Jurmo Watches, founded in 2017 by Martin Kalland and Kim von Gerich, takes pride in offering customized mechanical timepieces. According to the brand, their customers generally fall into two categories: those who have a clear idea of what they want, and those who need guidance due to their limited knowledge. Unlike other watchmakers who outsource customization at high costs, Jurmo aims to provide more affordable options, with prices ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 euros ($2,225 to $3,335) on their website.
Customization at Jurmo primarily involves small alterations, such as adjusting the shape of the hands or changing the color of the dial, on one of their four models. However, the brand is also capable of making more significant modifications. The goal is to create personalized watches that hold meaning for their owners.
Jurmo produces most of its parts in-house, utilizing a mix of manual tools and high-tech machinery, except for the movements supplied by ETA, sapphire crystals, gaskets, springs, rubies, and straps or metal bracelets. The brand sells approximately 120 watches per year, with half of them being customized. The remaining watches are from their collection.
To keep both their custom jobs and their own line of timepieces affordable, Jurmo generates revenue by producing and selling up to 4,000 parts annually to several watch brands worldwide. This income constitutes around 30% of the brand’s revenue. By adding two computerized numerical control (C.N.C.) machines to their production this fall, Jurmo expects to significantly increase their parts production capacity.
Jurmo also offers customization services to other brands. If a specific request cannot be accommodated by Jurmo, the brand outsources the task to another party. The brand’s headquarters, based on the Aalto University campus near Helsinki, Finland, occupies a brick building with a floor area of 180 square meters (1,940 square feet). Jurmo’s team of six employees can be found operating various tools and machinery, engaged in watchmaking, or working on laptops.
Martin Kalland, the company’s head of production, considers solution-making as his primary role. He acquired watchmaking skills through self-training using YouTube videos. Kim von Gerich, on the other hand, serves as the financial director.
Jurmo recently partnered with a collector from Hungary who requested a customized R0 watch. The automatic winding mechanism in the watch’s ETA 7750 flyback chronograph movement was replaced with a manual wind system. The client also opted for a flat titanium case back in place of the original sapphire glass. Additionally, the watch featured a vibrant blue and yellow sunburst dial, engraved with the Ukrainian coat of arms, to show support for Ukraine amidst the Russian invasion. The collaboration resulted in a unique timepiece, named “Hope for Ukraine,” which became the crown jewel of the collector’s collection.
In another instance, a client with a chronic illness desired a blood-red textured dial to symbolize his Christian faith and the challenges he faced. Jurmo addressed the client’s concerns by subjecting the stainless steel case to ice hardening treatment, increasing its durability. This bespoke model, named “Discovery,” cost the client around €6,000.
Certain special requests can significantly impact the price of a watch. For example, one client asked for 56 diamonds to be set on the bezel and an additional 11 diamonds on the custom mother-of-pearl dial. This alteration increased the price of the watch to €7,000 from its original cost of about €2,000. Jurmo takes precautions to avoid infringing on copyrights or replicating others’ work.
The name and concept of the brand originated from Martin Kalland’s personal experience. His unsuccessful search in 2015 for a watchmaker who could create a dial featuring Jurmo, an island his family frequently visited in Finland, led him to consider making it himself. After successfully creating the custom dial, Martin and Kim decided to venture into customized watches instead.
During the pandemic, when parts deliveries were delayed, Jurmo invested in machinery, both new and secondhand, to produce their own parts. This move allowed them to have more control over the manufacturing process and focus on their specific goals. They have gained recognition for their success in providing consumers with affordable customized watches, offering a personalized touch that larger brands often cannot provide.
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