Watch Customization & Opinions

When it comes to watches, everyone has their opinion what they like and what not, back in the good old days a watch was “A tool watch”, in today’s modern era watches are no longer a tool, but more like a jewelry and self expression, (you have your phone to tell time, or smart watch).

Therefore it is understandable that today, people wanna express themselves with their watches personally, that it would be dear to them, something that has come up time and time again, is the controversial topic of customization of watches, there’s a lot to unpack.

Lets dive into this topic.

The first and most simplistic way of customizing your watch, is simply by replacing your strap with whatever you wanna identify, big brands like ROLEX don’t make fun straps, everything is vanilla, steel bracelets, or Oysterflex black straps, what do you do if you wanna funk up your watch?

Welcome to the world of strap business, Everest Horology Products is a company that specializes in Rolex and Tudor after market straps, Michael DiMartini truly figured it out, making the ends curved, integrate with the clasp, really to perfection, another few players in the game worth mentioning is Hodinkee the CEO Benjamin Clymer Is a real watch guy and figured out the perfect straps for general watch brands, also worth mentioning is Teddy Baldassarre makes exquisite watch straps, with amazing quality and craftsmanship,

I personally have 2-3 straps for every single watch, I believe it brings out the uniqueness of the watch and yourself, also by replacing straps, it almost feels like you are wearing a completely different watch.

The more controversial way customizing your watch, by actually modifying your watch from the dial, like adding diamonds or different colors, bezel, to completely coding the watch with PVD codes to change the colors.

Most watch collectors are very against it, as it shows disrespect to the brands craftsmanship, and it is no longer a original piece of Patek Philippe and other brands, also it looses the warranty as the watch brands don’t like it that their watches are being opened and modified.

From the other side a watch is a personal item, companies have not come thru with personalization even the minimum like car companies that let you choose from a choice of colors, another aspect the same as you can customize your Mercedes-Maybach Luxury G-Wagon by Brabus the same watch brands shouldn’t care what I do with my watch, there is another aspect to think about as well, the watch market today is flooded with watches and its not so much anymore a sacred piece like 20 years ago, there was one piece watch batches from Rolex, AP, and Patek.

Therefore the combined market of people with a lot of wealth and the opportunity to stand out, brought great companies to the markets that modify very high end watches, in a very phenomenal way, Black Venom is a amazing company geared in PVD coding high end watches, the first thing they tell you is “we are not associated with X brand” honesty and integrity is important in this business, another crazy brand is MAD Paris they specialize in super high end watches modification like the “natilus” or “Royal Oak”, and the last name I will mention is WatchGuyNYC I’ve dealt with them in the past and they are truly truthful, and they put their money to their pocket.

In my humble opinion, I truly understand both sides, and there are definitely great companies and people on both sides, I think companies need to bend more and let the customers customize their watches in order not to have to go to third parties, or at least we should preserve the more exceptional pieces, while the more commoditized pieces shouldn’t be a issue.

Therefore in the past few years I got to know a company in London England, named Bamford their answer to this question was taken to the next level, they partnered up with huge brands like ZENITH Watches , Bvlgari , TAG Heuer and more, in order to give you the best experience ever (this is not a paid ad).

When you go on Bamford website, you can actually customize your watch 100% to your liking, from the dial color, to the hands, strap, bezel and numerals, whatever you like in the world they can make you while being 100% legit.

While playing around, see the picture above you can completely customize everything which I choose white, blue, and orange, while having a Matt black case, it is a truly fun a unique experience, while knowing you are backed by the watch manufacturing company, best part is the prices are great, for this Tag Heuer Monaco on top will be 8,000 English Pounds, I think the connection with these custom watches you will design will be more than anything else in the world.

What do you think?

See you next week

BH