Popcorn on the Tudor: The crazy world of watch personalization

It happened by chance on a flight from New York to Zurich. Robert, a fanatical wreck diver, and the German entrepreneur Alexander Klingbeil met. Robert spotted a Rolex Submariner on Klingbeil's wrist—unusually engraved, with a black case and metal bracelet. The two struck up a conversation, talking for hours about watches. Upon landing, it was clear: they would start a joint project. Two years later, Klingbeil says: "Today, Robert's watch is the craziest we've ever built."

Klingbeil is the managing director of Blaken, a studio that customizes luxury watches. "We worked on Robert's watch for six months, four of which were dedicated to the intricate engravings," Klingbeil explains. The client, an American lawyer and supporter of marine research projects, wanted his Tudor Pelagos completely covered in underwater motifs: hammerhead sharks, cockles, octopuses, crabs, wrecks, and treasure chests. He also wanted the watch to shine in places with a blue DLC coating (a diamond-like carbon layer).

The challenge was that the watch was made of hard titanium. Since Robert rejected laser engraving, the relief engravings had to be done by hand. Blaken hired an experienced armorer specifically for this. "His Tudor cost around 5,000 Swiss francs, and Robert paid another 40,000 for the finishing," says Klingbeil.

When it comes to personal development, the clientele knows no bounds. According to Klingbeil, it's usually about highly emotional connections, often with family. The customers – men in their mid-20s to 60s – come predominantly from the USA and Asia, but increasingly also from Europe and the Middle East. They find standard steel sports watches too ordinary. The most popular are new dials and colored DLC coatings. Engravings and gemstones are less in demand. The self-designed watches are often intended as gifts: redesigning your wife's Cartier, Rolex, or Patek Philippe in her favorite color for her wedding anniversary is a classic.

Younger collectors, in particular, sometimes have extravagant requests. A startup entrepreneur had a turquoise dial made for his Ibiza trips, complete with a painted popcorn motif—a declaration of love to his favorite snack. "As long as the designs aren't sexist, political, or religious, we'll implement anything," says Klingbeil.

Blaken was founded in 2011 in Menden, near Bonn. In 2022, an "absolute stroke of luck" struck, as Klingbeil explains. When the Swatch Group withdrew its dial manufacturing facility from Pforzheim, Blaken was able to take on experienced specialists. Since then, the company has had its own dial printing shop, paint shop, engraving workshop, and more than twenty years of expertise in hand-designing dials.

The starting price for a Blaken is 4,000 Swiss francs, with top prices reaching 240,000 Swiss francs. That's how much a skeletonized Rolex Daytona with a rainbow bezel and diamond bracelet cost. Swiss customers are considered the most demanding. "We'll often spend an hour discussing the length of a hand with them," says Klingbeil. Once you gain their trust, they remain loyal. A Zurich doctor, for example, has already had him rebuild seven Rolex models.

Consulting firms speak of "emotionally intelligent luxury" (McKinsey) or "customer emancipation" (Bain). This is because the super-rich, who already have everything, are especially seeking self-actualization—the highest level in Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

The industry operates within a narrow framework. There are fewer than ten watch tuners worldwide. The most well-known are Artisans de Genève. They secured a landmark ruling in 2024: The Federal Supreme Court ruled that watches may be personalized on behalf of their owners for personal use. However, the sale of "Rolex customs" without the brand's consent remains prohibited. This ended a years-long legal dispute between Rolex and Artisans de Genève. The workshop had not only worked for private customers but had also created special editions with celebrities such as Lenny Kravitz, Spike Lee, and Juan Pablo Montoya. The premium was 100 percent.

It's no surprise that Rolex disliked this. The manufacturer has invested considerable sums in product and material development, quality assurance, sales, customer service, and brand management for decades. If a watch is subsequently modified—even if it's just a different dial color—the manufacturer's warranty is void. Rolex considers it to be no longer an original product; authorized dealers and workshops refuse to service it.

Other manufacturers are reacting less strictly—some even see opportunities. For example, fashion designer Matthew Williams had his Audemars Piguet Royal Oak black-coated and fitted with a custom clasp at Mad Paris. The model caused a stir on social media. Instead of taking legal action, Audemars Piguet invited Williams to collaborate. A joint special edition was released in 2021 and immediately sold out. Pop star Ed Sheeran also recently showed off a custom-designed Royal Oak.

Companies like Artisans de Genève, Blaken, Label Noir, Bamford, and Mad Paris have since adapted their business models. Some now officially collaborate with brands like Tag Heuer, Jacob & Co., Bulgari, Maurice Lacroix, and Edox, lending their models an extra dose of coolness. Most providers continue to offer customization for private watches. Artisans de Genève and Blaken issue their own warranties for these services.

Personalizing watches has always been part of the industry. The modern version began around twenty years ago. Back then, George Bamford redesigned his own Rolex in London and wore it to London's trendy clubs. He soon began supplying the party scene with additional models, covering them entirely in black or decorating them with Snoopy and Popeye motifs, whose arms served as the hour and minute hands. In 2017, Bamford sold shares to LVMH and has since produced for their brands, among others.

Special editions in very small runs are becoming increasingly common. Klingbeil describes the trend as "de-branding": "Some customers don't want a personalized watch from a well-known brand, but rather a completely unique watch in a small edition – as if they themselves were a brand." Such orders come not only from wealthy individuals, but also from clubs, universities, or families who prefer to see their coat of arms on the dial rather than a brand logo.

To meet this demand, Klingbeil now also works as a supplier for ten renowned watch brands. Under the name Whiten, he and his partners are setting up a production facility in Switzerland, between Biel and La Chaux-de-Fonds. Cases, some calibers, and skeletonizations will be produced there in the future – "Swiss Made" included. Even his own watch line is planned for next year.

• Artisans de Genève: John Isaac personalized his first watch in 2005; the Swiss watch customization studio was officially established in 2013. Since then, it has regularly collaborated with prominent musicians, actors, and racing drivers. One of its most recent projects was for Juan Pablo Montoya: the "Montoya Rose," based on a Rolex Daytona. The studio also has extensive experience with watches from Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. All refurbished models come with a five-year warranty.
• Bamford Watch Department: George Bamford has been considered a pioneer of modern watchmaking since 2003. His company, based in London's Mayfair district, currently has the luxury goods group LVMH as a shareholder. On his website, models from the LVMH brands Zenith, Tag Heuer, and Bulgari can be customized for an additional charge starting at around 3,000 Swiss francs. Bamford also designs limited special editions for manufacturers such as Oris, Girard-Perregaux, Bremont, and Franck Muller.
• Blaken and Whiten: The founders already had many years of experience in metal finishing for the automotive industry before opening a watch customization workshop in Germany in 2011. Today, their services include DLC coatings, modified dials, gemstone setting, engraving, skeletonization, and caliber modifications. The holding company is now also establishing a presence in Switzerland, where they produce small series for private customers and other manufacturers under the Whiten label.
• Label Noir: Founded in Geneva in 2011, this brand specializes in black coatings and continues to customize watches for private clients. The studio designs and produces limited editions in collaboration with independent watch brands, including Armin Strom, Maurice Lacroix, Anonimo, Louis Erard, Reservoir, Edox, and Perrelet.
• Mad Paris: The atelier transforms watches into unique pieces and sees itself as a reinventor of traditional techniques and design philosophies. With offices in London and Paris, it collaborates with fashion designers and creative directors such as Matthew Williams and Charaf Tajer, who primarily transform Audemars Piguet Royal Oak models into monochrome or brightly colored creations. Recently, a Jacob & Co. model also received a facelift.
• Watchcraft Collection: Founded in 2015 by a group of watch collectors, this collective focuses on the craftsmanship of engraving and gem setting. Based in Miami, the collective's members work on cases, metal bracelets, and dials, and even dare to modify old vintage models.