What do you do when your movement supplier jacks up its minimum order quantity from 300 to 10,000? If you’re microbrand phenom Studio Underd0g, you’ve got two choices: You discontinue your first and most successful collection or you take a big gulp and sign on the dotted line. Neither of those is appealing, but it happens to brands all the time. To be sure, some brands have had to completely close up shop because a supplier suddenly increased its minimums. But Studio Underd0g has spent the last four years riding a beautiful chariot of British horological success, ornately carved with a smorgasbord ranging from chocolate chip to salmon and drawn by lively colored model lines and special editions, so the decision was a bit easier, and the brand is now launching the third generation of the Studio Underd0g 01Series Chronographs.
When founder Richard Benc was tinkering in the corner of his living room four years ago, playing around with different designs for what would become the Studio Underd0g 01Series Chronograph, the hope was that he could get the watch made for himself, and maybe if he was lucky, other people would want it, too. Imagine Benc’s surprise when the first round of 300 watches sold out. And round after round, the number of orders kept growing, with the most recent round gathering just under 6000.
Seagull’s official notice. Item 1 reads “MOQ: 10,000 pieces, total quantity of single or multiple varieties.”
So, when Seagull, the movement supplier for the 01Series’ ST1901 movements, gave notice that it was increasing its MOQ from 300 to 10,000, Benc and the brand’s decision was less of a struggle than others may have faced. There will be models from other brands that will have to be completely discontinued or entirely rethought. Indeed, there may be brands that have to shutter. Benc, though, was resolved not to have to take drastic action and was fortunate enough to have the numbers to justify telling Seagull, “No problem.”
It’s important to mention here that since the launch of the second generation 01Series, all of Studio Underd0g’s watches have been assembled in Great Britain, and that its capacity sits at 1,000 watches per month and growing. That gives the brand a good amount of flexibility and an added layer of QC. As such, it wasn’t about to sign for 10,000 movements that would look and perform like every other ST1901. The new 01 Series chronographs will be equipped with a special bespoke execution called the ST1901B. The ST1901B remains the same reliable manual wind, column wheel chronograph with a 50-hour power reserve at 21,600 vph, but now with an all-black main plate that creates a striking canvas against which the rest of the components are set, including the newly upgraded swan neck regulator. It’s that regulator that will allow the assembly team to QC and regulate each movement to -10/+15 seconds per day, a significant improvement over the standard ST1901’s -15/+35 second accuracy.
In welcoming the third generation of the Studio Underd0g 01Series chronographs, the brand has stayed true to its roots. It’s a common pitfall for brands to fall into a rut of releasing new dials without actually improving, much less releasing new models. Since the introduction of the 01Series, Studio Underd0g has released the time-only 02Series Field and the upmarket 03Series chronographs. Even still, it didn’t see that as license to make more and more 01Series dials. While you can certainly expect the occasional limited release in the future, the foundation of the 01Series remains and will remain the four core models: Watermel0n, Mint Ch0c Chip, Go0fy Panda, and Desert Sky. Though the colorways remain the same, the keen eye will notice that the text at 6 o’clock has been changed from “Mechanical | Hand-Winding” to “Assembled in | Great Britain.”
Instead of resting on its laurels, the brand decided it was time to improve the 01Series case. While the overall design remains unchanged, the third generation features a slimmer midcase that brings the thickness under 13mm to 12.9mm — .7mm thinner than previous generations. Anyone who has worn an 01Series knows that while easy on the wrist, thickness could be an issue for some. This reduction in height will mitigate or eliminate that concern for almost every wrist. At 38.5mm wide and 45.5mm lug-to-lug, a 12.9mm height should create a perfect balance. Further, the crown has been enlarged to improve grip and the winding experience. Of course, each watch still has a sapphire crystal, 50m water resistance, and is paired with an exceptional tapered 20mm Epsom calfskin strap handmade by The Strap Tailor.
Four years and three collections in, Studio Underd0g shows no signs of slowing down, and the winds are blowing in its favor. For the consumer, the thinner case, beautiful bespoke movement, and improved accuracy will give even more incentive to get a 01Series, but the gravity of the brand’s commitment to a huge MOQ cannot be understated. The ability and decision to make such a commitment shows that Studio Underd0g is on sound footing, with confidence in itself and belief in its customers. It’s the exact kind of success you hope for a small brand that started with a funky food-themed chronograph and hasn’t stopped having fun since.
The pre-order window for the third generation of the Studio Underd0g 01Series chronographs (and the 02Series Field models) will be open on November 19, 2024, from 3:00 PM – 12:00 AM GMT (7:00 AM-4:00 PM PST/11:00 PM – 8:00 AM SGT). Pricing for all four models is set at $675 USD/£500 GBP/€600 EUR. All orders placed during the window will be guaranteed a watch, with the first 600 orders to be delivered in December 2024 and all other orders delivered from January 2025. For more information, please visit the Studio Underd0g website.
