#findyourcanvas

Henry Ford created the Quadricycle in 1896. The Model T was introduced 12 years later in 1908.

Building a 100 Year Company:

Creating a successful business is one of the most challenging and rewarding things some of us will ever choose to pursue. When the majority of businesses fail, it make sense that many entrepreneurs look for the path of least resistance. Not to say they take the easy way out (that would be not starting the business at all), but they choose the path that allows them to grow most quickly in the short term. Just like public companies maximizing for the next quarter, if difficult to stick to a long term plan when a small business is worried about staying afloat for the next few months.

At Canvas our view is a little different. We don't just want to build another watch brand, we want to build a 100 year company. Not because it's easy, but because it is hard. It's hard for a new watch company to find customers without relying on retailers. It's hard to make a complex physical product in limited run batches. It's hard finding the resources we need in a city that's just getting back on it's feet. But these difficult challenges are worth the struggle when looking beyond the horizon. 

Our mission with Canvas is to focus on the intangibles that make a watch special. While important, it's not the functionally that makes a watch worth wearing, it's the story attached to it. Most watches have a story of the brand, but we desired something more. So we set out to create watches that tell you more than what's on the dial. Each watch we make tells story of the entrepreneurial spirit in Detroit, the story of the person who created it's design, and the story of how the community came together to be a part of it's creation.

They're not one in a several million. They're one of 250. That's it. Unlike our phones or computers, people don't want to wear what everyone else is wearing. What we choose to wear is an expression of who we are and we don't want to express that we are exactly like everyone else. And we believe 250 is the prefect number.

The Watch Art of Sunflowerman:

Matthew Miller (aka Sunflowerman) was new to the world of watches when he set out on his project of illustration 100 watches in 100 days. Primarily focusing on men’s fashion illustration he paints everything from the clothes on your back to the places you live.

But why start illustrating watches? In an interview with Hodinkee he elaborated on what drove this endeavor. 

“Admittedly I know little about watches (I know a little more now) and I hoped to expand my knowledge with the project. I had done a few watch illustrations for an Instagram user and was amazed at the horological community. When people love watches they LOVE watches. It seems such a humble object but it really contains its own ecosystem. There is the bezel and the dial, the manufacturer and designer, the history, the straps, the patina and the stories. The history is so dense and so rich. All of that to say that creating an illustrative project on watches seemed the best way for me to learn."

It’s incredible to see how he has used watch design as an inspiration for an entirely different medium. We are so used to seeing people inspired by art when designing a watch, we love seeing this dynamic flipped on its head. To learn more, check out the rest of Hodinkee’s interview. Then watch him action illustrating a watch in the video below.

Wristi by Sunflowerman - Youtube Link

This story shows that everything can be a canvas ( even a page of Sherlock Holmes) and that people appreciate interesting art.

Since the launch of the new canvaswatch.com we have begun posting new designs submitted by the community. Seeing your votes for your favorite new designs is an exciting next step for us and it means that batch #2 is right around the corner. We have been patiently waiting to get to this next chapter and to help get new submissions we'd like to talk to designers about how and why they should become a Canvas watch designer: 

After downloading our design template and creating your design, the next step is to upload it to the community so the voting can begin. At this stage there is no promise that your watch is going to be produced, but you are guaranteed feedback on your design.

If your design receives positive support and is chosen for production, you'll receive your watch free of charge. For batch #2, we will also be giving $2,500 to each of the designers selected. This is our way of jumpstarting the growth of the Canvas design community, as well as, to show our appreciation to the designers for their work. 

Why Do You Need a Watch?

About a week ago we shared the 1st part in HypeBeast‘s Guide to Watches titled, “Why Do You Need a Watch?”. They echoed many of our beliefs how a wristwatch can be an “expression of character” and we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to blog about something that fuels our passion.

 A watch can carry so much meaning and create a statement about who you, so shouldn’t you have control over the design on your wrist? Choosing a watch shouldn't be like answering a multiple choice exam, deciding between different brands, colors, and styles. Everyone should be a part of the creative process, so that expression is a true representation of who they are.

 In the center of their article they talk about using a watch as a "a medium of expression". We couldn’t agree more and that is the foundation for how we look at watch design. It should be treated as a blank canvas to express the creativity of you as an individual, creating a connection between you and your watch.

Finally they end by talking about what’s beneath the design,  "Appreciating the story and complementary style that the right watch pairing can bring is always important, but of equal importance is in the guts of the watch itself." This is exactly why we worked with a Ronda movement for the first designs. It provides the reliability someone expects with a high quality watch but keeps our cost low. The purpose of a watch is to become part of the things that describe the wearer, not cause them to miss a rent payment.