I never thought I would live to see this day. The day was April 27. As our company was gearing up for Harriot’s first funding initiative, which got under way last May, I was editing the video from my interview with Chang In-cheon, the CEO of Sungwoo Precision. But I think most people would remember that day for watching a genuinely momentous occasion unfold on television, just like I was. Then, it suddenly occurred to me, “Can’t we do something to represent our proud heritage as a Korean brand to celebrate this historically important event seen all over the world?” I asked my staff, "What if we started an event based on that foot bridge?"- Hong Seong-jo, CEO of Harriot "But, we haven’t even put the final touches on our upcoming Seongsan Collection." "Aren’t we biting off more than we can chew?"“What’s a foot bridge?” At first, it was difficult to convince everyone. “Can being a Korean brand be an asset? Something that makes it possible, rather than impossible?If we can, I want to have it as a souvenir myself. I’d love to give it as a gift, too.” Harriot has always had a unique story to tell. When brands name their products or collections, they often look at cities or historical figures famous enough to represent the country. Sometimes they even create names based on significant events that took place on a particular year. Harriot wanted to find something that could convey an original message, yet feel distinctly Korean. After some long and hard nights searching for names, it came up with the idea to name its products based on bridges. Since antiquity, building bridges have always required the use of advanced architectural and engineering technology. Moreover, the fact that bridges in and of themselves have value as aesthetic objects had something in common with what Harriot was looking for in its product names. Of course, that was how the Dobo Collection was born - it was inspired by the “Foot (Dobo) Bridge” that appeared on the most significant event in 2018. Then, how did Harriot design the product?’ How can we add the blue color of the Foot Bridge to our watch?’ Friday, April 27th, 2018. Harriot began exploring options to commemorate that date in its new watch collection. It decided to change the color of the hour index at 4 o’clock, 27 in the date window, and F (stands for Friday) in the day window to the blue color of the Foot Bridge. Creating that blue color, however, was a problem due in large part to the fact that blue was not a color Harriot typically used for its hour index points or its second hands. If done wrong, the color could fade over time, or if done too heavily, the color could make the watch feel too dull. Harriot had to create several samples and compare the colors just to decide on the specific color used for the hour index at the 4 o’clock position. Nevertheless, Harriot persevered and thanks to the technical genius and experience of Sungwoo Precision (the company that makes the hour plates for Harriot watches), it was able to produce the exact color it was looking for. ”Let’s make it as high-end as possible.” Harriot believed that creating a special watch or limited edition required more than simply adding a new color.After a string of meetings, the company decided to raise the quality as much as possible and reflect the brand’s story into the new collection. Specifically, we opted to replace the glass with sapphire crystal and use crocodile-patterned leather for the band. We also chose a butterfly-type buckle to minimize the damage the buckle can cause to the leather, designed the box for the watch to look and feel as high-end as we can, and changed the design of the warranty certificate and user manual specifically for this limited edition. The final decision was made with all of these changes applied to the collection. We changed the hour plate as well, adding a new pattern and making it more three dimensional to differentiate it with our Seongsan Collection. In the 6 o’clock direction, we added a “Korean Made” phrase to show our pride as a Korean watch. On the back, we engraved the product’s serial number - as is customary for limited edition products - and added a section in the warranty certificate to record the serial number. I have heard that there are watch factories in the Gaeseong Industrial Complex. Is that true? Gaeseong Industrial Complex, which shut down after 2016, is home to a production complex that used to manufacture most of the Korean watches. Once those factories went offline, the vast majority of Korean watchmakers reassigned their production processes to factories in China or other overseas markets. In those new production bases, however, companies have to make provisions to facilitate language barriers, account for logistics costs, and the additional time it takes to manufacture the products. For the sake of preserving the watchmaking industry in Korea, I hope we can re-open the Gaeseong Industrial Complex and rekindle the fire.
