Friends Thijs (32), Vincent (33), and Tim (32) run their own watch brand: "We have the perfect match - By Man-Man.nl"

What began as a shared passion quickly turned into a runaway hobby. Good friends Thijs Haal (32), Vincent Bakker (33), and Tim Wellenberg (32) run the Amsterdam-based watch brand Calgari together. The Amsterdam boys take us through their story. Check it out.

How do you know each other?
Vincent: Tim and I have known each other since elementary school when we lived in Epe. We've always been good friends. At some point, I met Thijs. Thijs and I have known each other for about 12 years. We frequently ran into each other at events and started talking. Our passion for music and fashion made it easy to get along, and a friendship developed from there. Eventually, this led to the creation of Calgari, with Tim joining us at some point.

Where does your passion for watches come from?
Vincent: It's different for each of us. I remember my father receiving a bonus from work once, which he used to buy an expensive watch. I was quickly impressed by it. The classic watches and their iconic designs have always attracted me.

Tim: My work involves a lot of streetwear culture and brand trends. I've always been curious about the styles and stories behind collections, including watches. I find it fascinating how you can tell a story through watches that people can identify with, and I've pursued that myself.

Thijs: I come from an entrepreneurial family. I grew up understanding the importance of dressing well for work, which includes having something on your wrist. I became increasingly fascinated and selective, fueling my passion further.

How did your company come about?
Vincent: Thijs and I had the idea to start a watch brand for a while. We wanted to develop an idea and start our own business. It turned into a runaway hobby. It was made easier by the contacts Thijs had through his job, which connected him with a Danish company in the watch business. Through these contacts, we got started.

With this partnership as a foundation, Thijs approached me. This was the opportunity for what we had often discussed: our own watch brand. We also had production capabilities in Hong Kong with Seiko movements from Japan. This made it accessible to create a high-quality watch at an affordable price.

Thijs: Through trial and error, we arrived at the product we have now. It was a lot of learning. We've been working on it for five years. Now we've reached the point where we fully stand behind our product, which was the most important thing: creating a watch we truly love.

At some point, you have to bring the product to market, and that's where Tim came in. He was the missing link we needed. The first three years were mainly about experimenting and figuring out what we liked. With Tim, we could take it to the next level.

How did you establish the brand?
Tim: When I read the 200-long email thread about production, I knew they were serious. That was great to see. The product was solid, but the brand was missing. We started by defining what we wanted to stand for and what inspired us in the market. We combined this with a market analysis since the watch industry is very competitive.

One thing we noticed was the gap in the market. On one side, you had the Côte d’Azur-like lifestyle watches, and on the other, the cheaper ones. We wanted something more accessible that people could identify with. We focused on this and worked with photographers we believed in to set up collaborations. Tim Buiting was a great fit for this. Through these partnerships and our passion, our brand gradually emerged. Then we could build further.

Do you want your products to be accessible to everyone?
Vincent: Absolutely. We want you to be able to buy a true luxury watch for under 500 euros. Our watches use a mecaquartz movement, a combination of battery and mechanical. It's the best of both worlds: the accuracy of quartz and the charm of six ticks per second of a chronograph. Our watches have become mini artworks, each telling its own story. We make unique watches, limited to 100 pieces.

Thijs: We've incorporated specifications in our watches that are usually found in much more expensive ones. Enthusiasts who pay close attention will notice this. For example, we have a diamond-cut end in our watches, usually found in a Seiko watch costing 2500 euros. That's quite an expensive part. These are specs we found cool and fitting for the watch. We also push the boundaries regarding prices.

How do you design a watch?
Vincent: On one hand, it's a lot of research. We look at watches from the past century. Many of those principles still appear in modern watches. There are so many materials and designs from major brands that can inspire us. Then we proceed with our vision and see what resonates with our target audience. People should identify with the brand and the watch. We are also from small towns and gradually moved to the city, which often inspires us. The vibrant life, culture, and people subtly come together in our watches.

We also do a lot of collaborations. Recently, we released a model with Pierre Morlet. Together with this French champagne brand, we created a unique and limited product. We try to blend their brand, their bottle, and our vision into a unique artwork. We also push price boundaries and ensure the watch has a balanced design. This all takes time, of course.

Why do you sell your watches in limited editions?
Vincent: There are a few solid reasons. As a startup, you don't want to waste your entire budget on unnecessary production. We live in an increasingly sustainable society, which is important to us. We handle this consciously. On the other hand, it means that each of the 100 people who get a watch truly has something unique. Once you have one of those hundred watches, it will never be produced again.

Where are your watches sold?
Tim: Currently, we sell our watches at About Lifestyle in Amsterdam. This store fits well with our brand. We draw a lot of inspiration from the lifestyles and fashion around us. This store aligns well with that, and these are the types of stores we want to focus on. We're less focused on jewelers at the moment. We see ourselves more as a fashion brand than an exclusive watch brand.

The great thing about these stores is that people come there to be inspired. We're happy to be there and are working on selling in other stores. We already have several other shops that meet our criteria, so we'll likely be seen in other cities soon.

How is it working with friends? Does it always go well?
Not always laughs. Tim: You have to be straightforward. If you really feel something, you have to say it. We've agreed to be honest and direct if there's any irritation. That helps, but of course, there are always irritations and personalities. That's okay.

Vincent: You learn from it too. I think the underlying relationship allows for openness. It doesn't matter if things get heated as long as everyone is honest and speaks their mind. That's the beauty of working with friends.

Do you always wear your own watches?
Thijs: Definitely, nothing else. It feels like cheating when you wear another watch. Since the start of Calgari, I haven't worn another watch.

Vincent: Yes, that's part of it. It's a piece of pride in the product you've put blood, sweat, and tears into. It's also good stealth marketing when someone asks what you're wearing. It can lead to surprising conversations when you explain you developed it yourself.

Where do you see Calgari in five years?
Tim: Now that our brand's foundation is set, we want to realize the potential and vision we see. We always think: prove yourself here first. The goal is to be in all key cities in the Netherlands and build long-term partnerships. We want to be the lifestyle watch brand that brings fashion industry collaborations to the watch market. In five years, we envision international partnerships, which is why we set up the brand internationally.

Vincent: A brand like Kith in America has always been inspiring. They base their entire production on collaborations they release multiple times a year. We want to develop further in that direction, using creativity and mutual inspiration to produce beautiful limited products.

Thijs: The three of us have the perfect match, covering all aspects of running the brand. It doesn't feel like entrepreneurship, but more like friends creating something beautiful together. That's the most important thing.