Avoid Pitfalls in First Watch Launch: The "Steadiness Principle" for Startup Accessory Brands

We have been a startup accessory brand specializing in niche products for the past three years. With precise targeting of our audience and a minimalist aesthetic, we have established a solid presence on e-commerce platforms. However, in 2023, when the team proposed expanding into the watch category, everyone hesitated—we understand accessory design and customer preferences, but know nothing about watchmaking. Our goal was clear: no fancy tricks or gimmicks, just a watch that could sell consistently alongside our existing products. But the real dilemma was not what kind of watch to make, but whether to launch it at all.

Key Questions Answered in This Case

• · For startups with brand experience, how to balance aesthetics and commercial viability when branching out into watchmaking for the first time?
• · How to avoid being led by manufacturers and stay true to your brand identity?
• · How to judge "whether it’s the right time to start" when making watches for the first time, and reduce the risk of wrong direction?
• · Without sales data on watches, how can startups develop a sound initial order strategy?
• · How to create watches that fit your target audience without pursuing complex designs?

Core Hesitation: Not Unable to Do It, But Fear of "One Wrong Step Ruining Everything"

As a startup brand deeply rooted in accessories, we have our own take on aesthetics—clean lines, low-saturation color palettes, and everyday wearability, which are the most popular among our core audience (urban women aged 25-35). But when branching out into watches, our concerns far outweighed our confidence.

"We’re not afraid of failing to make a beautiful watch; we’re afraid of making a beautiful watch that doesn’t sell," became the consensus during internal team discussions. Our existing customers are accustomed to the pricing and quality of our accessories. If the watch is too flashy, it will deviate from our brand tone; if it’s too plain, it will struggle to drive purchases. What’s more worrying is that we feared being pushed around by manufacturers—we had worked with two before, both of which immediately recommended complex patterns and specialty materials, claiming this looks premium, but it’s not what our audience wants. A wrong direction for our first watch launch would not only lead to financial losses but also erode the trust of our existing customers.

Turning Point: Not Helping Us Make Decisions, But Helping Us Eliminate "Unworthy Options"

After evaluating multiple manufacturers, we finally partnered with Foksy Watch, a professional custom watchmaker. The key reason wasn’t their stunning designs, but that they addressed our pain points in our first conversation: instead of pitching solutions, they helped us identify what not to do.

1. 1. Helping us anchor a consistent direction: They first analyzed the sales data and customer feedback of our existing accessories, dissuading us from specialty material cases and complex dial designs outright. They advised, "Leverage the low-saturation color palettes and clean lines of your accessories to make the watch an extension of your existing lineup, not a standalone category," fundamentally reducing the risk of creating a beautiful but commercially unviable product.
2. 2. Flexible strategies tailored to startups: Knowing we had no watch sales data, they didn’t force a high minimum order quantity (MOQ). Instead, they proposed a 50-piece pilot run with targeted customer testing, explaining, "Validate the direction first, then scale production. There’s no need to make a big bet upfront," completely alleviating our inventory concerns.
3. 3. Upholding brand autonomy: Unlike other manufacturers that adopt an aggressive we’ll design it for you approach, they always provided suggestions aligned with our brand tone. When we hesitated between an off-white or light gray dial, they didn’t make the call for us. Instead, they provided two samples and suggested we let our core customers vote, using data to guide our decision and ensuring the manufacturer’s preferences didn’t override our brand positioning.

Cooperation Process: No Gimmicks, Only Focus on "Steadiness"

Throughout the cooperation, there were no complex design discussions or fancy process attempts. We advanced steadily around "fitting the audience, reducing risks, and maintaining brand tone" every step of the way.

• · Dial design: We fully adopted the classic minimalist style of our accessories, with no redundant embellishments. Only subtle line details were added around the dial to echo the design elements of our existing necklaces, allowing long-time customers to instantly associate it with our brand.
• · Case and strap: We selected versatile, basic-style cases in colors matching our best-selling accessory palette; strap materials were sourced from our existing accessory suppliers to ensure consistency in quality and feel, avoiding any sense of inconsistency for customers.
• · Initial order strategy: They helped us outline a three-step process: pilot run, testing, and scaling. The 50 pilot pieces were exclusively sent to core customers and members. They also provided simple testing metrics (wearability, purchase intent, price sensitivity) to help us quickly validate the direction.

"What reassures us most is that they always act to help us avoid mistakes," our brand manager said. "Once we nearly added dial printing on a whim, but they reminded us, ‘Your existing audience prefers minimalism; printing may hurt wearability,’ and even provided test data from similar brands as proof. They’re not holding us back from innovating—they’re helping us avoid unnecessary risks."

Results: Correct Direction, Steady Sales, Zero Accidents in First Watch Launch

Following the established strategy, the entire project proceeded without any accidents, fully achieving the goal of "steady sales":

• · Successful direction validation: After sending the 50 pilot watches to core customers, the pre-order rate hit 70% within 72 hours. Feedback centered on pairs well with accessories, is unobtrusive for daily wear, and consistent with your brand, confirming the direction fully resonated with customer needs.
• · Consistent sales post-scaling: Based on pilot feedback, we scaled production to 200 pieces, which sold out within 12 weeks of launch with no inventory buildup. The conversion rate of new customers from watches to our accessory line reached 18%, unlocking the additional value of using watches to drive accessory sales.
• · Unified brand identity: After the watch launch, no customers commented that it didn’t feel like your product. Instead, it reinforced our positioning as a minimalist, quality accessory brand, further strengthening core customer loyalty.

To Similar Startup Brands: For the First Watch Launch, Steadiness Matters More Than Coolness

As a startup with brand experience but new to watchmaking, our key insight is: Branching out isn’t about showing off technical skills, but making a steady expansion within your area of expertise. Whether you’re a startup in apparel, accessories, or e-commerce, if you want to drive consistent sales with your first watch launch, choosing the right partner is more important than choosing the right design.

• · Pilot run costs: Small-batch pilot production is supported (starting from 50 pieces), eliminating the need to bear high initial order costs while accurately validating market demand.
• · Timeline: The process from final confirmation to pilot production delivery takes just 6 weeks, ensuring an efficient workflow that doesn’t delay brand operations.

A good partner won’t pressure you into complex designs or high inventory bets. Instead, they’ll help you evaluate what’s worth pursuing and what’s not, supporting you to minimize risks while expanding among your existing audience. For your first watch launch, there’s no need to aim for viral success—being consistent and reliable is the greatest achievement.