Bomberg Watches: Swiss watches for a new generation of watch enthusiasts

Despite all the skeptical forecasts, mechanical watches still exert an unbroken fascination on millennials – even in the times of smartwatches & co. However, there are mechanical watches and there are mechanical watches and the young target groups often have their very own ideas about what a good mechanical watch must bring to the table these days. Especially the younger generation of watch lovers focuses on other aspects: Logically, the focus is on an affordable price. Above all, however, it is often an innovative concept beyond the mainstream that tips the scale.

David Sanchez, CEO of Bomberg Watches, has not only recognized this niche for himself, but also successfully occupied it. His recipe for success is based on a fusion of old and new school, i.e. the best of both worlds, and a pinch of provocation. This can already be seen well by the brand name, which is a portmanteau of “Bomb” and “Berg” (the German word for mountain, referring to the Swiss origin).

A Swiss newcomer with a message

Bomberg Watches can rightly be called a newcomer. True to the motto, “Creativity is the ability to think outside the box”, the brand was founded in only 2012 by Rick De La Croix. His intention was to breathe new life into an industry that is known throughout the world primarily for its time-honored history, but less so for its inventiveness – an issue De La Croix wanted to tackle.

Today, after 20 years in the industry, David Sanchez is in charge of the company. After 10 years with the Festina Group and another four years with Maurice Lacroix, Sanchez knows the industry like the back of his hand and finally took over the helm of the young brand himself as an experienced watch industry veteran. It was also him who helped transforming Bomberg from a mere watch brand into a lifestyle brand, as the brand’s portfolio not only consists of watches, but also plenty jewelry and accessories, such as bracelets, rings and keychains.

The Bomberg DNA

There are three pillars that make Bomberg what it is today:

Bang for buck 

Admitting your own strengths and weaknesses is not always easy. In Bomberg’s case, however, it was the absolutely right decision, because only through a process of trial-and-error the brand managed to perfectly understand its current niche (and thus its current market). The result: Exceptional, affordable luxury watches between 500€ and 2,000€.

Although the brand is a prime example of new-school watchmaking, it cannot fully deny old-school ways either, especially when it comes to quality. As a result, all Bomberg watches are exclusively Swiss Made, meaning that 60% of the production costs of the watch and movement arise in Switzerland.

Whoever now thinks “Wait a second, there are plenty of watches in this price range” is of course not wrong. The difference, however, is the fact that they are all fairly classic and traditional in their approach – two terms that do not appear in Bomberg’s vocabulary. In fact, the central element in Bomberg’s DNA remains the creative expression, which other extravagant Swiss watch brands typically charge horrendous prices for. This brings us to the second pillar.

Design and Creativity

At the end of the day, Bomberg’s watches are a balancing act between two aspects that are seemingly contradictory: rationalization (to stay within the mentioned price range) on the one hand and maximum creativity on the other hand. Two sources of inspiration in particular play an outstanding role here. Firstly, the creative, colorful world of tattooing has emerged as a source of inspiration. After all, there is a reason why the company slogan is “Tattoo your Desire”.

In addition, there are national influences of various countries, which shape entire collections stylistically, with Mexico being a notable example: In Mexican culture for instance, death is met less with fear and humility as in our latitudes, but with festivities (as the annual Día de los Muertos proves). As a result, many watches boast Mexican elements like skulls, that are embedded in the most colorful dials. A combination that is guaranteed to catch everyone’s attention.

Provocation

With catchphrases such as “Leaders not Followers”, the brand has deliberately decided to attract attention. Bomberg knows only too well that this message will not be received equally well by everyone, but that is exactly the goal: Like it or not.

Like the watches, so the Ambassadors

Just like the watches, Bomberg’s brand ambassadors are anything but ordinary. It all started with Chris “Birdman” Andersen, one of the (if not the) most tattooed NBA pros the league has ever seen. US reggaeton musician Nicky Jam and the two martial artists Claudia Gadelha from Brazil and Callum Smith from England are also faces of the brand, as their unusual lifestyles perfectly reflect the ethos and self-image of Bomberg.

Watches from Bomberg: Not for everyone

Bomberg is certainly not a brand designed for the masses. In fact, it is rather an attitude at the end of the day: These watches are outsiders who rebel in the world of uniformity and timepieces that are characterized by a truly unique design language. Instead of being a small fish in a big pond, Bomberg prefers to be a big fish in a small pond. By establishing a new niche, Bomberg has created something for young watch enthusiast who are interested in something off the beaten path.

The success proves David Sanchez right: The brand is growing steadily and sells more than 10,000 watches a year in countries all over the world – and counting.

Fore more information, visit bombergwatches.com.

This is a sponsored article for Bomberg Watches by Montredo.