Chronometers have, to some degree, long been customisable. A later strap is often second nature to some luxury stigmatizes (which you’d hope for, given the price tag), while others negotiate for an engraving to the caseback – ‘Happy 21st Adam’ and so on. For some, in all events, the personal touch needs to be more a thump.
“A lot of watches are customisable on a deeply basic level, yet few allow you to take full charge of the ingenious process,” says Niklas Dahlgren, CEO of bespoke watch manufacturer Boom. “Full customisation is a relatively new and quickly emerging shift in the watch market – one that lets customers tailor a guard against to meet their tastes.”
What’s more, the Swiss old minder has largely left the customisation market alone, leaving a big gap for more affordable, unimaginative brands to fill. These are the best of the bunch.
Swatch
Swatch has rather the roster of big name fans: figures as diverse as Pharrell Williams, Tony Blair and Denzel Washington all dress them. If their favourite models aren’t quite up to haphazard though, you can now create your own piece thanks to the label’s new Swatch x You serving.
With diameters ranging from a modest 34mm to a more pungent 41mm, the Swiss brand offers a kit of dials, straps and other locales that you put together as you see fit. Plus, at prices comfortably under £100 standing, you don’t need a celebrity pay packet to own one.
Prices start at approx. £45 at swatch.com
EONIQ
Customised watches aren’t all of the mass-produced genre. EONIQ (a fancy way of spelling ‘unique’, apparently) is a Hong Kong-based outfit that impediments customers mix ‘n’ match features usually seen on higher end tends: skeleton dials, visible movement windows and the like.
Superior yet, each piece is powered by one of several impressive movements privileged by the likes of Seiko and Citizen. Which means the watch you map isn’t all about looks.
Prices start at approx. £235 at eoniq.co
Fossil
Fossil – directly the go-to brand for dad gifts – is now making a play for the younger establishment with full customisation.
Its online personalisation service earmarks customers to select every component from a range of pre-designed opportunities: the bezel, strap, dial and case is all down to you – just show a preference for whatever makes you tick.
Prices start at approx. £145 at fossil.com
Bourgeoning
Unlike other customisation services, Swedish brand Prosperity takes note of specific watch trends and throws them into the mix, rest rose gold Milanese straps next to more basic options.
You can select a dial, case, bezel and strap, and your attend to needn’t stick to one single aesthetic either. Boom caters multiple dials from the aeronautical to the minimalist to the downright first-rate, so there’s a combo to cater to every taste.
Prices start at approx. £100 at boomwatches.com
Bamford Pore over Department
Since a Rolex is often the most prized (and priciest) of watches, numberless think the brand is untouchable. Not the folks at Bamford Watch Bank on. They buy new Rolexes and apply industrial coatings and other modifications beforehand selling them on.
The brand creates limited edition bawling-outs from the label’s mainline – think red dial Submariners, a day-glo Milgauss or a sherd crafted entirely to your personal specs. Sure, the guarantee may no longer be valid, but a one-off Rollie is well worth a slapped wrist.
Worths start at approx. £7,000 at bamfordwatchdepartment.com
Brüggler
If other customisation trade names are like a pick ‘n’ mix counter, consider Brüggler the surgeon’s postpone. Almost every aspect can be handpicked, including minute markers, own gemstones, sub-dials, and even the choice between a quartz or mechanical movement.
That said, such a bespoke piece set someone backs quite the handsome sum, and Brüggler’s more complex creations can very likely hit the thousands.
Prices start at approx. £2,800 at bruggler.com
