A couple of points to add, after the huge response - thank you all...even the arm chair experts 😅 1) As this is a youtube video and in the interest of keeping it concise things like my market research and analysis, design specification, how the world time function works (you need a 24h chapter ring!) and other details on the design decisions and changes for future production had to be cut or this video would go on for wayyyy too long. 2) design is ALWAYS subjective - one person loves what another hates. No watch pleases everyone but I genuinely am happy with my initial design, albeit needing significant refinements....but it's all totally irrelevant now as I would design something new if I started again 🙂 3) the crowd funding launch model for microbrands was popular when I started. It's a low cost, high risk strategy - I knew the risks involved when I started. It doesn't cost as much as you might think even with more prototypes...but my frustration was that I never got as far as finding out if it would raise the target funding I needed for the first batch. I was always prepared to fail if the watch didn't attract enough investors, and that's OK with me as I wanted to do things my way for better or worse, that meant more to me than trying to sell something I don't feel strongly about just to sell a lot of watches. 👍 4) I currently have absolutely no plans to re-release this particular design if I do revive the microbrand one day for another go - times and tastes move on, my own included. But there are certain elements I am proud of and would possibly transfer...for now I'm trying to learn youtube and filming watches and that's a big effort 🙂👍

This is absolutely gold. This is reason why YT exists: for people to share experiences, knowledge, dos and donts. Thank you so much for sharing. I've failed at many things in my life: PhD, corporate career, military career, three failed businesses - not sure I have the courage to share my lessons learned (there have been many).

It's a very interesting story. I really commend you for seriously attempting to chase your dream without the benefit of hundreds of thousands of YT subscribers! It's brave of you to share your story and I wish you well moving forward.

You are courageous in sharing your analysis of your failure! Too often we hear only the story of the successes. Everyone can learn from success and failure. Wishing you great success in your next move. Happy weekend.

As an aviator I love your design! It takes some guts to do a micro brand watch, in fact I don't like to call it a micro brand I call it a new brand. Keep at it because that design is beautiful

Biggest mistake would have been not to have tried. Great design and concept. I hope you give it another go in the future.

I recognize the pain and frustration that this experience generated. That said - this was a very enlightening video. I learned a good bit from it. I will take to heart some of the details of a microbrand start-up.

Excellent vid and philosophy and not a terrible looking watch - here's to version 2 🤞

Thanks for the very honest review of your failed attempt to launch your own watch brand. Well done for trying, and because it didn't work first time round, doesn't mean it will fail again if you go for round two. Cheers Noel

You had the minerals to go out there and create this. Well done. Their workmanship has no bearing on your great design of watch. You obviously have great talent. I sincerely hope you chase your dream again one day mate. Thanks for being very candid.

I've been working on some designs. Thanks for sharing your experience- it'll help me avoid some pitfalls. Hope things go smoother for you the next time!

That's very respectable of you to share your experiences, despite so bitter. Very few people would do that. It's also a rare insight into what's go on before we as customers open a website and see the watches there to buy with just a few clicks. Subscribed & the absolutely best of wishes if you decide to attempt again.

Thanks for sharing your experience! I look forward to the day that your vision comes to life once again!

I stumbled upon gold. Would love to see a part two to this video with an in depth of design process and negotiations with the designer. I live the design it greatly inspires me being an aerospace engineer too. To add to that, i have a dream of one day starting my own watch brand, 5 years from now if everything goes well save i can secure stability in my life first. Would love to connect with you and learn more. Cheers

Thank you for putting out this content. Chin up. It takes guts to start a brand.

I watch YT videos all day everyday, I have just come across your Chanel today. This video is by far one of the best videos I watched in a long time. Thanks for sharing what must have been a painful time. If possible learn from it (like you have), but circumstances and finances align go for it again, and the very best of luck if you do!!

You have used the word "fail" more than once, yet we appreciate you gave a go and didn't stop even there was an unforeseen ban on the travel. It might be a business failure (for now, crossing our fingers!), but we admire your pursuit of love of the watches. May Volatus get off the ground some day - and sooner than later!

I commend you for trying such a venture. Sorry it didn't work out. I really like the overall design you came up with

Cool story. We don't hear enough about setbacks in general so thanks for sharing

Great video! I’m on my 4th brand to launch and am still trying. All the points mentioned are valid and personally went through all of this. Here’s hoping to see you actually launch one in the future and be sure to hit us up when you do.

Fascinating story. I kinda already knew the microbrand method from reading about Helm when I bought one, but it's so cool to hear about it directly, thank you! Your taste/vision is sound and I hope you persevere to create the watch you want. Smashed that subscribe button and I hope many more do.

Incredible video! Love learning about the production and design side of this industry

Love to know which company messed up your prototype so badly. That's a shame that had they gone the extra mile things may have been very different for you. Appreciate you telling your story 👍

Great and interesting video man. Sorry it didn’t work out, you were so close. Maybe one day, you had something really good.! Thanks for sharing and as always keep up the great content, I look forward to all your vids 👍

Fascinating video, a really good insight into how these things happen. I'm genuinely impressed that you got as far as you did - and as well as you did - first time of trying and dealing remotely with a Chinese manufacturer. You've clearly got it in you to make a success of this in the future if you choose to give it another go. Whatever the quality of your prototypes, I hope you get to wear them with pride sometimes - there's a story on your wrist that's way better and more personal than the overwhelming majority of "interesting stories" about most people's watches...

THANK YOU for sharing your experience. For those of us watch buyers we don't generally have visibility into this entire process. I guess the Rado Over-Pole is perhaps the closest current commercially available model to your vision?

Awesome video. I’m a year and a half into the design/prototyping phase of my watch brand and can relate to all your steps. It’s hard - I’m currently on prototype number three.

Very interesting video! A lot of courage to let us learn from your mistakes! Thanks!

Absolutely stunning designs. I hope you try again.

Amazing story! Thanks for sharing

Thank you for sharing your story with everyone! I'm also working on launching my own microbrand, it has been a very long process with multiple revisions to get my prototypes, straps and watch case. I'm fortunate to be proficient in SolidWorks so the design was a real treat and I learnt a lot of other skills on my journey. My watches are currently with reviewers and I'm hoping for a successful launch this year. I wish you all the best and I hope to see your microbrand launched in the future with great success! Mistakes are only mistakes if you don't learn from them! Best wishes and thank you for sharing your story with everyone!

Man it's a shame, that prototype looks really cool despite the manufacturer being very messy.

An amazingly video. All we normally see are the success stories. I laud your honesty and willingness to share. The watch market below $1000 is just brutal. Even if you had a successful prototype, this is no guarantee of a bright future. Still, I like your design!

Great vid and a real eye opener into the world of product design and launching a microbrand. I really hope that you revisit the project because they look pretty unique.

Well done, thanks for sharing this.

Well, although the details of it look a little rough… it looks like a nice design. I hope someday you do fulfill your desire to do it again!

fascinating story, thanks for sharing! I think at first glance there were a few details of this piece which were winners. The textured dial, the creativity of the hour markers and the overall inspiration is well thought out. I would pair back the design entirely to a generic case and a good quality leather strap to focus on those details and make them perfect, perhaps incorporate more 60s design inspiration from the era too and a rethink of the branding for sure. I look forward to seeing how this progresses!

Really interesting video. Thanks for sharing.

Sounds like you've learned a lot, I feel like most if not all brand owners may experience what you've been through. Prototypes are always a good indicator of a factory's competence and how easy they are to work with. A little trick I learned is that I'll have them manufacture a lower cost custom component to see how well they handle that before moving onto having prototypes or production done. It's also harder to have a factory revise prototypes if you have no sale history with them or a brand to act as leverage. Additionally, part of why I became a watchmaker was because I wanted technical training on all things watches because I knew going into it that manufacturers will constantly try to pull quick ones on you and being a watchmaker lets you catch these things sooner and more easily (if at all). It also lets you communicate precisely, which helps tremendously. Prototypes though, are never perfect in my experience, you can get really close but its just one of those things. I'm glad you were able to learn so much and eloquently bring it back to the people. I take a lot of pride in really minimizing catalog parts and creating unique watches for nearly all components, but sometimes I think the value of that can get missed. A lot of work and a lot of stress to make something come together how you envisioned!

What an honest and interesting admission - big respect to you

I admire the honesty and humility. My thoughts are: Even if the watch made it to production, a watch buyer will make an aesthetic judgement in under 5 seconds so none of your aviation backstory will matter. You also could have test-marketed the watch drawings to a select/target audience to get a sense of aesthetic feedback before committing to prototype expenses - the reason Chinese microbrands stick to homage watches is precisely because it's a safe(r) bet, but even then most become duds sitting on AliExpress as orphans no one wants.

Thank you for sharing. A very informative perspective on the process. And I do like the design - love the case shape, hands and bezel. Dial texture might be a bit to distracting though for my tastes (not that it matters now!)

Thank you for sharing your very insightful perspective. I suspect there are many microbrands out there that have built their brand on a foundation of a number of failures. Here's wishing you success in your future attempts.

Wow. I think the full CAD design and unique manufacturing of 2 prototypes for $6k isn’t that bad. In my head, I always would’ve considered this to be a far more expensive endeavor. Obviously, the quality wasn’t good in your case and that may be part of the lesser price… But, that’s an inspiring low entry point you’ve discussed to allow someone to also follow their dream to make a micro brand.

I'm currently on this journey and it is a huge learning experience! The costs are exorbitant at best. Well done though! I'm sure you'll do it again

Hi! Thank you for sharing your experience. The dial and seconds hand look a little bit like the ÁIGI - Satellite Ground Station.

Thanks for explaining the other side of having a watch brand. Best of luck bro

Honestly your watch stopped me in my tracks when I saw the thumbnail. The design is definitely stunning.

Great looking watches. I love the design choices. Shame it didn't work out that time. Most people sit around and do not even try. You did try and well done for doing so. Now, try again. I hope to see your watch in the future.

Just one more watch shares same problem with their prototypes. Good to hear your watch!!

Good video and good story, I like and appreciate your attitude. A couple things, I like the design and absolutely get the early jet-age vibe. Really like the white dial a lot of the detail is lost in the black. What about partnering with someone who’s done it for your first (second) shot as you sounded like you’re not done.

Mate you gave it a shot. Well done. Try again if you can.

Thank you for sharing 👍The watches are looking great (but a black second on a black dial 🙈)

Thank you for sharing, very happy that this was recommended to me, the algorithm works. Hope you get more subscribers and in time will be able to make this project come through. Those who don't take a risk don't drink champagne.. the best of luck to you. I subscribed, hope you get more followers thanks to this vid.

You don’t know how it goes before You try it. Great journey it was and tons of experience gathered. Knowing You it’s not the one and only attempt. I am really proud of You my friend. Lessons learnt will help You not only with watches but in other areas as well. Brand name was/is a great selection.

This arm chair expert does realize than not being emotionally involved can help, the only thing I would say if it's not done, test your ideas on real people not friends or family. Feedback is important. Anyway good luck with the next attempt, every successful entrepreneur has had his fails.

Thanks for this video. I always wondered what the challenges were in creating one's own watch brand. Lessons learned for everyone watching your review. One definitely needs to do deep research, establish relationships, have patience, be detail-oriented, and have the funds. :) BTW, I do like your design. That textured dial is great as are the indices. I also love 6 O'clock date positions. Why don't all brands do this? A couple of things to consider should you continue the "journey"; maybe explore some different hand-sets. The airplane tipped secondhand is cute, but not my style. Also, consider a logo to replace the script name; it would stand out better, and a symbol can convey many different meanings. Cheers, and again, thanks for sharing your experience. It will help others.

Well..Fair Play for Trying at least!.. For what it's worth..I kinda like 'em.. reminds me a little of a Tissot I used to own.

I'm sure you will get a chance to come back stronger.... 99% of people won't even get as far as you've have, Knowing where you failed is a massive positive I'm sure it will work out for you in the future👍

I like the general design. Sitting here looking at my Momentum Seaquartz I was thinking that it would be nice to have a more premium version of a watch in this style case. Maybe consider the monnin case in the future

very sorry to hear this. my thought is that you should research to find the very best factory (or 2 factories) that other micros have used, and use them. wishing better luck next time...would've been a nice watch.

Another point: Do never look for the cheapest supplier who makes the biggest promisses. Doing more research is always helpfull. You could also find manufacturer in Japan, Switzerland and Germany. Definitily it takes more investments, but at the end it wil propably safe money and nerves.

That's a nice looking watch. I would've purchased one from you.

Truly appreciate this video and insight. Id love to give you a hard time for comparing yourself with Erebus, but you remained humble and honest. Best of luck on future endeavors.

A brave & Unfortunate case my friend however the process has put you in better stead for any possible future venture & tbf the idea & vision behind the initial watch didn't look half bad at all .

Congratulations on your decision to develop a bespoke product. It's a bold move, and I encourage you to stay committed to the process. It's important to note that prototyping specialists often charge more than factories designed for mass production. However, I advise against relying solely on a factory for assembling a prototype without first proving its viability and ensuring there are detailed instructions available. This should include precise tuning and testing guidelines for each step, essential for engineering projects. Your designer should be able to provide this. If they cannot, you might be dealing with a designer who excels in aesthetics but lacks expertise in functional engineering. Given your engineering skills, you might find it necessary to assemble the prototype yourself to confirm its functionality. Selecting the right designer or engineer is critical, and the process involves significant effort. It’s also important to differentiate between an industrial designer and a mechanical engineer, as your project may require the skills of both. Some industrial designers are capable of precise engineering work, but many focus solely on the design aspect, leaving the detailed mechanical engineering to others. I wish you all the best and keep up the excellent videos!

What a fabulous insight into the the world of watch manufacturing from prototype etc but I can only say and it is not once bitten twice shy I would certainly do more research etc but in hindsight it is easy to say in this case well you tried but I would now reset up with the knowledge you have discovered and go for it again and good luck but do keep us updated I would love to be conversing with a young up and coming watch manufacturing company and maybe we will be seeing you at the British watch manufacturers shows .

Interesting video, thanks. How does one go about finding a manufacturer? Seems like an utter shot in the dark unless you've been guided by someone with experience.

I like the overall design. A bit too much aviation details but very nice case design ❤

Well officially you got balls to do things, well done for that, a smart person learn from his own mistake. Good luck.

Honestly, I do not think the end result was that bad all things considered. Actually, quite the opposite. I can see only two failures on your side, not budgeting for more prototypes, ideally from other manufacturers and not specifying details of the leather strap. And even that is speculative considering you tried all that without any prior experience. Otherwise, from what I gathered, the other failures were caused by the manufacturer. It is still amazing where you managed to get on your first try and I admire your honesty. I bet there would have been others who would had masked those failures you pointed out and went to kickstarter anyway. So, although probably very expensive first try, still a valuable experience, hopefully you will succeed next time :) And thank you for sharing, it was an interesting insight.

The design is good even if the watches are not, and you got a lot further with the endeavour than many others have, including myself. 👏

Maybe try manufacturing in Malaysia, which has a long watch making history and industry, instead of the PROC.

Nice design. If you could get someone to build it with good quality at a decent price I’m sure it would sell

$6000 for two completed prototypes is not bad! But of course, if you won't use the manufacturer at all it is a wasted 6k. However, it does show that your budget doesn't have to be too large to try a few manufacturers. I'm sure with what you do now, and a budget of 30 to 40k you could get started.

Commendable effort. My hat is off

6k seems cheap to get two even try to get it going. Cool video thanks for posting.

Which factory did You choosed,Paulareis?😜Cant expect quality from the cheapest factory there.Also the design was flawed since the beggining-Gmt aviation theme using NH35..

I enjoyed the story. Better to fail than fail to attempt. The first design looks to have been g99d and revisions on further prototypes would have tightened the design. This would now look even better with the nh34.

Which is the manufacturing house to avoid?

You can watch Jodi's vid and learn from it. He had gathered contacts of refutable watch makers in China before selecting one. He had a partner and an experienced watch designer

Zelos = Erebus? Not yet. You had a very good idea and backstory. Shame it didn’t pick up..

"Basic engineering" a dying artform I'm afraid ! The watch design looked good I feel your pain my friend good luck for future endeavours 👍

At present my favourite watch is the Coast Pacific Explorer. It was Coast's only watch, but it failed.

Who was this manufacturer?

I‘ll buy it if you get it produced

Interesting 👍

MOQ is sometimes insane with factories in China… some asking for high volume for a prototype. anything below 100 pieces sounds fair to me. but anything above 100, is just crazy…

We absolutely love the watches they’re beautiful you😢 it’s great to fail and then pick yourself back up. Wipe yourself off and start again because they are beautiful. Watches the white one, especially beautiful. I would start again use a different manufacturer because these really I look different. The name is great. I’m not a fan of the black one I like the white one, but

Maybe not back in 18 or 19, but its a massively over saturated market now.

hey :) where I can find he guy who can help me with the case project? :D

Use your time now to get skills in CAD and other basic design software (Adobe is a great, but quite expensive subscription). Lots of online classes you can sign up to. Even if you never do another watch these are still great skills to develop.

That watch would have been really good if executed correctly. Great ideas

Those Chinese Rolex copies are way better quality than that and for under 1000 dollars. Should get those factories to build your next watch.

Thank you for making this video! Just so you know, your brand wasn't a failure, it just needs some improvement. It's only a true failure if you give up. As for the manufacturer that made the janky prototypes, they made the mistake they should have corrected it. Talk about shady business practices. That being said janky or not, you made a pilot's watch that I want, and I don't typically like pilots watches.

1:19 : that looks like John Travolta’s 707. So good of Qantas to let him redo the livery. Edit: it is his plane, I just saw the tail number: N707JT.

You were just unlucky with the manufacturer. The watch design was great actually. Should give it another shot. You will be successful.

It is a good looking watch

Just based off the drawing I can see why it failed. It’s very bulky but also only 40 mm. There’s also a lot going on but also not much going on with the dial? The dial reads luxury while the bezel reads expedition. A lot of contradictions in the design and I can see it being unaesthetic to many.

They make u a crap watch… & then demand u buy more…!!! 🤣🤣🤣