Can you make this? And so it began...
May 29th, 2019, marked the beginning of MICROMILSPEC. On this day, we signed our first contract for 330 custom military watches, just four days after founding our company. This whirlwind of timing wasn’t a one-off event; rapid turnarounds and deliverables became the heartbeat of our operations.
Our first project was to create a custom watch for the Royal Norwegian Air Force's Search and Rescue Squadron, better known as the 330 Squadron. Although Norway isn't known for a rich history in watchmaking, particularly military watches, the bar was set high. The last military watch issued to the 330 Squadron was manufactured by Heuer (now Tag Heuer) in 1972, and MICROMILSPEC was proud to be next in line.
We did all the expected pitfalls: overcomplicating designs, misinterpreting customer needs, and dwelling on insignificant details. In retrospect, these pitfalls stand out to us as crucial lessons, forming the foundation of our company today. These experiences can be summarized in one recurring question: “Can you make this?”
This question reminds us that we don't create watches for ourselves; we translate a culture and camaraderie that are foreign to us into a custom timepiece. By facilitating every step of the process — from customer support and credit financing to design, sampling, production, distribution, and aftercare — we have, in essence, evolved into a full-service military watch company.
Thank you to our team, clients, investors and partners for constantly pushing harder at every obstacle. With over 30 custom projects to date and more in development, we continue to enjoy our journey together.
The content of this article is also discussed on Monocle's live radio show at Midori House in London with host Tom Edwards and Micromilspec's founder Henrik Rye.
