Beyond the Catalog: Customization and Strategic Partnerships

In the previous article we briefly touched upon “catalog” production—and the implications that it might have on brand identity and also on working standards. I think that most brands, regardless of size, want to offer a product, including its auxiliary parts, that has a clear brand identity. In the case of micro brands, there is a financial limitation on how “custom” you can make something. It’s similar with the concept of sustainability. It’s easy to promote, but harder to follow through, as we have seen with brands being exposed in Europe for workers and wage-related issues. From a financial point of view, how can brands commercialize sustainability? 

Although at a slow pace, we have seen that post-COVID, the watch industry will continue to move beyond catalog-based offerings to embrace customization and strategic partnerships that are visible and transparent for the end consumer. For manufacturers like us, this shift requires a different approach that can accommodate bespoke production, ethical practices, and long-term collaboration at multiple volume levels.

Read Part I of the article series here: Timeworld
Read Part II of the article series here: Timeworld
Read Part III of the article series here: Timeworld

The Challenges of Customization

In many of the discussions we have with brands or accessory sellers, it often starts with questions about MOQ, often without a final product in mind. While these are important topics, I often ask questions about the “end game.”. What’s the purpose of the product? What’s the identity of the brand? What do we want to achieve with it?

Volumes and MOQs are still important in order to accommodate brands on different stages of their journey. But rather than prioritizing a standard MOQ, we would rather collaborate with clients to build scalable production solutions that allow smaller brands to access a certain level of customized manufacturing and grow long term. This further promotes stability in production schedules and supports the livelihoods of its workforce.

Moreover, how do we go away from “catalogue”-based production? Customization does allow brands to develop products that more easily match their identity, but it is not without its own set of challenges. For example, watch straps are a product that can very easily grow your SKU count exponentially. 3 lengths, 3 lug widths, and 3 colors, plus adding fabric and leather, and already we can generate 54 different combinations. A custom design for each customer is not viable in terms of developing tooling for production.

What our industry is developing more in-depth is a semi-standardized “catalogue.”. Where the core frame of a product is not only developed but has tooling that can be shared and still has enough flexibility in design to be differentiated on the market. For this concept to work, the relationship between brand and manufacturing needs to transition from a transactional-based relationship to a strategic partnership. 

The Rise of Strategic Partnerships

As the industry evolves, I think we will see brands that are seeking more collaborative relationships with manufacturers. Traditional transactional models are giving way to partnerships built on mutual innovation and shared values. For manufacturers like ourselves, this means going beyond simply producing goods and becoming a partner in solving design, technical, and sustainability challenges.

In the first article we talked about local product and local material sourcing. With strategic partnerships, material innovation and localized development are key. Taking leather as an example, we have jointly developed with key local tanneries certain types of leather that not only match the requirements of watch accessories but also are able to take into account multiple different volume levels and customers. Both semi-standardized designs and material innovations are supporting the opportunity to offer customization for clients in different points in their watchmaking journey. 

Shifting Trends in the Watch Accessory Market

Consumer expectations are changing rapidly, reshaping the priorities of the industry. Transparency is becoming a key differentiator, as customers increasingly demand insights into a product’s supply chain, from the materials used to the labor practices behind its creation. Sustainability has moved from being a desirable feature to a baseline expectation, and brands and manufacturers that embrace these practices in their operations are positioned to stand out.

The rise of microbrands has also contributed to this manufacturing shift. These smaller players are generally more agile when it comes to decisions and push the development times faster, resulting in a more efficient go-to-market strategy.