“How long will it take to have my watch?” It is often the first question on a call, sometimes before we have even talked about the design. Many founders already have a date in mind, often a crowdfunding campaign or a trade fair.
My own projects give the range. One watch reached the market six months after we started. Another took two and a half years. Both got the same care. The difference came from how clear the project was at the start, and from how hard the watch was to make.
As an order of magnitude, for a standard project: about 10 weeks to 3 months from concept to tech pack, then several months for prototypes and production, often around a year in total. Every project then gets its own schedule in the proposal.
The design phase
This is where the watch takes shape. We talk about the story and the intention behind it, I make the first sketches, then work on the proportions, the front and side views, and the volumes in 3D. The movement is chosen early, because it fixes the height of the case and the size of the dial.
In the studio, we print the watch in resin at full scale to check the real size and try it on the wrist. Sometimes a second or third print is needed to settle a detail. Those few days often save weeks at the factory.
The tech pack and the first exchanges with the factory
Once the design is approved, I prepare the tech pack: views, parts, materials, finishes, colours. The factory reads it and asks its questions, and I answer and update the drawings. I prefer to do this in writing, because teams are often in different countries and an email keeps a trace of every decision. This phase ends when the factory has everything it needs to make a first sample.
Prototypes and production
Most of the time is spent at the factory. It makes the parts and assembles a first sample. We check the shapes, finishes, colours and comfort; if something needs to change, the factory makes a corrected sample. Once the sample is approved, production can start, followed by assembly, quality control and delivery.
I stay in contact with the factory all along, and go and see suppliers when it is possible. Because the volumes were already validated in resin, the first metal sample is usually much closer to the target.
When it goes fast
The six-month watch was a project where everything lined up. The brief was clear and coherent from the first conversation, I saw the design straight away, and the client and I were going in the same direction. The design came quickly and the first prototype was right in one go. Production followed without detours.
Going that fast needs clear steps and a project that can be understood from day one. It also needs a client who is available, who coordinates with us and adapts when needed, and who shares the same vision.
When it takes longer
For the watch that took two and a half years, the concept was clear from the start, and I had the vision. All the research was on execution: making that shape and building it, keeping it comfortable on the wrist, telling the story behind it.
The first prototype did not match the vision we had, so we adjusted and tested again, and each round added time. Once the shape was right, the finishes and the execution had to be extremely clean. Then, in production, the supplier had to be able to keep up. That is where the months go.
Other common reasons for a longer schedule:
- Artistic crafts such as enamel, engraving, stone dials or hand painting, which depend on the artisan’s schedule.
- Technical complexity: a chronograph or another complication takes longer than a three-hand watch.
- Small quantities: not every supplier accepts small orders, so the search takes longer.
- Finding the right workshop for a very specific skill.
- Factory holidays, like Chinese New Year in Asia or the summer break in Europe.
Keeping the timeline under control
Many delays can be avoided. The most useful thing is a clear brief at the start, with your story, your target, your quantities and your retail price: it saves rounds of corrections. Choosing the movement early avoids redrawing the case, and testing in resin before metal saves samples. People often underestimate how much answering the factory quickly matters: every day of waiting adds a day to the project.
Plan your launch with us
If you have a launch date in mind, for a crowdfunding campaign, a fair or a brand anniversary, tell us from the first message. At ACTE.5, we build a realistic schedule with you, phase by phase, before the work starts.
