Enchanté Communication - Global Fashion Feature of the Year Interview with Frank Giese from BWG Bavarian Watch
Imagine setting yourself the goal of breaking the mould in a century-old industry, ensuring each part of your business is as local and sustainable as possible all while encapsulating the essence of Bavaria. Sounds like a contradiction to most, but may that be exactly what BAVARIAN WATCH (BWG) has to offer. Frank Giese turned his love for timepieces into a new business venture, having over 25 years of experience in industrial design while working for world-renowned companies including Audi and Siemens, he now uses his experience, passion and hometown to become one to watch. Bavaria doesn’t instantly spark a connotation of watches, BWG challenges this notion with their state-of-the-art, sustainable designs, that tell a story worth hearing, one tick at a time. “I’ve always had a distinct love for watches, and one day I decided I wanted to make one for myself, this spiralled and now I find myself launching my very first watch with BWG”, says Frank. As the name suggests, BWG encompasses everything unique and traditional to the region and aims to put Germany back on the map for watch-design. You can expect the highest level of German precision and craftsmanship blended with a unique and durable design, laced with various subtle nods to Bavaria. “When I first started researching watches, I found out the first portable watch was made in Nurnberg and dates back to the 16th century before they all moved to Switzerland and established the now well-known industry there. I wanted to bring this tradition back to Germany. Our watches represent what it means to be a Bavarian. Munich might not be as thrilling as many other cities, yet it has a rich tradition for handmade design, contemporary art such as Jugendstil, which originated from Munich. It is one of the most multicultural cities in Germany. It is truly a region of contrast, on the one hand, you have the high-tech spacecraft centres and industries this is at odds with the idyllic landscape of mountains and lakes. This blend of dissimilarity is at the heart of BWG and undeniably a part of our DNA”, says Frank. The dial and case alone encapsulate all these different facets with the roughness of the case repressing the coarse mountainscapes and the polished edges the iridescent glimmer of the many lakes local to the region. The launch model, the Bavaria, is modern, yet traditional, sustainable in every sense of the word and offers the highest quality watch design at an affordable price. Breaking into the saturated watch industry is by no means easy, even less so when you are looking to introduce an entirely new look, after much trial and error, a new icon was born. “The most challenging part was standing out, I had to design a completely new icon, which hopefully in the future people will instantaneously recognise. BWG combines the Bavarian DNA with a mixture of traditional yet modern design heralding craftsmanship. Every BWG watch is made with sapphire glass, which is thicker and more durable, what makes ours unique is the finishing. Ordinarily, the surface is domed, which contorts the graphics of the dial, to avoid this from happening all our glasses are polished flat. The notch in the crown both completes the designs as well as allows easier use as well as replacement as it is the most delicate part of a watch. Every part of the Bavaria can easily be fixed by sending it back to us or our partnering repair centre in the UK”, says Frank. The Bavaria model aims to be worn forever and for every occasion, the design can be completely customised by interchanging straps - silicone, and a selection of six different dials, acclimating in 84 different styles. “When I designed my first car 25 years ago, I ensured every piece was interchangeable, it is just who I am as a designer. I want to give the user as many possibilities, and allow them to truly make my creation fit their needs and aesthetics,” says Frank. Quality is paramount at BWG as they position themselves to be a brand for watch collectors, whether you have one or 20, you can always rely on a BWG watch, something where their German reputation proceeds them. The watches are produced in Switzerland and Germany as they adhere to the highest standards of employment rights. “One thing I learnt early on is that you shouldn’t waste your time making something new if there is already an existing fully functional solution. Nothing beats the Swiss-made movement, so we had them develop a movement specifically for BWG, on top of that we ensure that all watches are handmade, which makes it more interesting for the collectors. In the future, however, we hope to expand and made designs using more precious materials like gold, but for now, our launching model can be the start of their collection,” says Frank. Focusing on local crafts and artisans, the BAVARIAN WATCH packaging is made entirely from Bavarian paper, which is a by-product from the local beer industry, it doesn’t get more German than that. BAVARIAN WATCH started as a personal passion project that grew into a business and now captures the dream of placing German watch design back on the map. BAVARIAN WATCH offers something that isn’t on the market, a completely new icon, made to the higher levels of quality. It’s safe to say that any BAVARIAN watch will stand the test of time.
Enchanté Communication PR & Advertisement Director: Xavier Tan Jiang Hoe
Fashion Editor: Lupe Baeyens Founder of BWG Bavaria: Frank Giese Watch Brand Collection: BWG Bavaria
For more information, please visit: BWG Bavaria Instagram: @bavarianwatch BWG Bavaria Website: bavarian-watch.com
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