Great Review! Wear it in good health brother :)

Thanks for the In Depth review Keith. It was such a long wait and I am glad it has finally arrived. I am really happy to hear that you are enjoying the watch. Also taking note on where we should improve on, we will definitely do better in our future models! There are always room for improvements 🙂 Auscar

Really cool to see our watch in someone elses wrist/collection. Its such a surreal feeling for me. Thanks Keith as always. Auscar

Hello everyone! Nice to meet all of you, I am Auscar from Ikigai Watches, really thankful for all the mentions Keith!

In 2020, during the lockdown, I, like everyone else, faced tough times. One day, as I looked at my watch, I thought, "Why can't a watch do more than tell time?" We take a look at our watch from time to time every day, maybe it could perhaps have a story to inspire/ motivate you. With my love for diving and watches, I thought maybe I could create a dive watch that has a meaning to it and also has design inspiration that is positive, hoping it could spread a little hope and joy every time it is glanced upon.

My journey had its fair share of highs and lows. My initial Kickstarter project, "Kazan," didn't reach its funding goal. I had a misguided approach, thinking that not many people actually used their dive watches for diving. So, I focused on creating something durable and cool.

However, that failure taught me valuable lessons. I used those insights to launch "Maru," which struck a better balance between uniqueness and practicality. But it wasn't a smooth journey from there, and Keith might remember this. It took us nearly a year to complete the campaign. I switched factories midway, upgraded our prototype, and handled various other challenges.

The factory I initially paid a deposit to had a change in attitude after receiving the money. The pre-production sample they sent me didn't meet my quality standards. So, I reached out to another factory I was working with at the time, asking if they could take over the project. It turned out to be a costly decision, but it was worth it because I'm proud of what Maru has become.

Now, armed with knowledge and reliable partners, I have great confidence that our next campaign will be a significant improvement. Keep an eye out for what's to come – exciting things are on the horizon! 😊