beginning of collecting it was a very fast paced mind set. No stranger to many new collectors I was drawn in by anything shinny and had a heard mentality focusing on well know affordable cult classics. Your SKX, Vostoks , seagull 1963 so on and so forth.
Now
I’m not saying those watches are not great because they are but as I matured and moved into the next phase which was modding. I then wanted to bring into my collection watches that where less hype watches and had more value and attention to detail, which is where I am currently. I thought to get this I would have to step towards a luxury brands for the heritage and story. Rolex, Omega etc..
Micro brands and independent brands where not even on my raidar. Almost like I had blinders on and they where invisible.
That all changed when I went to a watch meet up and saw the watches which I now consider to be “luxury” which also redfined the word meaning all together.
Luxury now means obtaining a watch from a brand that has a story of passion and truly cares currently about the watch community. That has self respect in crafting something meaningful and intentional out from the depths of there soul.
Real life people who put them selves not just there watches on display to be able to connect down to the human experiences and shared reality of the platform of pure passion for time pieces.
Your self and your team are exactly that. Something AI will never be able to achieve in my humbled opinion. Infact, I think as AI progresses there will be a primal part of the human mind in all of us that will crave that human real life interaction or vibe that will be missing from AI “perfect” answers and product.
Jackmason is the perfect example of the future of watch collecting Luxury in that gone will be the day of the perfect and most expensive advertisement campaign winning the race but yet the most passionate company who puts service in all facets in front of dollars.
In my humbled opinion (And it’s ok if anyone disagrees here) you guys are the Rolex of the true spirited watch community and my hard earned resources will be gladed shared with a company that matches my passion in trades for an object imagined by incredible talent and passion for what they do.
Your self and your team are first class and I appreciate you taking this time to solidify my position with JM as a whole. Keep doing what your doing. The community needs your authenticity ✌️😉
It's always great to hear from one of my favorite brands. I have been following closely along since the beginning of Strato timer and your journey/story has been a joy to follow. I've seen the ups and downs. I've seen the success and issues. At the end of the day, you guys handle everything with such class and grace, and for that, you have my respect. Thank you for your transparency as always. There's something about being this close to you guys that makes my watches from you guys that much more special. Big shoutout to your team! I had the pleasure of meeting y'all at windup a bit ago. You and your guys are a pleasure to talk to. Some of the nicest people in that room. Genuinely! I hope to see you guys at Intersect ATL! Keep pushing the boundary. This is how I see it: The U.K. has CWard. The U.S. has Jack Mason.
Thanks for being part of the ride! We are not perfect by any means, but we are trying our damn best and acknowledge the areas of improvement in all facets of the business.
Intersect is yet another great medium for us to express ourselves by associating with like-minded brands who all share similar views. We are hoping to foster the community within Intersect and allow it to grow as organically as possible. Hope to see you there!
This post couldn’t not have been written at a better time personally in my watch collecting passion
Let me explain. (Now it’s your turn to fill your coffe cup)
Starting off in the beginning of collecting it was a very fast paced mind set. No stranger to many new collectors I was drawn in by anything shinny and had a heard mentality focusing on well know affordable cult classics. Your SKX, Vostoks , seagull 1963 so on and so forth.
Now
I’m not saying those watches are not great because they are but as I matured and moved into the next phase which was modding. I then wanted to bring into my collection watches that where less hype watches and had more value and attention to detail, which is where I am currently. I thought to get this I would have to step towards a luxury brands for the heritage and story. Rolex, Omega etc..
Micro brands and independent brands where not even on my raidar. Almost like I had blinders on and they where invisible.
That all changed when I went to a watch meet up and saw the watches which I now consider to be “luxury” which also redfined the word meaning all together.
Luxury now means obtaining a watch from a brand that has a story of passion and truly cares currently about the watch community. That has self respect in crafting something meaningful and intentional out from the depths of there soul.
Real life people who put them selves not just there watches on display to be able to connect down to the human experiences and shared reality of the platform of pure passion for time pieces.
Your self and your team are exactly that. Something AI will never be able to achieve in my humbled opinion. Infact, I think as AI progresses there will be a primal part of the human mind in all of us that will crave that human real life interaction or vibe that will be missing from AI “perfect” answers and product.
Jackmason is the perfect example of the future of watch collecting Luxury in that gone will be the day of the perfect and most expensive advertisement campaign winning the race but yet the most passionate company who puts service in all facets in front of dollars.
In my humbled opinion (And it’s ok if anyone disagrees here) you guys are the Rolex of the true spirited watch community and my hard earned resources will be gladed shared with a company that matches my passion in trades for an object imagined by incredible talent and passion for what they do.
Your self and your team are first class and I appreciate you taking this time to solidify my position with JM as a whole. Keep doing what your doing. The community needs your authenticity ✌️😉
Just love this. I truly believe that a handful of micro/independents are carving out a meaningful sector of the industry on a global scale. Sure we are not going to be within shouting distance of the recently reported Swiss watch exports, but again, that's not what it's about.
I have a strong passion for the Subs, Carreras, and Santos' of the world for what they represent and how they have carved out this path for us. However, I believe more interesting conversations are had when you are either part of or overheard people talking about microbrands. More often than not the conversation hovers around the people behind the brand rather than the watch itself. I love hearing about how people love meeting Markus from Formex, or Mike from CW, or Nic from Fears. That is something unique and special and meaningful.
I love that you've discovered what luxury means to you on your own. I respect that! Thank you so much for the kind words about JM and the team. Means the world to us. It evokes an emotion and forms a deep connection with the community and that is what it's all about. That is brand, and that is the type of brand we want to be.
Finally, thanks to you for putting together such insightful and informative posts on WC! It takes passion and dedication to do it, and the community is better with you in it. Looking forward to connecting in person again!
I appreciate brands that interact with their customers. Example:
I'm in IT and work for a large organization. We had a vendor that provided one of our software platforms, a company that was small, agile and responsive in every way. It was a real treat to work with them because they listened and responded, whether it was a gripe or suggestion, and they took those and improved their software accordingly. It was WONDERFUL. At their conferences, they and their customers (like me) were genuine friends. We interacted at the conferences and at night partied like old college buddies. When the rep came to town we went to dinner, including my wife.
Then they sold the company to a large company, who then sold it to a larger company, and then another. Needless to say, the company is no longer what it used to be. There went a beautiful relationship. So long agile, so long responsiveness.
With that said, software is one thing and watches are another, and while you may listen to customers suggestions, you need to be true to your own design language, so I understand that. But if everyone complained about a sharp edge that was bothersome or a crown that had insufficient knurling, I'm sure you'd respond, and most likely quickly too. That's pretty cool and really appreciated.
The watch design comes first, and as evidence I present my collection of well over 100, from Chinese to Swiss, vintage to modern. But that cherry on top of a watch purchase are guys like you, @duhstin , @Cornelius at Jack Mason, along with Nick @orionwatches at ORION, and @marcusmenescal of Möels & Co., all of whom interact here at WC and clearly give a shit, and for that I thank you, as most of us do. 👍
<TIPS HAT>
Just love this. I truly believe that a handful of micro/independents are carving out a meaningful sector of the industry on a global scale. Sure we are not going to be within shouting distance of the recently reported Swiss watch exports, but again, that's not what it's about.
I have a strong passion for the Subs, Carreras, and Santos' of the world for what they represent and how they have carved out this path for us. However, I believe more interesting conversations are had when you are either part of or overheard people talking about microbrands. More often than not the conversation hovers around the people behind the brand rather than the watch itself. I love hearing about how people love meeting Markus from Formex, or Mike from CW, or Nic from Fears. That is something unique and special and meaningful.
I love that you've discovered what luxury means to you on your own. I respect that! Thank you so much for the kind words about JM and the team. Means the world to us. It evokes an emotion and forms a deep connection with the community and that is what it's all about. That is brand, and that is the type of brand we want to be.
Finally, thanks to you for putting together such insightful and informative posts on WC! It takes passion and dedication to do it, and the community is better with you in it. Looking forward to connecting in person again!
Everything you’ve said I couldn’t have said better my self. I’m flattered by the compliment brother thank you.
I 💯 will make time to connect with you guys the next time your in NY. 🍻
Thank you for the thoughtful explanation of the ethos behind Jack Mason. As a native Texan, I have been admiring the brands with a Texas presence. When you began posting information on the new Ellum, I knew I was in trouble!
I have been looking for a classic dress watch with gold tones, as I have a field watch heavy collection. I have nothing to complement that rarely worn but important part of my business wear, and to quote Goldmember from Austin Powers, “I love gold!”
I just ordered the new Ellum with the gold dial and I’m looking forward to the unboxing when it arrives tomorrow. Keep up the great work and thanks for representing the great state of Texas!
I appreciate brands that interact with their customers. Example:
I'm in IT and work for a large organization. We had a vendor that provided one of our software platforms, a company that was small, agile and responsive in every way. It was a real treat to work with them because they listened and responded, whether it was a gripe or suggestion, and they took those and improved their software accordingly. It was WONDERFUL. At their conferences, they and their customers (like me) were genuine friends. We interacted at the conferences and at night partied like old college buddies. When the rep came to town we went to dinner, including my wife.
Then they sold the company to a large company, who then sold it to a larger company, and then another. Needless to say, the company is no longer what it used to be. There went a beautiful relationship. So long agile, so long responsiveness.
With that said, software is one thing and watches are another, and while you may listen to customers suggestions, you need to be true to your own design language, so I understand that. But if everyone complained about a sharp edge that was bothersome or a crown that had insufficient knurling, I'm sure you'd respond, and most likely quickly too. That's pretty cool and really appreciated.
The watch design comes first, and as evidence I present my collection of well over 100, from Chinese to Swiss, vintage to modern. But that cherry on top of a watch purchase are guys like you, @duhstin , @Cornelius at Jack Mason, along with Nick @orionwatches at ORION, and @marcusmenescal of Möels & Co., all of whom interact here at WC and clearly give a shit, and for that I thank you, as most of us do. 👍
<TIPS HAT>
Thank you for sharing that story. I totally agree that this attitude carries through to anything you do no matter how big or small. It's such an advantage for us to be able to be nimble and create a better product that has the right balance of brand identity and customer centric. Honestly, being a part of this community feels like I'm cheating! There is so much great information on here that I honestly look up when I'm faced with a tough decision during development.
Thanks for the input!
Thank you for the thoughtful explanation of the ethos behind Jack Mason. As a native Texan, I have been admiring the brands with a Texas presence. When you began posting information on the new Ellum, I knew I was in trouble!
I have been looking for a classic dress watch with gold tones, as I have a field watch heavy collection. I have nothing to complement that rarely worn but important part of my business wear, and to quote Goldmember from Austin Powers, “I love gold!”
I just ordered the new Ellum with the gold dial and I’m looking forward to the unboxing when it arrives tomorrow. Keep up the great work and thanks for representing the great state of Texas!
That's amazing! Thank you for the support. I'm glad to hear that you've found a watch that can be your companion during those rarely worn business outfits! We will continue to do our best in repping our state! #texasforever
What a great read. Jack Mason's newest releases have been excellent.
This is brilliant. Love your ethos and openness. It’s very refreshing. Love the storytelling in your pieces and the integrity of your designs and steadfastness. 🤗