Swiss watch house Philippe Dubois & Fils has used the power of crowd funding to raise CHF 150,000 (£100,000) to finance the production of its new collection.
The money, which has been raised from around 84 watch enthusiasts so far, will be used to create a limited edition collection of mechanical watches that will launch next year. Each model will be limited to 99 pieces.
Retailers are also expected to invest alongside watch lovers.
Every investor will be able to buy one of the watches at a discount based on the size of its donation towards the collection.
“An investment in our company is set for the long term, not a short-term profit. The partners are invited to become a part of our culture, because they trust the company,” said Thomas Steinemann, owner and CEO of Philippe DuBois & Fils.
The investment approach will also form part of the brand’s marketing. "Every investor has confidence in the company – and confidence is what a brand needs. This is how we spread our name in the world. Every person that wears our watches, each shareholder is a brand ambassador," Steinemann added.
The brand announced last month that it would be using crowd funding as way to enable it to create products for next year’s watch shows.
