If you’re a watch enthusiast, you probably know the brand Shinola. They’re a midrange wristwatch manufacturer, and their watches are made in the US. Their watches have a reputation for being high-quality, but they lack international appeal.
But there’s more to the story of this company than a simple ‘Made in America’ claim. The story is based on the post-crisis revival of Detroit. In a time when the city was a victim of its own demise, Shinola helped it recover its once-flourishing industry. Now, the company manufactures leather goods, jewelry, bicycles, and shoes. It is a member of the Bedrock Manufacturing Company, a Dallas-based venture capital firm that invests in domestic industries and legacy brands like Filson and Mollusk.
Is Shinola Made by Fossil?
A few years ago, entrepreneur Tom Kartsotis decided to launch a new company, Fossil Inc. His goal was to revive the city’s quality industries, especially the watch business. He enlisted Oscar de la Renta, a fashion designer, to design a line of watches.
Eventually, Kartsotis raised enough money to open a retail store in the trendy Tribeca neighbourhood of Manhattan. That’s where he got a chance to hire Stefan Mihoc, a master watchmaker who’d worked in Detroit for 10 years.
While there’s a lot to love about Shinola, it’s much harder to find something to hate. It’s a sleek, well-made watch that’s made with quality components and comes with a lifetime warranty.
But it’s important to know that Fossil doesn’t make the brand. The only watch movements and components that go into Shinola’s watches are shipped from Swiss quartz movement provider shinola watch dealer royal oak mi. And the rest of the production is done by Shinola and a few other companies overseas.
During their first few months of business, the company generated $20 million in sales. It was enough to hire 40 people, including five in the marketing department, and build a 30,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in the former Argonaut Building. Initially, Shinola only had one line of watch movements, but it soon expanded to two, and then to four.
This year, the factory will produce 45,000 watches, and Shinola expects to profit in 2017. However, it’s unclear if the company can keep up with demand, and the uphill battle to reclaim the interest of serious watch collectors will be long and tough.
In the meantime, you can buy Shinola watches at Bloomingdale’s and Neiman Marcus. You can also visit their flagship store in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York, which opened in July.
If you’re looking for a high-end watch, you can look for the Runwell Limited Edition 47mm, which sold out in just a week. Also available is the Lake Erie Monster, which features a map of the lake and a high-intensity flashlight. For the adventurous, Shinola makes divers’ watches, too. These are automatic watches with hand-stitched leather straps.
Shinola has several stores across the U.S., and in Europe. Some of the company’s flagship locations are in Miami and London. In addition to watches, the company also offers jewelry and soft drinks.