A difficult decision
Following on from the last post, I've made another call, and this one stung a little. I've dropped the smart watch version of the strap. For now, Loop is a recycled watch strap for mechanical watches, and nothing else.
It wasn't an easy decision, so here's the thinking.
ONE THING, DONE WELL
Trying to develop two models at once was, honestly, overwhelming. I'm a firm believer in doing one thing and doing it well, and splitting my attention across two versions simply wasn't working. Something had to give.
So after a fair bit of deliberation, I chose the mechanical version. That's not to say the smart watch design was a dud, far from it. It was bulky in the best way, strong, and it was the version I sent out for testing with sailors, surfers and all sorts of sporty types. The feedback was genuinely positive. But positive feedback on two fronts still leaves you doing two things at half strength, and I'd rather do one properly.
WHY MECHANICAL
There's a neat logic to it, too. From my time in the crazy world of watch enthusiasts, I can tell you the mechanical scene is anything but old hat. It's a thriving, vibrant community with real market volume behind it. There are the high-end collectors, and then there are people like me, who just like to tinker and fix things, drawn in by the design and the sheer beauty of engineering packed into something so small.
As a side note, The UK micro brand market in particular is booming right now, with brands such as Ember Watches, Mr Jones Watches, Arken, Fears Watch Co, and the ever popular Studio Underd0g, amongst many others.
So much so that there's a watch show heading to the south coast very soon, the Southampton Watch Show, practically on my doorstep. A recycled watch strap built for mechanical watches, aimed at a crowd that already cares this much about craft, feels like exactly the right place to plant a flag.
Kelsey and I had some designs we were proud of on the smart watch side, and walking away from them isn't easy. But until we've proven the mechanical recycled watch straps, that's where all the focus goes. The smart watch version stops right here.
For now, at least.
