klokers
Based in Switzerland, the brand klokers designs and manufactures singular and interchangeable watches and accessories at an affordable price. Halfway between watchmaking, fashion, and design, klokers is aimed at those who see the standardisation of styles and ways of thinking as detracting from originality and creativity.
The klokers brand was founded in 2014 by Nicolas Boutherin and Richard Piras, who shared the same vision of a future watchmaking concept.
klokers offers watches. But also much more than that : the watch-heads are attached to the straps and accessories by means of a patented fixing system – the klokers’ key- which makes all products of the brand independent, compatible, and interchangeable.
The watch invites itself into the wardrobe thanks to the multitude of straps, colors and accessories. klokers brings the attention to all the details: color combinations, grain of the leather, smooth or brushed touch, the accessory that makes the difference. This concept allows everyone to create their own look, with the freedom of enriching one’s collection.
klokers sells the watch head by itself. This is the central element of the brand’s universe around which all straps and accessories gravitate.
Nicolas Boutherin, joint founder, president and artistic director, made his career in the field of communication, innovation and the media. Hiscore expertise is in creating concepts and consumer products from observation of sociological studies. As either an artistic director or general manager, he has worked in start-ups or in major groups such as Publicis or Canal +.
After 15 years in technological innovation, Richard Piras, joint founder and general manager, began to rethink the notion of time. As an entrepreneur in the traditional Swiss timepiece sector, he contributed to pushing back the boundaries of this industry.
As far as distribution is concerned, this transversality is illustrated by the diversity of points of sale: klokers’ products are available in watch stores but also in fashion stores, concept stores, finetech stores, department stores and renowned online shops or museums.
Hybrid and trans-disciplinary, klokers is a French brand, which manufactures its products in Switzerland. klokers uses the intelligence, culture, knowledge, state of mind of both countries, to push back the boundaries of watchmaking and accessories. The reputation of France in the fashion, design, and lifestyle scenes needs no introduction.
klokers offers Swiss Made products at affordable prices. The Swiss Made label is known worldwide as a real reference in watchmaking. It embodies the know-how and innovation and guarantees the quality.
Since the very beginning of its history, klokers has affirmed its position of community brand: in September 2015, klokers was born on crowd-funding platform Kickstarter thanks to the support of 1563 backers worldwide. Those backers were the first members of the community called the Time Travelers. Since that day, the community has never stopped growing, in particular thanks to the second crowd-funding campaign in November 2017 with the brand exceeding the EUR 1 million raised. In 2016, the brand raised more than €800 000 on crowd equity platform Raizers.
klokers’ best seller KLOK-01 is inspired by the circular slide rule, a once ubiquitous instrument employed for math operations. This was an analogue mechanical computer generally comprised of three scales, one of which slides between the other two. This process of design, called ‘Transitive design’, uses stylistic and aesthetical codes of an object to make another object.
The “Observeur du design 2018” label was awarded to the watch KLOK-01 and its new way of telling the time. This internationally recognized French prize, which rewards a user centered design approach, reaffirms the trans-disciplinary positioning of the French-Swiss brand: between watchmaking, fashion, and design.
klokers develops and manages a network of subcontractors and suppliers of excellence from the watchmaking sector but also from other sectors such as plastic processes, aeronautics, eyewear, leatherwear, telephony, etc. This alchemy of skills contributes to creating the value of klokers’ products and to keeping their trade secrets. This Swiss-based network is international but also draws on the expertise of historical basins in Europe and all over the world.
The klokers watches carry two patents.
The fixing system: The patented fixing system, which makes all klokers’ products interchangeable, is made possible by the association of two high precision pieces which secure and lock the watch-heads on straps and accessories: the caseback integrated with its locking system and the key ensuring a perfect fit with the caseback.
Time display: Displaying time with discs is the second major innovation of klokers. This patented display brings a real innovation in the sector of traditional watchmaking. The technical challenge of disk dials lies in the materials and production methods and the Quartz movement allowing for powering pieces with variable geometry and nonstandard mechanical properties.
Movement
The type of movement klokers uses is situated midway between the quartz movement from the 1970s and a traditional mechanical movement. It’s a hybrid movement known as a micro-motor controlled by processors and softwares. This movement allows klokers to offer watch complications usually reserved for luxury mechanical watches sold between 2000 and 3000 EUR in the watchmaking sector (retrograde hands, worldtimer, perpetual calendar).
Featured Timepieces
Official website: https://www.klokers.com/en
