Where do you like to buy your new watch?

This weekend i’m going to pick up my dream watch in Finland. After selling quite a few of my watches to get enough funds it’s finally time. Airplane tickets and a hotel room are booked, so next week i’ll show you my new watch.

You can buy a used watch online or even a new one. Most of my friends prefer to buy a watch at a local AD. They like to be welcomed in a luxurious atmosphere, talking to a sales representative about their ideas for a new watch, drinking a nice espresso and finally walking out the door with a new watch on the wrist and a nice bag containing the box. That’s all part of the joy of buying a new watch. Isn’t that great?

How can you beat that feeling…? Well… you can buy a watch from an independent watchmaker, visit him in his workshop and buy the watch there!

Don’t you think that feeling beats talking to a sales representative (even if it’s a pretty girl). The watchmaker knows of course everything about his watches. His first ideas that led to the design, the troubles he had to go through to make his idea work, all technical details of the case and of course movement. And maybe you could discuss some customizations 🙂

To me this all stands for the big difference between a watch from a well known watch brand and a watch from an independent watchmaker. The watch of an independent watchmaker is without compromises. The product of big brands are always a cooperation between different departments. I can imagine that departments responsible for product design, technical design, marketing and PR all have influence on the final product. Maybe i’m wrong, but just think how much is at stake for large corporations with hundreds or thousands of employees.

For an independent watchmaker it’s different. The whole idea, design, movement and all technical aspects come from one mind. In my opinion Stepan Sarpaneva is one of the best examples of this. The design of his watches is so typical Sarpaneva, especially when you know where he got the inspiration.

His first timepiece, the Timetramp, is made from a Harley Davidson kickstarter pinion. And this form can still be seen in all of his later creations. Just take a look at the Supernova (photo below), the K3 Black Moon or the new Korona in gold (RG or WG). They all have heritage of that Harley Davidson kickstarter pinion.

Next week i’ll report back about my trip to Helsinki….