In the hidden hallways of menswear, there’s a certain annex reserved for a select group mostly referred to as “watch snobs.” These are the dudes who will see you wearing a perfectly fresh outfit, but will immediately hone in on the watch you’re wearing and instantly start critiquing. Usually they start with questions like: “Is it vintage?”; “What kind of movement does it have?”; “Does it have Swiss engineering?” Gimme a break! What ever happened to just having an elegant watch with exquisite design, quality engineering and a reliable warranty? Those are the essential factors that Havok is bringing to the market with their handsome timepieces. The founders Steven and Joseph took their idea for moderately priced watches with exemplary design to Kickstarter and raised over $400K. This new watch brand is perfectly poised to disrupt the luxury watch market. Read our interview with Joseph, one of the founders below:
“There is no real price to being good at designing, or designing something well …”
When was Havok founded and who are the founders behind it?
Steven Elliott Ng and I came up with Havok Watches about 1 year ago. We both felt like there was a flaw in the current luxury watch market. We simply didn’t find a watch on the market that was physically appealing and affordable to the common person. So we came up with Havok Watches.
What was the founding philosophy behind the brand and how long did the initial planning stages take?
We both agreed that our watches needed to be at a very competitive price point, but also be very appealing to the eye. We wanted to create a watch that was affordable and luxurious at the same time. Everything from materials to every single detail was important in the initial planning of this project.
Where are the watches made and where do you source the materials that go into making them?
We chose to work with an established watch manufacturing group in Shenzhen, China, known for rigorous quality control. With multiple stages in the manufacture and quality check process, we are confident in their ability to deliver a quality product. We visited their facility in the Summer of 2014 in detailed tours. We were impressed with their sophisticated manufacture process including different rooms for assembly, air pressure checkpoints, water pressure stations, 48-hour time-keeping accuracy test, and (of course) a drop test. Though we were one of the smallest clients by far, as they manufacture for Fossil, Diesel, and other large brands, the owner made sure all of the features and changes we needed were accommodated.
On your Kickstarter page, it states that one of your goals is “Disrupting Luxury Watches” – can you elaborate on that?
What we mean about “Disrupting Luxury Watches” is offering a watch that competes in the luxury watch market at a ridiculously low price compared to our competitors. We wanted to disturb current luxury watch brands by having a watch that looks just as great (or better) and feels great on the wrist.
How are you able to make your watches so affordable but still so stylish and elegant?
We love the idea of offering an affordable watch for a very low price. There is no real price to being good at designing, or designing something well. We love what we do, and we designed a watch that we thought was very elegant and stylish. We took a minimalist, and simplistic approach, which in itself is quite beautiful.
What has the response from the masses been so far?
Our Kickstarter Backers absolutely love our watches! During our Kickstarter campaign we got a lot of feedback and support from our backers through the comments forum and also personal messages. We knew it was a hit from the beginning due to the responses from our backer base.
What are the plans going forward for Havok and where can people find your watches to purchase?
Our plans now are to get distributed by bigger, well-known stores. As of now our watches are available on elliothavok.com, but hopefully on other websites in the near future.
Let’s talk about your own personal style – how would you describe your style and what are the other brands and accessories you love?
My style is pretty modern-man casual. I love urban with a high end twist. But I also love to dress up and throw on the slim fit suit. I like to think of myself as well rounded, I wouldn’t say I have a particular style. I am a watch guy, so anything from Hublot, Rolex, down to Fossil, Michael Kors, and Havok Watches of course.
Are there any style icons you would love to see wearing Havok watches?
We would go for a David Beckham, or Scott Disick.
Lastly, where do you envision Havok watches five years from now?
Five years from now we see ourselves expanding our product lines. Havok Watches was just the beginning, and there will be a lot more to come.
For more information, visit www.elliothavok.com
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