A LITTLE MORE ABOUT US . . .
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BACKGROUND
Thanks for checking out HELM Watches! I'm Matt. As a longtime watch enthusiast with a penchant for dive watches, and a collector on a tight budget, I was often disappointed by the lack of affordable options on the market. I launched HELM Watches guided by an affinity for clean, functional design and a feeling that most watch buyers—like myself—would appreciate solid value. With the emergence of so many terrific independent watch brands, there was no shortage of drool-worthy watches to choose from at the time, but I found most to be out of my price range, no longer in production, or both. I also found that many of the watches I liked included some small detail that I wanted to change. Obviously I'm not alone in that—there are thousands of watch enthusiasts out there who feel exactly the same way, and who will debate the design aesthetics of every HELM model, critiquing or praising this or that detail, just as I would have done. The difference is just that I stumbled into the right place at the right time in my life to start creating the watches I had always been looking for. After fifteen years of product development and sourcing work in the bicycle industry, I was ready for something different, and moved to China in 2013 looking for that something. After several months of brainstorming and job hunting, I realized I was in the middle of the largest watch manufacturing hub in the world. Taking a design idea that had been in my head for a while, I contacted several manufacturers, slowly beginning to consider the possibility of producing my own watches. As early prototypes of that first concept were produced, the vision for HELM Watches gradually took shape, until we were on the brink of launching our own brand—and about to find out if our vision for affordable tool watches would appeal to anyone but us. That first model, the Vanuatu, was released in October, 2015. PHILOSOPHY Anyone who's spent time browsing the tantalizing collections from independent watch brands, or jumped on any of the Kickstarter campaigns that pop up on an almost daily basis, has probably realized by now that many watches in this category are very similar in quality. Most include the same three or four movements, utilize the same case materials and components, and source parts from many of the same suppliers. Choosing one brand over another largely comes down to a buyer's feeling about the design aesthetic and to their connection with the brand, both of which are quite subjective. We think our watches are pretty good looking, and we’re sure most brands feel the same way about their designs—we doubt anyone is intentionally producing ugly watches. So in addition to clean, functional design, we chose two features that we hoped would help differentiate HELM Watches: testing and value. The ISO 6425 testing we perform is rare in this category, and our pricing makes boutique, quality dive watches more attainable than they are from many other brands. HELM watches are aimed at individuals who appreciate affordable, practical watches over extravagant showpieces. If they dive, that's great! If not, that's fine, too. The Vanuatu, Khuraburi, Komodo and Miyako are all professional diving instruments—and we hope many will be used that way—but we understand the majority will do more desk diving than reef diving. And there's nothing wrong with that. We subscribe to a school of thought popular in the world of watch enthusiasts: Buy what you like, keep what you love. If you like a watch and it speaks to you, you should buy it and wear it without reservation. The point being, to wear it! Ultimately, we want our watches to be used; in some cases maybe even abused. We hope the fact that they don’t cost an arm and a leg means they’ll spend more time on the wrist, probably taking a few more knocks and picking up a few more scratches, but ultimately living a life that more expensive timepieces—coddled safely in the watch box at home—can only dream about! QUALITY CONTROL As is true in most industries, the key to QC is partnering with the right suppliers. Unfortunately, we connected with less than stellar suppliers early on, and suffered a few missteps with our first production of the Vanuatu. We were then fortunate enough to find and partner with a manufacturer who shares our passion for quality, is a watch enthusiast himself, and has connections with reliable and capable suppliers. As we produced our second run of the Vanuatu, we developed a QC process together, based on lessons learned from our first production. With each subsequent production, we continue to modify the process, adding steps or quality checks where we discover issues—whether it’s with the inspection of incoming components or final assembly. From the beginning however, we chose to perform the ISO 6425 testing ourselves. For one reason, we wanted to know with absolute certainty that the water resistance testing was actually being done. For another, because the testing we perform is time consuming and somewhat risky—a failed test means a ruined watch—most manufacturers aren’t willing or equipped to do it. PRODUCTS Our first model, the Vanuatu, drew inspiration from a few of our favorite brands, including Korsbek, Dievas and Sinn. With the Khuraburi, we borrowed some design cues from an IWC bezel we’ve always liked and another favorite watch of ours, the Citizen Ecozilla. Our third model, the Komodo, is a 300m diver with a slightly smaller case diameter, and a dial that gives a nod to the Seiko Tuna, while the Miyako―our take on the dress diver―pays homage to a couple iconic divers from JLC and Blancpain, but still shines with its own personality. At the current rate, we’re on pace to introduce one new model per year, and will continue to produce relatively small batches of each model, which allows plenty of opportunity to continue tweaking those minor design details that we love to tinker with! |
Matt Cross,
Founder & Owner |
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