Foreign watch brands, particularly from Europe, have become the must have accessory for Australians in recent years with expensive advertising campaigns and celebrity endorsements being hard to ignore.
However, locally made watch brands are now fighting back, finding their own strength and appeal in market with time pieces that better reflect, and are more suited to, the Australian lifestyle and environment.
According to official Swiss export figures, Australia imported roughly $273 million worth of foreign watches in 2018, a slight increase from 2017, indicating the ever-growing encroachment of these products in market.
This is frustrating data for local brands, such as Adina Watches, which has been crafting and designing Australian made products from its Brisbane factory since 1971 and believe their products are better suited to Australian’s needs.
Founded by Australian watchmaker and current managing director Robert ‘Bob’ Menzies, Adina has grown from one dedicated man to a staff of eighteen, including Bob’s son Grant, building the craft of quality Australian watchmaking throughout generations.
Each year Adina produces over 40,000 artisan watches from its Brisbane factory, available in over 300 retail outlets nationally.
Grant Menzies, general manager of Adina, says potentially consumers are missing out on the advantages of what an Australian made watch can bring; from durability and quality aftercare to supporting the local economy. He adds that Aussies ought to explore their locally made options before following movie star endorsements.
“Not enough Australians realise that there is a locally manufactured brand in the market that is second to none when it comes to quality and functionality,” he says.
“There are so many advantages to buying Australian. Foreign watches have limited local servicing options due to the exclusivity of the brands, which creates a back log of repairs and more time the consumer will have to wait to get their watch returned.
“In buying Australian you also help support jobs, the retailers and more importantly, we feel we understand what Australians are looking for and have developed products that better suit our unique and varied requirements.”
Want to read more? Check out the full article in our Gifts & Gadgets magazine, which is out now!
