We have been the standard bearer for Korean watches over the past 36 years. “We can make it cheaper if we use a factory in China. Do we really have to do this in Korea?” “Frankly, I don’t know if we make it better than China. But, it’s a Korean watch brand. So, wouldn’t it be better to make it in Korea if we can?” When Harriot decided to make its watches in Korea, it became worried there may be no watch factories left in Korea. After months of searching, making inquiries, and visiting different companies to compare their facilities, Harriot learned that there was a master craftsman in Seongsu-dong who, for 36 years, had dedicated his life in manufacturing Korean watches. That is how the responsibility of creating the dials for Harriot watches, i.e. the face of Harriot watches, went to the hands of Jang In-cheon, CEO of Sungwoo Precision and one of only a handful of master artisans remaining in Korea. Do you know how great business used to be in Korea? "You wake up in the morning, and some new store would have opened overnight. People you had never heard of would come around and ask us to make thousands of watches. Some company representatives would even visit us with bags full of cash and ask, ‘Make me this,’ or ‘Please make ours as fast as you can.’ Those were great times.” Back in the 1980s, Korea was a powerhouse in the global wristwatch market. But then, manufacturers slowly started relocating their factors to China where production costs were lower. Manufacturers working out of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex made a last stand. But now, even those factories are gone, meaning only a small contingent of production lines remain in Korea for wristwatches. At one point, Sungwoo Precision had more than 20 employees. Today, only seven are left to carry on their legacy. Jang says he felt an indescribable amount of pain when he had to sell off his production equipment - originally worth tens of millions of Korean Won - to a scrap dealer for just a few million Won.Jang says his biggest concern is that, “There will be no one left to do what I do.” It is difficult to abandon my principles. He shares, “We tested and failed numerous times over the past two decades. If you use cheap materials, the color changes too easily and appears yellow. If you use top-of-the-line products from Switzerland, you get a warm and fuzzy feeling. I know that feeling. So, I can’t just use cheap materials for the sake of cutting some costs.” Jang continues, “But if you meet with buyers, they ask why we are so expensive. In fact, if you compare the number-1 Chinese company and the number-1 Korean company, the Chinese are a lot more expensive. But people compare the cheapest company in China with us and complain we’re too expensive.” Jang and his company did attempt, on several occasions, to compromise and face the realities of the market, to gain a competitive advantage price-wise against its Chinese competitors, or to cut down on production costs. Nevertheless, it was always difficult for Jang to abandon his principles regarding product quality and his commitment towards preserving Korean technology. Although they were turned away by the market for being expensive and were forced to face a harsh future, Jang and Sungwoo Precision could not trade away the pride it had defended for more than three decades. Jang points to a machine and says it’s the only machine in the country. He says the magnifier does not allow for the slightest of deviations. He calls it the factory’s pride and joy. What does 'made in Korea' mean? "I think the products we make reflect our character as a nation. It isn’t simply about the fact that we make better products. I believe the mindset, the beliefs, the national character of a nation all have a significant impact on how products turn out to be.It’s like having some more trust in a product because we can see how things are made here in Korea. Of course, great technology is a prerequisite.”
