“Jorg Gray produced one of the most famous and exclusive watches in the world…and here’s the kicker, it costs less than $500 and technically isn’t available to the general public,” observes James Schaefer, Jorg Gray’s global sales manager.
Schaefer is referring to the iconic Jorg Gray JG6500, affectionately known as “The President’s watch.” While this particular watch is and was only available to the Secret Service, the good news is that a nearly identical version is available to the general public. But this watch is only one piece of the Jorg Gray brand, a product line designed to provide affordable, high quality alternatives for a myriad of personal style situations. Let’s get behind the dial and review the marketing and unique brand promise of this intriguing
Define Your Time
American brand
Jorg Gray’s story can be summed up as an unlikely accident that set the tone for the company and its subsequent products. Jorg Gray’s parent company, Logomark, was asked to design a special watch for the Secret Service. This watch needed to be robust, stylish and available exclusively to Secret Service members. It was known as the JG6500 and was identified with the special Secret Service star on its dial. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois saw the watch being worn by agents in his security detail and asked to buy one. Being a senator you’d imagine that the request was immediately fulfilled. Wrong. The watches were designated for service personnel only. Fast forward, the senator has become the president and members of his detail remembered his fondness for the 6500, presenting him with a watch of his own on his birthday in 2007. “The President’s watch” quietly became reflective of this leader’s style: cool, sleek, sophisticated and subtly understated. This became one of the driving hallmarks of the brand: a clean, impactful and uniquely American design aesthetic.
The Jorg Gray lineup encompasses virtually every watch style for any occasion. Current styles available include classic dress, driving, diving, chronographs, sports, ladies and limited editions—representing over 50 SKU’s. In short, there’s a watch for every occasion at a price point that makes multiple acquisitions affordable. And true to the brand’s promise of quality, the watches are designed with all the hallmarks of their more expensive Swiss brethren.
“In all honesty, our watches stack up to much more expensive products. With a Swiss watch you’ll pay for the research and development, the brand legacy, the house design, and, in some instances, a proprietary movement. We have put many of the same details into our watches. If the dial was stamped ‘Swiss,’ they would sell for two to four times our asking price,” says Schaefer.
The median price point on a Jorg Gray watch is $595, with pieces ranging from $395 to $895. So what do you get for your investment? Features like stainless steel cases, sapphire crystals and exhibition backs. All watches are serialized, and have a customized second hand. All the crowns bear a Jorg Gray hallmark and even the watch strap buckles are engraved. Movements are either high end Japanese or Swiss quartz, with an automatic joining the lineup in time for the holiday season. This represents another nod to the brand promise: delivering a level of detail unexpected at this price point.
“We’re an American watch brand and we want to deliver the kind of quality American products are known for—at a reasonable price. For example, we’re adding Super Luminova to the product line without changing the price. We want our customers to know that we’ve got their back,” adds Schaefer.
When the company initially began marketing, the target audience was young adult consumers. However market research during the past 18 months indicated that the consumer base has broadened. Market analysis found that the age spread is 20 – 70, with buyers purchasing multiple watches—data which now drives the brand’s public-facing identity and marketing materials. The brand’s imagery reflects three strong elements: style, quality and versatility. Looking under the hood, as most watch buyers do, yields a resume that substantiates the pedigree of thoughtful, quality assembly with high-grade elements. This represents a transparent and holistic approach to delivering on the brand promise: the marketing materials actually represent the true elements of the brand.
As the company matures, the designers and product managers have listened to the market and are taking steps to help the brand evolve. “We’re introducing an automatic watch this holiday season in our hallmark 6500, which means that the watch will be available with two quartz movements and an automatic. Again, this continues our commitment to providing a variety of products for different types of consumers, at a price that allows for multiples,” says Schaefer.
The brand is headquartered in California, and many of the components are made in Switzerland. The watches are assembled overseas and shipped back to California where they are finished. All products run through quality control in the United States, with final treatments conducted stateside. Jorg Gray does not drop ship products to distributors.
Jorg Gray watches are available at over 200 watch stores and boutiques around the country. For more information, visit
www.jorggray.com.
