It’s actually the first week of April as I sit down to write this, and honestly, I was hoping to come up with a clever April Fools’ joke. But the truth is… I had nothing!!!!! Instead, here’s a fact—March was our most successful month ever!
Now, I know I keep going on about this, but as a small, independent, family-owned British business, this isn’t just exciting—it’s life-changing.
Why I’m Writing This
I was recently inspired by a video from Kieron over at Top Tier Ticker, where he discussed how microbrands are disrupting the Swiss watch industry. It was a great video, but it got me thinking…
What if you heard directly from the people running a microbrand? Not just a review or an outsider’s perspective, but an honest look at what it’s like inside an independent watch brand.
So, in response to Kieron’s video, here’s my take.
What It Means to Be a Microbrand
I don’t think many watch brands give you regular updates from the founders, so let me be clear about what “small independent” really means.
It’s just my wife, Danielle, and me at the core of Helicon Watches. We don’t have a corporate team, a big office, or investors to answer to. Every decision, every design, every watch we create—it all comes from us.
We’re not at Geneva this week, drinking, dining, and discussing the latest releases with the watch world. We don’t have time for that.
A typical day for me? I’m answering emails from customers—both new and old—packing and shipping today’s orders, and working with our suppliers.
And let’s clear something up:
• Helicon Watches is a UK-registered business.
• We pay our insurance, tax, and VAT here in the UK.
• We employ UK-based experts in marketing, accounting, shipping—you name it.
• We use the excellent Horologium for aftersales support, covering customers in over 30 countries worldwide.
As members of the British Watchmakers Association and the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, we believe in growing slowly and building strong foundations for the future.
What Makes Helicon Different?
I agree with Kieron that microbrands are offering incredible value right now. But I want to add something to the mix.
And forgive me—I love a good food analogy.
You might be a great cook at home, but that doesn’t make you a chef, right?
That’s where Helicon is different.
Danielle and I have over 20 years of experience in the watch industry—not just in sales and marketing, but in design, engineering, and aftersales.
In fact, we set up aftersales and service for brands like Fortis, Sinn, and many more. We’ve visited countless manufacturers, seen how these watches are made, and even recently hosted Seiko Movement Manufacture for a meet-and-greet here in the UK.
When you buy a Helicon watch, you’re not just getting a timepiece—we’re bringing decades of experience, industry knowledge, and a passion for watchmaking into every design.
Helicon – Our Passion Project
Helicon isn’t just a business—it’s something we’ve dreamt of doing for years. It’s our passion project, our ‘solo album.’
And the best part? Meeting and chatting with all of you.
The community we’re building around this brand is everything to us. That’s what makes it all worthwhile.
Reaching Watch Fans Across the World
One of the most exciting things about this journey is seeing how far Helicon is reaching. We’re connecting with watch fans—both new and old—from all over the world, and it’s fantastic to hear all your feedback.
Every comment, every message, every conversation we have with you helps shape what we do. Your passion and insights mean so much to us, and we love hearing your thoughts.
Let’s Start a Conversation
And that brings me to you.
You’re not hearing this from an influencer or a paid reviewer—you’re hearing it directly from us, the people behind the brand.
So let’s make this a real conversation.
Are there any topics you’d like us to cover? Do you have questions about the watch industry, Helicon, or our future plans?
Drop your thoughts via our socials, our shop chat or email (info@heliconwatches.com) —we’d love to hear from you.
We’ve got some exciting plans ahead, and we want you to be part of the journey.
Let’s talk soon!
Jonathan
You can listen to Kieron's video over on his YouTube channel Top Tier Ticker here!
