Lonely Wrist: All Things Watches & Horology
Lonely Wrist dives deep into the intricate world of watches, unearthing the stories, craft, and passion behind every ticking piece. From timeless classics to modern marvels, this podcast winds through the history, mechanics, and cultural significance of timepieces. Whether you're an avid horologist or just someone who admires the beauty of a well-crafted watch, Lonely Wrist offers a unique perspective, uniting enthusiasts and curious minds. Join us every episode as we explore the art of watchmaking, discuss the latest trends, and interview watch industry experts, all while appreciating the silent yet profound voice of every watch's lonely wrist.
Lonely Wrist: All Things Watches & Horology
From Whiskey to Watches: Hakim El Kadiri's Creative Ventures
Discover the captivating journey of Hakim El Kadiri, a visionary in the watch industry who has crafted a unique path with Elka Watch. With a rich career working with brands like Swatch, Hamilton, and Rado, Hakim brings a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to his own brand, launched in 2021. Our conversation takes you through the challenges and triumphs of creating Elka Watch, a brand that draws inspiration from American design and a commitment to timeless and sustainable aesthetics, akin to the iconic Harley Davidson.
The episode explores the launch of the Arinis model, a playful and versatile addition to Elka's collection, which pays homage to its predecessors while setting a new standard. Engaging collaborations with Dutch companies Ace Jewelers and Heroes are highlighted, showcasing special editions with unique numeral systems and no-printed dial options, blending vintage charm with contemporary design influences from Heuer and Ulysse Nardin. These partnerships not only honor Elka's roots but also demonstrate its innovative spirit in a fiercely competitive market.
As we navigate the complexities of establishing a niche brand, Hakim shares insights into using Le Joux Perret movements for their reliability and precision, transitioning from ETA movements. Hear about his adventurous foray into whiskey production, inspired by Celtic heritage, and how it intertwines with his watch designs. We wrap up with a look at the future of Elka Watch, exploring sustainable trends, the potential for expanded distribution, and the thrill of seeing Elka watches celebrated in popular culture. Join us for this enriching conversation that celebrates passion, creativity, and the timeless art of watchmaking.
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Hello everybody, welcome to another episode of Lonely Wrist Today. Super excited and this has been a long time coming. We have Akeem from Elka Watch Welcome.
Hakim El Kadiri:Thank you. Nice meeting you, Blake Again. Yeah.
Blake Rea:Again. Yeah, yeah, kind of interesting. Interesting story on how I wouldn't say how we met, but how I found your watch brand is I was looking at, like some of the I don't know what watch show it was. It was in switzerland or something, and you know you were showcasing there and it's always cool to see like because there's a lot of brands that don't get the credibility they deserve and I I would think elka is a good example of you have an amazing product and you're you're new to the market, but you have a very, very, very special product and I'm so excited for the world to see uh and and yeah.
Blake Rea:So I saw your products and I was like, holy crap, like I have to at some point in my life, get one of these watches either in my hand or in my collection. And uh, and you made that happen with my, my elka x and uh, and this dial is just so beautiful, like it's got the vintage charm but it feels like a modern watch and that's what I love, so congratulations. Let's talk about the early days of Elka. You know, how did you get the brand going? How'd you get into the watch industry? Like, what brought you to today?
Hakim El Kadiri:Okay, so my story is quite long in the watch industry. So I was working for different brands from the Swatch Group at the beginning. So I started in 98, working for Swatch for four years. Then I went working for Hamilton for 10 years and at the end so I ended by Rado and I was working there for 11 years and during that time also I was working for different brands like Timberland, asics and Mango. So we did some watches like OEM watches for different companies also working within the group, and so then I left in January 21. And so then I left in January 21, and I wanted to start my dream starting to do something by my own, starting to do something that really pleased me. I mean, I don't say that I didn't like what I did before, but I wanted to do it right for me and for I mean with my name, my nickname and everything. So doing something that I really like. So be passionate about what I'm doing.
Blake Rea:And it really shows. Obviously, Elka is derived from your name. Didn't take too much to figure that out. And then, obviously, since you've had the idea for Elka, how has the brand evolved?
Hakim El Kadiri:You know, at the beginning so the idea was not really to have the name Elka as a brand name. So I had the dream to protect the name Elgin. You know, I mean it's an American name, an American brand. I love what I did at Hamilton, so Hamilton was really my heart brand and I wanted to continue also the story with something, also with the same story. You know, I mean the railroad watch, the army watch and everything. So I love this kind of spirit.
Hakim El Kadiri:So my environment is quite, quite american in I mean the style, so riding harley davidson, driving chrysler, something like this. You know, I mean I like this kind of stuff. And then I wanted to protect elgin, but that was already taken. And then I went through a big list of names, so I mean with the name of watch, existing watches and also the one which disappeared, and I felt on Elka and Elka is my nickname, so everyone is calling me Elka and then I said, okay, so I don't have to really find something else, is the name available? And then I jumped in and protected it.
Blake Rea:It was for my reading. It was a Dutch brand or something like that.
Hakim El Kadiri:It was a Dutch brand. It was created in 1877 by Mr Edouard Louis Kik from Amsterdam, elka, and so he had something like five shops in Amsterdam and he was also the jeweler and watchmaker of the Queen Juliana that period and after that, in 1930, he sent his son in Switzerland to develop watches and from then on they did a lot of collaboration also with different other brands, like Vulcan, like Minerva, like I mean different other brands.
Blake Rea:Yeah, and obviously, like you have a very, very, very tight I would call it tight design language and you know your watches are pretty, I'd say, recognizable, like they're very clean, they're very legible. Um, you know, you don't have anything crazy going on, it's all about legibility and I would consider practicality while giving it like a modern twist. So when you're designing these watches, like what fuels, like the future of the brand, obviously practicality and legibility are huge for your brand.
Hakim El Kadiri:I will reply in different words. First of all, the first design I had was this watch. This watch was my first pocket watch that I bought from the brand and you can see the mini track and you can see also the shape of the watch and this shape is exactly what I took to design my model. I want also to integrate sustainability here because you know, I mean the design are going to evolve. You have the, the design of watches, and every year something is changing. Every five years there are big trends.
Hakim El Kadiri:So when the period is fine, is nice, is good, so you have big watches with a lot of stones, with lots of colors.
Hakim El Kadiri:Then, when the period is a little bit more hard, so that the watches are getting smaller, and I would like to compare my watches to something which is really big, bulky, a lot of colors and something like this, and I would say all the design I want to have are something that were taken from the past and they are like the Harley Davidson of the watches, something that are already old, which are not looking old today and which are not going to be old in 15 years or 50 years, so it's something that you can really wear at any period of your life, and so this is the way I'm designing the things is something which is classic, minimalist and something is going to be also wearable for many years.
Hakim El Kadiri:Where I'm going to head my design. This is something also else, but it's something that I want really to keep. You know, I mean, I based the design of the logo. The design of the pictures are black and white. Everything is based in the 60s. I was born in the 60s, so then, ok, I like this period because that was a period that was really open for everyone in terms of design, in terms of freedom, in terms of I mean, that was really crazy period, and the idea is really to start developing, designing and to continue designing products from that period Amazing and to continue designing products from that period.
Blake Rea:Amazing and something I've noticed that's very special about your watch is the case shape, like something that nobody sees online. You know I mean nobody gets to experience online, should I say. But what's crazy is it's? It's, it's like it's a. It's what it's in terms of thickness it should be. It's pretty standard, right, like it's probably, I'd say like 10 millimeters thick or so, or around there, yeah, but but it wears like it's four or five millimeters thick because of the, the way the case design and I've never seen anything like it.
Hakim El Kadiri:I think the main, the main item on the watch is the sapphire crystal. The sapphire crystal is built like the old azalea glass. Okay, in the past it was really in plastic and today I mean, we can do it in a sapphire crystal and this gives really this shape. So you have the feeling. So I don't know. I mean it's kind of, yeah, ok, not so clear on the screen, but, ok, you have the feeling to see only the metal part, but you can see on top the sapphire crystal which is going up and everything is built inside so the hands are bent, the dial is bent. So I have a dial here, for instance, so you can see also the dial is also bent like this. Then you can see I mean all the construction is built inside in order to have this kind of really slim effect, of really slim effect.
Blake Rea:And just the way that you use these really beautiful long leaf hands and this exaggerated counter weight. On the second hand, it just is so fun See if everybody can see mine, so all the space is taken, and it's just so fun See if everybody can see mine, so all the space is taken and yeah. Yeah, we can see it well, yeah. Yeah, it's really awesome. Yeah, and I love how you kept the name. You know, like the, the, the way the logo is presented, you know, and then you have your modern one back there.
Hakim El Kadiri:Yeah, see here. So the logo was the same here in the past.
Blake Rea:Yeah, I know, that's why I liked about it. So, and then obviously, like the finishing, you know, like the finishing is is well, is this good, as you're going to get for the money, if not better? Um, and I'm assuming, coming from the watch industry, a lot of people who started watch brands, who had kind of that headstart, you know, coming from swatch group and and now leaning into your own brand. Did you have kind of that head start, you know, coming from Swatch Group and now leaning into your own brand? Did you have any challenge, like finding suppliers or like actually kicking it off? It just fell right into your lap, is that?
Hakim El Kadiri:No, In fact. So I'm working for the Swatch Group and knowing a lot of suppliers, and I mean, when I launched also I started also the brand, that was during the COVID period and this period of time, so everyone was at home or was in the office and there were nobody else. So then it was really easy to meet everyone, to talk to everyone, to know, I mean, where I wanted to go with the collection, and it was really really nice period. I mean, not for everyone, sorry, but that was a really nice period to start also working on my project. And yeah, so I'm working with the same people as I was working in the past, more or less. I mean not all of them, but most of the people that I was working with before they followed me, and that was really working with before they followed me, and that was really nice Also, I kind of reward also after working 25 years in a group, so people who followed me, that was really nice.
Blake Rea:And obviously you just launched. You know we're recording this in August, right, so you guys are listening to this like way out there, um, but you just had your, your diver released the ari ariness. If I pronounce, I'm pronouncing that correctly.
Blake Rea:Yeah, um and it seems like I mean is that is that your new baby now? Because every post I see on your instagram you're, you're posting that one now and it seems like the, the x and the d uh are are kind of uh being outshined at this point no, no, no, I have to to rework on that.
Hakim El Kadiri:You know, I mean, as it's a new baby, so the new baby born, and you talk always about the new baby born. But you don't have to rework on that. You know, I mean, as it's a new baby, so the new baby born, and you talk always about the new baby born. But you don't have to forget I mean the old models, because they are not old at all.
Blake Rea:Totally, totally, and I'm glad that you came out with a bracelet, you know, because now I need to get a bracelet for my ex, so I'm going to have to hit you up about that. Um, it's also.
Blake Rea:I mean it's the same bracelet that you can fit, I mean, on different uh watches and also something that really stuck out, like when I was going through your collection and and I was trying to decide. You know, obviously you and I've been going back and forth and I was like I was kind of at your. Your portfolio is so fun, it's so playful, you could pretty much go anywhere. You can find a watch for any, any, any situation, and some of the watches that really stuck out were, uh were some of your special edition watches, your limited edition watches, edition watches, your limited edition watches, um, like, particularly the stuff with, like, ace jewelers, um, which are just insanely beautiful, insanely beautiful.
Hakim El Kadiri:Yeah, it was a limited edition of four watches, can?
Blake Rea:you see that, yeah, I'm trying to, I'm trying to blow you up here so it was limited, oops, so the other way, okay, oops, okay.
Hakim El Kadiri:So we have different languages, so we have the standard Arabic numerals, then we have the kind of Eastern Arabic numerals, chinese and Hebrew.
Blake Rea:Yes, and then you have just the no printed dial dial I don't know if that's the proper term for it uh, the where it's just just finished, just beautifully finished yes, yes yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, on the screen.
Blake Rea:Yeah, yeah, yeah, sorry. We have a lot of people that listen to us through Spotify and Apple, so everybody, we're going to have to jump onto YouTube and you have to look at some of these beautiful watches Hakeem is showing off. But then you also did the collaboration with Heroes, which is also a very cool watch it's. Yeah, I mean I love how subtle it is. It keeps the brand language kind of coming through. And, yeah, I mean I think I was reading, or maybe we had talked about it, like you and I, offline, or maybe I was reading, but you were talking about how important it was for you to like to develop with, or to develop a product with a Dutch company because of the foundation of the brand and the way you know the identity that followed.
Hakim El Kadiri:Yeah, and may I just say something which is also something interesting, because I met Alain Ben Joseph in 2008. And you know, I mean, when I told him that I was restarting Elka Brands, he told me you know what? I bought two stores from Mr Kik and then so we said okay, so we have to do something, and the circle is I mean, is circled. Can we say that?
Hakim El Kadiri:So yeah, it's amazing because I mean he bought two stores. Now I mean he has only one left, but I mean two stores, and he knew Mr Kick. So that was really amazing to develop something and we had to do something together.
Blake Rea:Yes, and then you know, obviously, when you're kind of designing, a modern vintage is what I would classify you as and you can correct, correct me if I'm wrong. But obviously there becomes a lot of challenges when you're trying to to balance, like vintage design aesthetics while keeping them and having them feel modern, right. So that's probably a really challenging question. But how do you balance those two kind of extremes and the design is really based from the past.
Hakim El Kadiri:So the thing is, I just want to have the impression that is coming from the past, but the thing is we are talking to people who are living today. We are talking to people who are living today. So then, if you look at the shape of the watch from the side, so it's not an old product, it's something that you can wear today, something which is based on our time. So I have some ideas from the product from the past. I have also a lot of books and talking about all the watches, so then I can really take inspiration from the past.
Hakim El Kadiri:And also in the two pieces here. I mean the one that we can see on the back, which is the X model. So this is based from an air flight instrument which was done by Heuer at that time for Elka brand, and the second one, the D model that I have here, was a Nulis Narda model, which is exactly the same. So I can share also with you pictures, but okay, I don't have them here. So it's really a piece that was designed by ulysse nada for elka around the 60s and and so.
Blake Rea:So yeah, I mean that was kind of my next question, but it sounds like you started off with developing the x and then you went to the d and then I'm sure you probably did your limited editions in between that time and then the rns is that? Is that the way that you unfolded the collection?
Hakim El Kadiri:the. The anis is okay at the beginning, so I okay, I did a lot of changes or so on while developing it, but the idea was really to have the same dimension, so it's exactly the same dimension. So if you take the Arrhenius up like this, the Arrhenius and the X model or the D model are exactly the same size. So if you look at the dimensions, it's 46 millimeters. From lux to lux, it's 41 millimeter diameter, and so everything is basically the same. I just added a bezel on it, and the idea was also to have something really clean in terms of design, so something pure minimalistic, like I mean the rest of the collection it really shows.
Blake Rea:Um, we, we talked a little bit about, uh, like you know, using like lejoux parade. Um, like, what is it for you that? That said, okay, lejoux parade is the watch that I am gonna, or the movement I'm gonna use to power my watches. Like, it seems like lejoux parade is carving themselves a huge name because of how reliable they are, how well they're produced and how well they're finished. I mean, you have so many options, but was it just a no-brainer for you just to start using LeJou Perret? Or did you have that concept in your mind where you went back and forth about, I mean, obviously you're coming from Swatch, right, you would think like Eta or something of, know, something of, I mean even maybe salita, but, um, you know, of course there's supply chain issues getting out of movements, and then you know salita, produced at a movement or assembled move at a movements for a really long time. Um, so what is it about lajou parade? That just said, hey, this is the watch, the movement that's going to power my watches.
Hakim El Kadiri:Yeah, so, of course, I mean, during many years I was working with the ETA movement when, okay, I start looking at the different movements, so the Le Jouperet was not available at that time when I started looking at that, and the only ones which were available were the Selita and the Soprod movement, and everyone I mean doing a micro-event were using this kind of movement which are, I mean, copies of the ETA movement, the 28-24. Then so I had the chance to meet the people from La Jouperie and I was at the beginning, the first prototype I did with my watches were, I mean, the first pieces tested by La Jouperie, and so the construction of this movement is the same size as all the others that we were saying before, but the construction is totally different. Furthermore, they have also 68 hours power reserve and it's really accurate. So usually I'm having them, so I'm having them. So the how do you say that? Oh, I'm losing my words.
Hakim El Kadiri:The precision of the movement normally is minus 12 plus 12. So when we have the accuracy sorry, the accuracy of the movement is minus 12, plus 12. And so I'm giving that to my watchmaker and then he's setting them at plus minus 5. But usually so he is more at 0, plus 2, or minus 2, which is really really fine. And then the accuracy of each model. So each model I'm wearing is super fine, never had any problem with this movement, and so I'm really happy to have something which is different, which gives also an added value to the product. So that's position. Also the brand I mean in certain way a bit higher than, uh, other um micros yeah, obviously we're here.
Blake Rea:we are in the end of august, but you guys are listening to this in october, october 15th, and I think hakeem has a few things to show us right that maybe have since been released, since our recording, if I'm not mistaken, is that?
Hakim El Kadiri:Yeah, sure. So my next project is, in fact, the project I started three years ago, so a project that I wanted to start, so having no idea about that, because, after working 25 years in the watch industry, I wanted to do something else. And then I woke up in the morning and I said, okay, I will do a local whiskey. No idea how the whiskey was manufactured, no idea at all. And then so I started asking and I wanted to buy, you know, the Alambic or I don't know what's the name in English, to process the liquid. I had no idea. So what was the base of what to do? And so I wanted to start by a small production, and in fact so I had to buy 12,000 liters of beer Okay, it's like the mash. So I had to buy 12,000 liters of beer Okay, it's like the mash, the mash. Yeah, 12,000 liters. So that was not easy to have it on my trunk and to transfer all the mash to the distiller, to the first base of the whiskey, so, in fact, so here this is my bowl, so it's. I mean, here, that will be the bowl, okay.
Hakim El Kadiri:The logo okay, represents a Celtic wheel that was found a few meters from my house here that has 2,600 years old, wow, and it was made of oak wood. So this is the reason why I wanted also to have it on it, and that tells also the story, the same story as I'm telling with the Arrhenius. So I will have each ball numbered, okay, that way. Okay, and it will be a single-cast whiskey three years old. But what is interesting? So I put some casks 60 liters casks or 58 liter casks, and that were made of old barrels of cognac, so barrels that were something like 100 years old barrels of cognac. So it means now in a small cask you have a maturation which is faster than a normal barrel, that is, almost three times faster than a big barrel. And so then you have also the taste of the cognac into the whiskey, which is really good.
Hakim El Kadiri:So I will launch my first set, three years old, and then after that I will open cask and cask. I will do only single cask and of course I mean developing something like this. And then I had my id. So, uh, maybe I I can see you, I can, I want to show your face or so. And then I wanted to do something that is really in link with the whiskey, and of course I will show you from far end. Okay, so that is going to be a watch that has the look of the whiskey, so the shape and the color of the whiskey from far away, because I have to change the hands and I have to change a few things and that is going to be a limited edition, 25 piece.
Blake Rea:The limited edition whiskey color oh, man, you got to send me some pictures on on whatsapp like, so I will send you, I will send you something.
Hakim El Kadiri:Okay, it's not finalized. I have, of course, the product that is myized. I have really finalized the product. That is my first prototype. I have really to change a few things, but the color is really the color of my whiskey. It's amazing.
Blake Rea:I was actually getting ready to ask that, because when we had talked before and you were sending me pictures of whiskey and I was like it's very clear that you're a very passionate person about the things that you work on and you know you go all in and put your heart into your projects. It shows in elka and, uh, it also is starting to show in your, in your whiskey brand. But I also can't imagine too many swiss whiskey making companies, because you know, I mean, it's an american, it's an american spirit, right?
Hakim El Kadiri:yeah, I mean it's scottish okay, yeah, sorry sorry, yeah, no, in fact.
Hakim El Kadiri:Uh, you know, um, there are something like 10 swiss whiskeys, that's it. And uh, the thing is, if I'm correct but I have read to find into the archives, I think 100 years ago it was not allowed by the law to manufacture whiskey, because all the seeds were grown to eat them but not to drink them. So I have to find that I heard that last drink them. So I have to find that I heard that last week. But I have to find also information about that because it's really interesting also to be in doing a whiskey today.
Blake Rea:But that was not allowed in the past and I was actually getting ready to ask, but you answered my question already that I was gonna see if you could kind of integrate the two. I mean, it's hard to to have a whiskey brand and then to also have a watch brand and to tie those together.
Hakim El Kadiri:But you know when, when I developed the whiskey that was before I mean doing the, the watch brand, and I did that really because I mean crazy idea and then I think I realized, probably four months ago, okay, I can do the connection between the two things and the name of my whiskey. It's called Locla and in fact it's a small lake. Sorry, I'm working on the label. The name is a small lake that is really not far away from my house, it's about 500 meters from here, and it's called lulokla. It's a small lake, really small, but the name is a celtic name. So I heard that also from the museum that is not far from here and I mean, and the circus circles.
Blake Rea:So I was in Switzerland in January and we talked about this too, because I was in Nostra Atele and obviously we didn't get a chance to meet in person. But I also went to La Lakhla, where, I mean, you have two other watch brands. Is that the same area that you're referring to?
Hakim El Kadiri:I don't know.
Blake Rea:I mean, if you're talking about Le Lacla is just right outside of Nostra Atoll.
Hakim El Kadiri:Yeah, it's right outside. I mean direction to Nostra Atoll. And there is another brand, also in Saint-Blaise, that you have met, also last time yeah, yeah, yeah, um, yeah, bove right no no, no, it's. Uh, it's close to the local and here is the local.
Blake Rea:It's different oh, okay, okay, sorry, I'm getting myself kind of regionally confused, because it was like a week that I was there and I literally was doing like two brands back to back for like four days. I landed, I slept for like 12 hours, 20 hours or something crazy, I don't remember and then back to back to back, to back to back, uh and and anyways, uh, so I guess that leads to the question as, whenever you buy the limited edition watch, or is there a bottle that's going to be with it?
Hakim El Kadiri:Yeah, you know, I mean, that is my dream to do, but I have a big problem sending alcohol in the United States. I think it's not easy. It's something that is complicated. Easy, it's something that is complicated. So, in fact, if you are coming to Switzerland, I will give you, I will, I mean, organize a tasting of the whiskey and then I will give you a bowl of whiskey.
Blake Rea:That was my next question. It's like how are you going to get it to us? How can we enjoy it?
Hakim El Kadiri:I don't know. I don't know. I really have to see now with all the transporter. I will have to see with importer of alcohol in the united states to see how I can do that. But for the time being so I have no solution and probably it's the reason why nobody is sending alcohol or so on abroad if they are not in this market.
Blake Rea:That makes sense and I'll definitely take you up on that, because I am going to come back and we're going to hang and I'm going to see some of the new watches and I'm going to enjoy some of that with you. I'm not a huge drinker, but when in Rome, right, or in this case, nacho Tal, let's take a shift back to the watch brand, um and and obviously elka, I mean you've had some press done. You've been featured on some of the teddy baldassar content which I had no idea, uh, until after you and I'd connected and I started doing some research. And then you know, as you progress through your limited editions, are you seeing any similarities in the Elka customers? Like, who would be your ideal customer?
Blake Rea:I know that's a really hard loaded question. I know that's a really hard loaded question, but when you were designing this watch, right, very few people, or in some cases, design watches with other people in mind. I know that sounds so selfish, right, and we're in the watch industry, right, this is a selfish industry. So when you were designing this product, did you have a customer that you wanted to target in mind? Or were you just saying, hey, if I make one of these watches, and it is badass and I'm the only one that wears it.
Hakim El Kadiri:I'm happy you are almost right, you know I mean. So. There are a lot of different brands. You can find on the market a lot of different super brands which I love. The problem is, okay, lots also of them are kind of copycat.
Hakim El Kadiri:Mine are really simple in terms of design, really easy to accept in terms of look, design, but I would say it's really a niche brand because, I mean, it doesn't please everyone. I know I mean it pleases and I know that also it's something that is recognizable, which is really good, and it will take probably more time to develop these brands than something that could be different in term of design. I did it as a selfish, because I wanted to develop this type of shape, because I love that and it reminds me a bit, um, the kind of German brands like Bauhaus. I like this type of design, but mixed also with the army type of design. I mean the field watch, I mean the one you can see here on the back is really kind of army. So that reminds me the Hamilton khaki field or something like this, but in a different way. So it's a mix between things that I loved developing during the years I was working in this.
Blake Rea:What this industry and yeah, I mean I'm sure you're probably aware, and I mean more so than I am, but you know, obviously there's a million great brands out there, like there's a million awesome brands, um, and so did you feel, like, immediately, that Elka was, was unique? Did you feel like you had a something like a different twist on on what the other industry is offering? Like you know how, um, how, how are you facing some of these challenges in a competitive watch market?
Hakim El Kadiri:it's, it's really I mean okay, so the brand has today two years. So I, I did my kickstarter in 2022. Okay, I delivered the first watch in September 2022, and I officially started the company in November, mid of November 2022. So the brand is not all that at all. The thing is it takes time because nobody is expecting, nobody is waiting for a new brand like elka.
Hakim El Kadiri:So it's not easy, because you can push, you can be the best in marketing. You have really to push all the time you need. Also, I mean, I'm by myself, I'm working by myself, I'm one man show in my company, which is fantastic. I love that, because you can write texts, you can design the product, you can sell the product and you do everything, and that is really a fantastic, fantastic job. But it's not easy to make it known. So then you have to find all the ways and you have also to be smarter than big brands, because big brands they do have also, uh, the capability of investing in marketing, in communication, in events and and all of that. And being alone and with your own budget is really really more complicated. So I see a lot of new brands coming on the market.
Hakim El Kadiri:It's amazing what they are doing so I will not name them, because I will see them at the end of this week because there are the Geneva Watch Days and so most of them are investing. They are there, so they are doing events. It's there, so they are doing events. It's fantastic, so they are really pushing. And today I would say there are lots of competition in the micros A lot good, a lot less good, but a lot of competition and not easy to fight against. I mean we are not fighting against, so I'm helping. Also other brands talking about what we do, what we can do, with whom we are working and so on. So we are, I mean not in a big group Then we help us together, I mean, to find the way to develop, uh, each other yeah, yeah and something.
Blake Rea:Um, I never told you this, but I used to work in the beer industry, so I used to. I come from the alcohol industry and something that you see in the alcohol industry which you don't see in the watch industry is that same community right? So, like here in Las Vegas, like you have a brewer on the north side of town and then you have a brewer on the south side of town and they're brewing beer together and creating like a special beer. That is like you know that they both can use and market and this and that. But something that I haven't seen too frequently in the watch industry is watch brands collaborating with each other, you know yeah, I did.
Hakim El Kadiri:I did the proposal to one of uh another, I mean another brand that is really strong in term of shape, face, something like this, so something that I had the feeling that we could merge together and do something really even more special, because they have something I mean inside which is special and my shape is the sapphire crystal and the case and the idea is to mix and to merge two different brands and I mean that could be a nice collaboration.
Blake Rea:Is that something we should count on, or is that something that I still have to?
Hakim El Kadiri:discuss. I still have to discuss, you know, I mean working by my own. So there are lots of people in my head. We can talk a lot and share ideas, Sure. So I still have to convince them doing something. That would be really nice.
Blake Rea:I can't see you having to do much convincing. All it takes is putting one of your watches on wrist to kind of. You know, I'm not just saying that right, you know, um, you really have a special product. You know, and, um, and I'm sure you probably know, like before you and I got connected, I was sending you emails like every week trying to get your attention. And you know, finally you replied to me, and you know I also work in cybersecurity, so, like, I was able to get your personal email instead of, like, going through the form I'm sure you probably remember like, hey, how did this kid get my email? But no, no. So would you say your customer base is here in North America, us, or would you say that Elko watches are more popular back home in Switzerland?
Hakim El Kadiri:No, I would say, I mean I have a big community. I'm a lot of customers coming from USA, I think you know, because I started selling also online and I would say probably, I mean the fact is people in USA they are not afraid about buying on the net, and I think I mean in Switzerland the people they have to see the product, they have to understand the product because they are going to spend some amount of money. And I think USA is. I mean they are used to buy on the net and I think it's easier also to sell in the United States today.
Blake Rea:I've done some consulting with some other watch brands because I've had a weird career, but I started off in marketing. First of all, I worked at a brewery, then I left the beer industry, the alcohol industry and I went into marketing and then I started doing marketing in the cybersecurity industry, which is a challenge, right, because you know everybody is, there's always something going on in that industry. But something I noticed is you're absolutely right is how mature the market is here, and when I first started consulting with some of these, these swiss watch brands, they're, uh, I'll say off stream, right, I don't I don't want to blast them out there, um, but you know they were selling watches online, right, and the way that you paid for those watches online is you had a swift number, you had a, a bank number, and you know they're like, oh, here's how you pay. You wire transfer the money to us, and I was like no, americans are gonna want to do that. Like you know, everybody's used to just being able to use their credit card, pay for it and have it arrive, um, but it's such a common thing in sw Switzerland that you guys send money through wire transfers like all the time. It's very common and you're absolutely right.
Blake Rea:You know the watch market here is very mature. Are you making any? I'm assuming you're probably trying to do. You have any intention on coming to some of the watch shows in America Like is that on your roadmap? I would love to.
Hakim El Kadiri:I would love to, but then you need to develop and to be on different exhibitions, but slowly and slowly. So this year I went to in Urganta, then I went to Time to Watch in Geneva, then now I'm going to Geneva one day, then after that I'm going to Hong Kong, then right after there is another exhibition in Switzerland, then after that I'm going to Paris, probably I'm going to Czech Republic. So then I mean I need also time to recover, I mean, and to develop the product and to follow also my business. But I would love to come to the United States and also to show my product.
Blake Rea:Someone went to USA, to Chicago, this year, with my brand, yeah, and so he presented the brand to the local people, yeah, and they, they liked it, they liked it, yeah um, let's go back a little bit into the design space, because our audience is obsessed with design talks and, uh, um, I know every brand out there is having fun and you see a lot of brands that are kind of segmenting themselves by materials. They're developing their own proprietary materials and cases. It seems kind of I guess I don't know if gimmicky is the right word but are there any materials that you're planning to use in the future?
Hakim El Kadiri:No, you know, this is kind of trend. What I said before I want to have a product that can be worn today, can be worn in 50 years and could be worn also 50 years ago. And if you look at the watches, of course they were in brass in the past but look was like gold or like stainless steel. What I want is a design. It's, it's not the material. Today, I mean, you can. You can see, okay, I was working on some for ceramic watches at Rado. Okay, known for ceramic, fantastic product.
Hakim El Kadiri:But it is also super niche to have something like this. It doesn't please to anyone, I mean, depending on the color. Also, you are going to add, you can see, I mean product like, for instance, in carbon fiber. Okay, this is over. I mean, if someone is doing something today, probably I mean he can relaunch a new trend. You can see also the forged carbon. So I had once last week I had one piece, I mean from I mean 2005 or 2010, something like this in hand. It's something which is outdated If you use. I mean that's my opinion, so I mean it's only myself what I'm saying. So if you try to use kind of different materials, it's fine. Everyone has also to have his own DNA in the product. But for me, I mean, a watch is a watch. It's something that has to be recognizable, something that has to last for years. This is the. I mean the. How did you say that?
Blake Rea:Yeah, the foundation of your brand. The foundation of your brand, the foundation of the brand, of course.
Hakim El Kadiri:I mean, on the Arrhenius, okay, I'm using rubber, I'm using ceramic insert, I'm using the sapphire crystal in dome shape Okay, there are plenty of things, but this is something that is not going to hurt, it's not something that is going to disappear, it's not going to be something that is going to be outdated and yeah.
Blake Rea:What do you feel? Because I was thinking in my mind because of the form factor. I mean, I'm surprised you haven't had fun with a little bit of foam, with titanium, you know? Is it not as appealing to you as steel, or yeah, I love titanium.
Hakim El Kadiri:It's light. But Again, titanium is, it doesn't please to anyone because sometimes you can, it's too light for me, you know.
Blake Rea:I've never heard that. You've never heard that. No.
Hakim El Kadiri:I did many, many in the past. I mean, I have been in Hamilton, also in Hado, and I did many watches in titanium. Sometimes people they always say it's too light. Watches in titanium, fine, sometimes people they always say it's too light. You know, I mean it's, you have something that has the right uh, weight, the, the right thing, that you feel well on your wrist. It's fantastic. So and that is also something. But okay, never, say never, I never, I don't know. Okay, maybe in one year. So I will wake up in the morning, oh, let's do it.
Blake Rea:You see, people are trying, like you know, to create a product that that meshes to you, right, like you see, people that are like in in your specific product, right, like the case shape you know, I've said it a million times already. Like the case shape makes shape, you know, I've said it a million times already like the k-shape makes your watch so comfortable, right, it sits so well on the wrist that you don't want to take it off, you know. And so people are trying to. And the reason why I say that is because you see people that are getting lighter and lighter and thinner and thinner, and it's just like, um, it's like a rat or a rat race in the watch industry.
Blake Rea:People are trying to make the thinnest watches and the lightest watches because, uh, the, the watch that people are going to wear every single day, is their most comfortable watch, in my opinion, and um, and so I was just curious to get your take on that, um, and then you know, we're coming up here, uh, we try and shoot for an hour, so we're coming up to an hour, um, I'm assuming. Obviously, you know it hasn't been all all the beautiful moments, right, starting this watch company and you know, we, we. We hear about your accomplishments and we see them on your website, but I'm sure there's some challenges that you faced and I'm curious to hear about some of those challenges and how you've overcame them.
Hakim El Kadiri:I would say I mean the challenges are not in the development of the product, because I love that. For me, I mean it's kind of, I mean it's not a second life, it's I mean I'm breathing that, Developing, I'm a developer, I love that, I love developing. So you can see, I mean the whole 25 years working in the watch industry I was developing, developing and sometimes people were saying, just be relaxed, I mean, don't develop that much. And I can still see also some products just launched by my previous company and they still launch products that I developed four years ago and they just launched them now that I developed four years ago and they just want them now.
Hakim El Kadiri:Okay, so I had a lot of watches and sometimes people are saying, okay, you always have something into the drawers, so that's fantastic. I love developing, I can develop, I mean at any moment of the day. Sometimes I have to be quiet and relaxed because I first have to sell my product before I'm going ahead. So I think that's the most complicated thing to not develop because you have to wait and I don't know, I mean it's not in my nature to be passionate, that's the most yeah yeah I mean, I'm also assume, since you're a designer, you have the, the perspective on the watch market that not a lot of us have.
Blake Rea:Um, are there any trends that you're forecasting or that you're you're observing, and're observing and you're thinking, okay, this might be something that Elka plays in, or does it go against your kind of rooted in the 60s like identity?
Hakim El Kadiri:You know, as I told you before, I think my brand so Elka is based on the past element and I guess it's something that is not going to hurt also in the future. It's something that is, I would say, also sustainable because you can wear it today, you can wear it in 10 or 20 years. So I already say that. But I think this is the trend that I can see, something that is not going to change too fast. Change everything is changing too fast today, so you can see, I mean what people are wearing today, so connected watches.
Hakim El Kadiri:Maybe there is one brand which is the most popular than all the others and this is going fast and changing and you have to buy, I mean one every year or at least maybe each two years, because I mean so technology is going to be changed and you have to adapt and I want to stop everything. So, with my design to stop everything, to stay at a level, of course I mean you have to evolve, because the planet, everything is evolving, but I want to have something which is sustainable, something that is going to last for years, something that is going, something that you can pass to your children and grandchildren, and something like this. And I want to see something like this and I would say this is my idea of the watch for the next years.
Blake Rea:I don't know but and, and that that's a. That's a great point. Now that you have this living, breathing, successful brand and you've got a great product, what does the next decade, or even further, look like for Elka?
Hakim El Kadiri:So next decade is I mean times flies, of course but okay, in 10 years, I hope so I can continue like this probably okay, now I'm in the 60s and probably in 10 years I will be in the 70s or maybe in the 80s.
Blake Rea:Okay, okay, and and that makes a lot of sense 10 years, I will be in the 70s or maybe in the 80s, okay, okay, and that makes a lot of sense. You know, do you and I'm assuming that you're probably not going to be able to answer this, or maybe it's impossible, because it's like asking who your favorite child is, but you know, which of your, your designs, uh, and collections is is the one and done for you? If you say, hey look, this is the only elka I would ever wear, it would be this, this watch this is because you know, I mean, once I develop one product, I want to wear it.
Hakim El Kadiri:So that's the the, that's the problem. So I love them all, of course, uh, but my problem is I told you I'm a developer and I love the new one the, the RNS.
Blake Rea:Yeah yeah, ironically, I was in Iowa for like a watch event and I took my Elka and I showed it off to a group of people and it was crazy just to see the feedback. You know, I mean, obviously it's not my feedback, it's you know, um, or the response. Should I say right? The response that, uh, everybody was was was like hey, man, this is super cool, this is super special. Like where can I get one? Hopefully they purchased some from your website since then.
Blake Rea:But it was, it was really cool to kind of see, I'm sure, the the customer connection right.
Blake Rea:The the, the vintage nostalgia, but the, the familiar film, familiar feelings, that that you have when you're wearing one of your watches, and just getting the chance to enjoy that moment was epic. Just to see the response. And my dogs are having a wrestling match out there, and so, yeah, I was curious about that because to me, the x is is the epitome of everything I enjoy in a watch. Um, but honestly, the rns. Now, since you've released it, uh, that's been the one that my friends have been saying, hey, have you seen this one yet? No, I haven't. No, I haven't.
Blake Rea:Um, and you know you're heading in a great direction. And uh, and hopefully you'll spend a little bit more time in the 60s, because you know that that is the golden era. The 60s and 70s are, in my opinion, the golden era of watchmaking, where you had, uh, tone, tonu cases and these weird fun colors and, like um, I mean those are the golden years for watchmaking, in my opinion. And uh, and yeah, yeah. So, and then let's get one more question in um, I'm assuming you've you've probably sold enough of your watches where you've seen them in the wild. Right, you're walking down the street and all of a sudden you see somebody that is wearing one of your watches. Sudden, you see somebody that is wearing one of your watches, uh, and I'm sure that's one of those feelings, that that you're like, okay, this is the best. This is the reason why I continue to do it and I just want to tell you a small story.
Hakim El Kadiri:I mean it happened some recently, that was two, three months ago, um. So there were a tv show and uh was about diamonds, and so my watches are sold in a jewelry shop in Geneva, and so he was interviewed by the Swiss national TV about diamonds. And then the the jeweler was also saying okay, you know, okay, I'm also selling watch from young brands. And then the camera did just a small slide, I mean slide on the watches, okay, but nobody said anything about the name of the brand. But I mean just the camera went on the watches and then I had five phone calls directly, we saw your watches on the TV, okay. And then I went to see, I mean the TV show, just to see the watches, to see I mean the TV show, just to see the watches, and it's amazing because just the shape was recognized by the people and this is amazing. Okay, this watch was also on, and also the color, I mean, which is really, I mean it's not so clear, okay.
Hakim El Kadiri:And this one is my best seller on this one and this one was on the display in the shop and it was amazing Five people just calling me right after. Okay, we saw your watches on the screen, which is something which was so nice having that. So, even without the logo, nothing, people recognize them, and that is what I wanted to have also with this brand that that's a watchmaker's dream to have a silhouette that is instantly recognizable.
Blake Rea:And you know, of course, we haven't said any brand names right in this podcast, except for yours, so I'm not gonna I'm not gonna say that. You know, you can spot certain watches from a mile away, right, and and once you have that, that, uh, that happened with your brand, like, I'm sure that's the like okay, this, this is what I signed up for. This is everything I hoped for for um, and I'm sure it had to be an awesome experience and moment and uh and yeah, yeah, we need to work on getting you some dealers here I love
Blake Rea:you know, I, I, I can, I can connect you with a couple of people that, uh, that have a distribution company, um, cause, you know, obviously everybody knows, like you know, on this podcast, we we get, we we get anybody who wants to come on and talk watches. We're pretty open. You know, um, we've had a diverse panel of guests. We're pretty open. You know, um, we've had a diverse panel of guests um, and and, yeah, you know, I, I really think, and I I actually took your watch to, uh, one of my local jewelers, um, like maybe a couple weeks ago, and you know she was like hey, uh, like I want to see some of the coolest watches in your collection that I could carry, and she saw your watch and I just was going on and on and on. I had 10 or 15 watch brands on the table, but your brand really resonated with me, um, but you know, your brand really resonated with me, um, just because of of, I mean, I I take, you know I look, the most important thing for me in a watch is legibility, right, Legibility, practicality and comfort. You know, those are the three things that I prioritize over anything, right, and yours is like a cocktail cocktail, uh, of that, and so I just kept kind of saying, like, hey, hey, this is, this is the watch brand that you know I think you need to carry, like, uh, this is the one that I I love wearing and you know, I love all of all my my watches and all the watches in my collection, and in different ways, Um, but but anyways, yours is a very, is very unique and uh, and yeah, you know, obviously I'm not just saying that cause you're shitting in front of me. I've I've said that to other people and I'm sure they'll, they'll vouch for me, uh, that I believe this. And uh, and yeah, I, I definitely want to see, uh, you kind of uh, open the doors more to the States and um, you know, because there is there is a large portion of of our customers or of the U S? Uh market that does demand to see the product before, you know, purchasing Right and um, and yeah, you know, people are saying, hey, look, there's a $2,000 product, which is a lot of money. You know it's a lot of money, no matter what type of watch you're buying. And um, and so you know, a lot of the micro brands tend to play in the cheaper sandbox. You know they're like the 500, 600, 800, 900 dollar mark and that's where they're kind of sitting and and they can, they can sell those left and right and move them, um, but you know you're you're definitely kind of stepping up in in better attention to detail, finishing quality, and so you definitely have to figure out a way to get your product in front of the customer, because people will buy them and I want to see that happen. So, yeah, all right.
Blake Rea:So we have just finished up about an hour here with hakeem from elka. It's been an honor having you on um, we've been trying this new thing and I don't know how many times we've done this. The episodes just all blur together for me because we're just recording so many of them and we're I think we're five episodes, uh, already recorded before hakeem here, um, but we've been turning our platform over to our guest. So you answered pretty much all the questions I had. Is there anything that you feel like we didn't cover that you that you wanted to talk about? That has been burning a hole waiting for you to say. Is there anything that you have to say directly to our listeners?
Hakim El Kadiri:No, I think I mean you ask everything and you have seen also more or less. I mean from far away, the novelty which is going to be launched November the 1st. I mean from far away, the novelty which is going to be launched November the 1st. Then no, I don't have something special to say, but of course I wish to see more Elka watches in the United States.
Blake Rea:Yeah, I want that too. By the time this has been recorded and published, our YouTube video will already be out and hopefully people will see what I am talking about, because I'm actually going out today and buying a whole new camera system Because, you know, at this point we're getting so many watches in and I have I have this crazy camera and it's it's so difficult to produce content with it because of, uh, of the the workflow, right like I just can't. Like you know, like you can flip a page and start drawing, right like when you're filming content, you can't do that. Like you have to set up the camera, you have to change the colors, you have to make sure the mics are. Like it makes it hard for me to deliver consistent content because we have so much, uh like refinement that has to go down in post-production, um. So, anyways, I've already shot yours, um, my old camera, but I'm going to go get a new camera today and I'm probably going to reshoot it so that way I can get it out sooner and I plan to do a lot more content with your brand and anything that I can do here at Lonely Wrist.
Blake Rea:You know we are a smaller outlet. Our website does get the bulk of our audience. And then the podcast, and then the YouTube is the third, not so popular as the newest right, but anything that I can do I'm a fan and I would be happy and honored to to help you in any type of way on this journey, and I mean that. So- good.
Hakim El Kadiri:Thank you very much.
Blake Rea:All right everybody. Thank you so much for tuning in. Uh, just over an hour here with Hakeem from Elka. We are going to leave the link to Elka in the podcast description. By then you'll have seen our YouTube video and hopefully there's no more convincing that Hakeem has an awesome product and hopefully they'll be coming to a city near you very soon. Thank you so much for coming on and we will talk soon.
