Behind the brand: Ikonik's Thomas Fontaine
Today is a very special article for us. We at Horology Obsessed had the absolute honour to speak with the man behind the brand that is Ikonik Watches, Thomas Fontaine.
Thomas is a very down to earth guy that is passionate about horology with some great advice for aspiring watch brands. He has a great sense of humour and went into great detail with our questions and we truly appreciate the time Thomas gave to chat with us.
Ikonik watches make absolutely stunning timepieces that are such high quality compared to their price, and we wanted to know a little more about the brand, its roots, what the future may hold for Ikonik watches, as well as how they tackle social media platforms to market for their brand. So sit back, relax, grab a coffee (or tea), and join us for this conversation.
Horology Obsessed: Any talk about a possible Swiss movement Oceandiver in the future?
Thomas: Right now this is not an option we consider, but hey, never say never!
Horology Obsessed: When it comes to marketing your brand, is Instagram your biggest platform due to the fact that it's mostly visual content, or is it balanced between Facebook and Instagram?
Thomas: We use these two platforms equally, even if Instagram is more about visual content.
Horology Obsessed: Do you have any cool stories since from your horological journey?
Thomas: Some friends of ours are producing high quality NATO straps (BNO/Bracelet Nato) and we found out by accident that some of their straps match perfectly with our dials! It works so well that we're now considering introducing them in our offer!
Horology Obsessed: If you had unlimited funds to build the ultimate Ikonik timepiece, what would you build?
Thomas: Mmmm something very crazy and different I'd say. With some cool complications and exotic materials... but then I'm not sure it would still be an Ikonik watch! ;)
Thomas is a very down to earth guy that is passionate about horology with some great advice for aspiring watch brands. He has a great sense of humour and went into great detail with our questions and we truly appreciate the time Thomas gave to chat with us.
Ikonik watches make absolutely stunning timepieces that are such high quality compared to their price, and we wanted to know a little more about the brand, its roots, what the future may hold for Ikonik watches, as well as how they tackle social media platforms to market for their brand. So sit back, relax, grab a coffee (or tea), and join us for this conversation.
Horology Obsessed: What's your first memory of falling into the world of horology and becoming a lover of watches?
Thomas Fontaine: I always had a fascination for mechanical objects, it started very early. Certainly because I saw my grandfather fixing a lot of mechanical things by himself when I was a child. Since my first watch (a Flik Flak) I never stopped wearing watches and I believe my love for watches grew with me as I grew up.
Horology Obsessed: What was the first high end watch you owned or bought for yourself?
Thomas: The first high end watch I bought is a Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre 1.
Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre 1
Horology Obsessed: What was the main thing that sparked the concept of creating your own watches and starting your own brand?
Thomas: I think this is the combination of three things: independence, passion and the will to start a new adventure!
Horology Obsessed: When it comes to building a quality watch without the high quality price, what factors have to be put in place to keep the watch in that budget friendly spectrum? Also, the Seiko NH35 is an amazing movement, but what made you choose the NH35 from any other automatic movement?
Thomas: The first thing is to find a supplier you can trust, then you have to be very specific on what you exactly want (materials, finishing...). It's not necessarily more expensive to produce better quality pieces, but you have to spend a lot of time to get things right. And of course we chose to use an affordable Japanese movement, which is super reliable: Seiko TMI NH35. It's true it's not a decorated movement, but honestly, who cares? The Oceandiver is a dive watch and doesn't have (nor need) an open case back. Solid screw down case backs ensure a better water resistance.
Horology Obsessed: Any talks about new model concepts for Ikonik watches in the future?
Thomas: We have a lot of ideas... Stay tuned ;)
Ikonik Watches Oceandiver Green Dial
Horology Obsessed: Any talk about a possible Swiss movement Oceandiver in the future?
Thomas: Right now this is not an option we consider, but hey, never say never!
Horology Obsessed: When it comes to marketing your brand, is Instagram your biggest platform due to the fact that it's mostly visual content, or is it balanced between Facebook and Instagram?
Thomas: We use these two platforms equally, even if Instagram is more about visual content.
Horology Obsessed: Do you have any cool stories since from your horological journey?
Thomas: Some friends of ours are producing high quality NATO straps (BNO/Bracelet Nato) and we found out by accident that some of their straps match perfectly with our dials! It works so well that we're now considering introducing them in our offer!
Horology Obsessed: If you had unlimited funds to build the ultimate Ikonik timepiece, what would you build?
Thomas: Mmmm something very crazy and different I'd say. With some cool complications and exotic materials... but then I'm not sure it would still be an Ikonik watch! ;)
Ikonik Watches Oceandiver Black Dial
Horology Obsessed: For the last question, what is it that makes you the most excited about the horological community and whats your opinion on younger generations coming into the watch community?
Thomas: The horological community is so large and diverse...it's fascinating! Different tastes, different budgets, but the passion is the same. We're all in love with these small mechanical objects that we don't really need anymore since our smartphones give the most accurate time possible. I hope younger generations will still be amazed by micro mechanics and will understand the emotion we feel when we wind up a watch and see its mechanical heart beating again! (End of interview)
We would like to say again it was an absolute honour to be able to ask these questions to Thomas and get an inside look into a fantastic brand. If you're interested in a watch from Ikonik Watches, click the link below and order yours today. We hope you enjoyed this interview, and thank you again to the gentlemen at Ikonik watches for making this possible.
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