As Chester-based watch brand Cestrian Watches approach their second year of trade, the brand aims to double down on its mantra of affordability without compromising quality.
Founder David Parry reflects upon the genesis of the brand, saying: “Cestrian was born out of my experience as a director at WatchNation, a business I founded over seven years ago on the back of a lifelong passion for automatic watches.”
Since its formation, WatchNation has fostered relationships with established brands, leading to WatchNation being the driving force behind the exclusive Rotary Super 7 collection, which was extremely well received.
After several years in business, Parry observed a presumed perception driven by established brands equating quality being synonymous with high prices, which left the entry-level watch enthusiast behind.
Using the infrastructure he had built at WatchNation, he created his own brand, Cestrian, which challenges the notion that excellence only comes with a high price point.
Parry adds: “Our aim is to streamline the supply chain and provide direct-to-consumer service by leveraging WatchNation’s infrastructure to offer a fully operational UK-based customer support team and service centre. This also allows us to fully support our two-year manufacturer’s warranty, which gives our customers that additional level of confidence in our products.”
“We work with a London based watch design agency who have a huge amount of hands-on experience working within the watch industry. We have fostered a relationship with leading manufacturers in the far east who have proven track records for manufacturing watches for a number of well-known global brands. Our partnerships involve thorough research, testing processes, and strong due diligence.”
“We believe in the power of listening, learning and constantly evolving. This is why we’ve taken every comment, critique and suggestion from our customers on board, as it allows us to make the necessary changes to deliver a watch that exceeds their needs and expectations. We’ve challenged ourselves to go above and beyond, continually raising the bar in terms of improvements wherever we can.”
“Cestrian’s mission is to deliver the best quality and value, hence the strapline ‘Time for the People’. We engineer our products for the best possible quality at their price point.”
With these core values in mind, the brand launched its Dive series and Master series in 2022, a collection which have been re-launched in November with significant improvements on the back of feedback from the customer base and industry experts.
Cestrian’s latest venture is its Field Series, which aims to encapsulate the essence of a field and military style watch with its rugged yet refined design, offering an impressive 200m water resistance.
Looking to 2024, Cestrian is set to expand its collection whilst remaining committed to affordable quality.
In its second year, Parry hopes Cestrian can continue to disrupt the industry, “change perceptions, and build a customer base in the entry-level affordable space.”
To learn more about Cestrian Watches and WatchNation please contact David Parry at david.parry@cestrianwatches.com.
