8 Watch Brand Success Stories [2024]
Launching your own watch brand is a fantastic opportunity to tap into the thriving global market for luxury accessories and innovative timepieces.
By focusing on utilizing quality materials and distinctive designs that reflect your customer’s personal style and vision, you can develop an iconic brand identity and turn your passion into profits.
Whether you choose to debut a high-end mechanical watch collection or smartwatches with integrated technology, starting a watch company offers you the chance to make your mark on the wristwatch industry.
Through strategic branding and marketing efforts, your startup watch brand can capture market share and grow from a small business to a flourishing fashion empire.
In this list, you'll find real-world watch brand success stories and very profitable examples of starting a watch brand that makes money.
1. Chronoexpert ($5.76M/year)
Pablo, the founder of Chronoexpert, came up with the idea for his luxury watches marketplace after seeing a gap in the market. With the pre-loved luxury goods industry growing at +20% annually, Pablo saw an opportunity to create a platform that focused on pre-owned luxury watches. Since launching almost 3 years ago, Chronoexpert has generated over 2.5 million euros in revenue and is looking to continue growing and exploring new opportunities in the luxury watches industry.
How much money it makes: $5.76M/year
How much did it cost to start: $180K
How many people on the team: 8
Chronoexpert, a luxury watches marketplace, has seen revenue exceeding 2.5M Euros in less than three years, with a growth potential of more than 20% YoY in the pre-owned market, highlighting the viability and potential of a pre-loved focus.
2. Delray Watch Supply ($3.84M/year)
John Pietrasz and Federico Iossa, co-founders of Delray Watch Supply, came up with the idea for their tech-driven luxury watch dealer through their shared passion for watches and their expertise in the industry. They launched the business with $4,000 in their kitchen and now see sales of over $3.3 million annually, attracting and retaining customers through engagement on YouTube.
How much money it makes: $3.84M/year
How many people on the team: 4
Delray Watch Supply, a tech-driven luxury watch dealer, co-founded by John Pietrasz and Federico Iossa 20 months ago with $4,000 in a kitchen, has seen sales of over $3.3M annually, with sales expected to reach close to $4M this year.
3. Elliot Havok ($1.8M/year)
Steven, the founder of Elliot Havok and Dash Wallets, came up with the idea for his business when he realized that most brands offering quality fashion accessories, such as watches and wallets, were too expensive. He noticed the exorbitant markups by big brands and the lack of socially conscious products in the market, which led him to create high-quality, affordable accessories direct to consumers. With over 250,000 wallets sold in 95 countries and monthly sales of $150,000, Steven's business is on track for more success in the future.
How much money it makes: $1.8M/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 5
Founder Steven started Elliot Havok and Dash Wallets to make high quality, socially conscious fashion accessories at an affordable price, resulting in over 250,000 wallets sold in 95 different countries and current sales of over 150k a month, and with plans for expansion into new markets in 2019.
4. Theo & Harris ($1.8M/year)
Christian Zeron came up with the idea for Theo & Harris after reading about watches and becoming passionate about them. Despite being unqualified at first, he invested all the money he had into buying $10,000 worth of inexpensive, unsexy watches and started the business by following the existing model in the market but with a focus on social media.
How much money it makes: $1.8M/year
How many people on the team: 3
23-year-old Christian Zeron shares how he launched Theo & Harris, a vintage watch company that now generates over $2 million in sales a year through understanding his audience and using YouTube to develop personal relationships at scale.
5. Hakuna ($1.32M/year)
Button Watch was founded by three co-founders who believed they could make a mark in the fashion industry through innovation. After brainstorming and experimenting with different ideas, they came up with the idea of creating the first watch with interchangeable fabric straps that fasten with a button. With more than 1,000 combinations available, they have achieved $1.5 million in revenue in just two years.
How much money it makes: $1.32M/year
How many people on the team: 5
Button Watch, founded in 2018 by three co-founders, has grown to $1.5M in revenue and more than 1000 combinations of interchangeable cotton straps with a unique button-fastening system.
6. Branzio ($300K/year)
Ronnie Teja, the Founder and CEO of Branzio Watches, started the business with the goal of providing men and women with high-quality watches at an affordable price. His inspiration came from a desire to create a brand that catered to young professionals who live an active and versatile lifestyle, allowing them to seamlessly transition from city to outdoor adventures. Through customer interviews and market research, Ronnie discovered the unique niche for his brand and has since achieved $25k/month in sales, with projections to double in the next 6 months.
How much money it makes: $300K/year
How many people on the team: 10
Founder Ronnie Teja's purpose-driven watch brand, Branzio, has seen $25k in sales per month and is set to double in the next six months thanks to a focus on branding and building an aspirational brand with a loyal customer base.
7. NOVO watch ($240K/year)
As a watch fanatic from childhood himself, Steve had took a leap to enter into the watch world as an entrepreneur. He kept repurposing materials to make watches and eventually started his own store.
How much money it makes: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 0
Novo Watch creates unique, handcrafted watches made from reclaimed materials, with the Coalbanks collection watch selling out immediately and achieving their first-ever $16,000 day.
8. Bruder Watches ($18K/year)
Marcus, the youngest of three brothers, came up with the idea for Bruder Watches while enjoying a meal and drinks with his siblings. They realized their shared passion for watches and decided to launch a business offering high-quality, affordable timepieces. Despite facing logistical challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they have seen a fantastic appetite for their watches and are on track to break even by August, with a target audience of modern-day gentlemen aged 18-50.
How much money it makes: $18K/year
How much did it cost to start: $12K
How many people on the team: 1
Three brothers from Bristol launched Bruder Watches Ltd, a watch brand with hypoallergenic qualities, and saw a "steady increase in sales" with a £44 average advertising cost per sale, on a self-funded start-up budget of £12,000 and a target audience of modern-day gentlemen aged 18-50.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
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