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June 1998	SET FOR THE SEASON Coloured Dial Watches
	TIME FOR PROMOTION Novelty Watches
	CHOOSE A FUNCTION Digital Clocks
	STYLE STATEMENT Leather Watch Bands/Straps

COMPANIES target the summer season with their colourful watches, which they see as a fashion accessory. From bright reds, blues and yellows, to pale blues and greens, watches will reflect the wearer's fashion tastes and wardrobe.

Crystal Electronic Enterprises Co Ltd holds several brand-name licences for the design, manufacture and distribution of watches. "Dunlop, Bossini, Mickey Unlimited by Disney, Prairie Falcon and Alain Frederic are some of our more well-known customers. In addition to these licences, we are a leading manufacturer for OEM and customer-designed watches, with our clients being leading department stores, chain stores, sports companies and designer labels," says marketing manager Edward Ma.

The group, founded in the early 1970s, started as a producer of components for watch cases and bracelets. It has a 12,000-square-foot factory in Dongguan, mainland China, with 300 employees producing 200,000 wrist-watches a month. "We use all types of material, including titanium, stainless steel, brass and alloy," says Ma. He stresses that the company places emphasis on keeping abreast of fashion trends and consumer preferences. "This season's fashion statement is for watches with coloured dials, and we produce dials in red, yellow, light green and blue."

Minimum order is 100 per model for private labels, and 1,000-2,000 for OEM. Delivery is 60 days for private-label and 90 days for OEM products.

Acme Watch Industries, established in 1988 as a maker of audio cassettes, soon moved into the manufacture of analogue quartz watches. The company has a factory in Shenzhen, on the mainland, turning out about 100,000 watches per month.

"Although we have our own registered brand name of Acme, 80% of our business is OEM, concentrating on the medium price range market of US$3.50-10 FOB Hong Kong, Our watches are mainly for the European market, and we use alloy cases, stainless steel bands and Japanese movements. This summer season we will focus on brightly coloured blue and orange dials for the European market," states marketing manager Sarah Wong.

Minimum order is 100 pieces per model, and delivery is within 35-45 days of order confirmation.

Plastic bangle watches are the latest items from City Cathy Ltd. Marketing manager Ben Fung says the firm makes mainly promotional timepieces and carries out OEM work, "although we do have our own brand name of Softtech".

The company, which has been operating for more than 10 years, has its own design team and factory on the mainland. Fung says that Europe, especially Italy and France, is the main market for these brightly coloured bangles.

Minimum order is 1,000 pieces and delivery is 35-45 days after confirmation of order.

Bright red and blue are the colours of this season's watch dials produced by Wonder Hero Int'l Ltd. "We are targeting Europe as the major market for coloured dial watches, but we also have an extensive traditional line of quartz, analogue and mechanical watches for the US market," says marketing manager Edward Wong.

Founded in 1996, the company has a 7,000-square-foot factory in Shenzhen, on the mainland, producing about 50,000 timepieces a month.

Coloured dial watches with alloy case and stainless steel band sell for about US$5.70 FOB Hong Kong. Minimum order is 500 pieces and delivery takes 45 days after order confirmation.

Vorlich Co offers hand-painted enamelled coloured dial watches. Manager SC Lai set up the company in 1993 to apply his art and enamelling techniques to various consumer products. "I aim to bring art into people's daily life," Lai states. The firm's present range consists of watches, clocks and cuff-links.

Lai says his inspiration comes from nature, and its complex patterns and texture are reflected in his products. "If I can find more customers I plan to produce other hand-painted enamelled items, such as jewellery boxes and stationery sets."

Lai believes opportunities are limited only by the customer's imagination, and hopes customers will approach him with ideas for OEM products. "All of our work is of top quality, and we utilise real silver and gold-leaf in the design. Every piece is hand-made so that our products are more likely to become collectors' pieces than simple fashion items.

"Europe and the US are our main markets to date, [though] I believe that these useful pieces of art have a worldwide appeal," Lai says.

Minimum order for a watch and cuff-link set is 100 units and delivery takes 60 days after order confirmation.

Written by Susanne Rayment

THE range of novelty watches is diverse. Designs include World Cup theme models, bottle top- and ring-pull-covered watches, alien designs, flashing and dual-time models. Case materials are also diverse, and include plastic, brass, alloy and stainless steel.

William Ho, general manager of Artalie Co Ltd, describes the firm's bottle top watch as a very good seller, as is the companion model with a cover shaped like a ring-pull over a watch face that features a floating bubble.

The company has been producing these items, from alloy and brass, under OEM terms for more than a year. Each model is priced at US$6 FOB Hong Kong, and they are exported to clients in the US, Canada and Europe.

The minimum order is 500 per model and delivery takes 45-50 days after order confirmation.

Carich Industrial Ltd, founded in 1987 to produce fashion watches, has branched into promotional models. The best-selling lines for Carich are key-chain watches bearing company logos.

Director Jeffrey Chan says, "they are original, cute and doubly useful". They feature coloured faces and small straps that attach to the key-chain and sell for HK$21.90 FOB Hong Kong, with a minimum order of 500.

Another successful line consists of watches encased in signet rings attached to long chains, so that they can be worn around the neck or on the finger.

Made of silver-plated alloy, they sell for HK$27.10 FOB Hong Kong based on a minimum order of 1,000. Bracelet watches, also silver-plated, are priced at HK$27.80, based on a minimum order of 500. According to Chan, these watches sell as jewellery in Europe, while they are primarily timepieces in the other major markets, especially the US and Japan.

Most of Carich's products carry the brand names Laurier, Lauriet and Marina. Delivery takes 35-45 days.

At Citime Mfg Ltd, design inspiration for new models usually comes from Tihoan Fung, the company's business development manager.

The 10-year-old company is headquartered in Paris, with a factory in mainland China and regional offices in Hong Kong. It specialises in premium and licensed products, made under OEM terms, and offers a wide variety of celebration and children's watches, with a new line in US$15-25 items under development.

At present, the company is focused, like many of its clients, on the World Cup and offers a range of soccer design watches. They have green dials in the pattern of a football pitch, with a soccer boot on the end of the minute hand and a black and white ball on the second hand. On the watch-bands are pictured the flags of the teams that will be competing in France, and the biggest market is France followed by other European countries and the US, although Fung is finding new markets in Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong.

The watches are priced at US$4-5.20 FOB Hong Kong, depending on the strap, which can be plastic, PU or an expanding alloy bracelet. They are sold through football clubs as well as importers, and the minimum order is 1,000, with delivery 3-4 weeks after order confirmation.

Ricky Tang, assistant sales manager at Suntron Int'l Ltd, says the company creates 20 designs per month to keep up with changing market trends. The firm's plant on the mainland produces between 100,000 and 150,000 watches per month.

Suntron, founded in 1992, markets its products in Italy, France, the UK, Brazil, Singapore, South Korea and Japan. Tang says business slowed last year, particularly to Asian markets, but has picked up since the Lunar New Year, with an increase in demand for fashion watches from young people in Japan and Italy.

Brazil is a good market for the company's line in unusual, contemporary models. A popular model there is a large oval watch with two dials. Another is made of silver-coloured alloy with buckle-style band and D-shaped dial. They are priced at US$5-5.18 FOB Hong Kong. Minimum order is 500 watches and delivery is within 40 days.

Evergrow Watch Mfrs has penetrated several markets since it was set up in 1976. Watches carrying the Evergrow brand name are exported to the US, Australia, Scandinavia, the UK, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia and Argentina.

The company has a 100,000-square-foot factory in Dongguan, on the mainland, with 200 workers producing about 300,000 watches a month.

According to sales and marketing development manager Joyce Chau, the company has launched many models over the years, although she says it is difficult to pinpoint best-sellers because each season and each market have specific favourites.

Popular at present are chunky wrist-watches with faces shaped like diving bells, silver-coloured oval watches with off-centre faces, watches on pendants and cocktail watches with black leather bands.

Movements are analogue, mechanical and quartz analogue. Minimum order is 500-1,000 watches, depending on the model, and delivery is within 40-45 days.

Written by Shann Davies

DIGITAL alarms have never been so feature-packed — from basics such as snooze to clocks that leave a message or allow people to be woken up by the sound of their own voice.

C&L Elegance Mfy Ltd produces a digital alarm clock with LCD. It can store up to 50 alarm times, each displaying a maximum of 33 characters of text. Cursor buttons allow text to be reviewed as the user scrolls through previously set alarms.

Messages can be transferred from one alarm setting to another. The world time mode of the clock has 24 time zones, each indicated by the name of a city. The names of cities can be edited, substituting desired names for those set by the manufacturer. Setting and editing functions are simplified by the built-in text instructions on the clock screen.

The model uses two AA batteries. Price is available on request.

The company also manufactures electronic translators, data banks and calculators. The minimum order requirement is 1,000 units and delivery to the firm's major markets in Europe and the US is within 3-4 weeks of order confirmation.

Sales manager Alan Lam says: "We are planning to expand into new markets, attending exhibitions all year round in Hong Kong, [mainland] China and overseas."

Danson Electronics Ltd manufactures two versions of the digital Screaming Alarm Clock to rouse the deepest sleeper. The four-digit, 1.5-centimetre-high LED clock is powered by 110VAC/60Hz mains and has a 9V battery back up.

Available with black or white casing, the clock offers a choice of 12- or 24-hour display, a 24-hour alarm, snooze function and a one-year limited warranty. Another version has the added features of a two-centimetre-high LED and a night-light. Prices for each are available on request.

The company exports worldwide, but expansion plans are in the pipeline. Director Dan Lo explains: "Our markets cover 80% of the world, but we are planning to expand into eastern Europe."

Minimum order is about 2,000 units, with delivery taking about 45 days after order confirmation.

Nelson Electronics Ltd produces several models of LED AM/FM radio alarm clock. Its UFO-shaped clock radio is mains powered, with a 9V battery back-up, and has a three-position night-light, with varying degrees of brightness. The nine-minute snooze function can be used on either the buzzer or radio alarm settings.This clock sells for US$5.40 FOB Hong Kong. A more compact model has the same features plus a programmable sleep switch. It is priced at US$4.90.

Marketing co-ordinator Jenny Wong says some customisation is possible. "Customers can order any colour of casing and display and select their own brand names."

The minimum order is 3,000 units and delivery to the firm's main markets — the US, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Japan — takes 45 days.

Nelson, founded in 1981, also produces mini hi-fi systems.

The round LCD alarm clock AM/FM radio from Nice Progressive Electronics Co has a grey casing, with optional features including a quartz stabiliser for countries where AC power supply is erratic, and a voice recording mode to be used as another alarm. This model sells for US$5.50 FOB Hong Kong.

The company's foldable display clock has a red or green LED for its electronic clock and the option of waking to a buzzer or AM/FM/LW radio. The display also has an electroluminescent (EL) night-light. It is priced at US$6.20 with EL night-light, US$5.80 without.

Prices are based on a minimum order of 2,000 units and delivery is within 45 days.

Marketing manager Jin Cheung says the strengths of the company, founded in 1988, lie in "providing what people don't have. Our round clock was the first in that style".

Windix Industries Ltd produces a two-centimetre LED alarm clock with optional red or green display and a large snooze button. The clock and the 24-hour memory alarm can be set in either 24- or 12-hour time mode, using buttons hidden under the snooze button. The unit has CE, UL and CUL safety approvals and its casing is offered in a variety of colours. This model sells for US$5 FOB Hong Kong and goes mostly to North America, parts of Europe and Japan.

Marketing manager David Yu says: "Right now we have many enquiries from northern and eastern Europe and will do some business in these countries later this year."

Minimum order is 2,000 pieces and delivery takes 45 days after order confirmation.

Sanwa Electric Co Ltd produces two AM/FM alarm clock radios. The Jumbo clock has a green 4.5-centimetre-high LCD. The rhomboid-shaped black casing has large white controls, push-button for the alarm and time settings, and rotary for radio tuning and volume. The model sells for US$8.80 FOB Hong Kong.

Another clock radio made by the company has a direct on/off night-light, activated by pressing the screen of the red LCD. This model also features a snooze setting and push-button controls for alarm and time settings, and rotary controls for radio settings. It sells for US$6.80 FOB Hong Kong.

Minimum order is 3,000 units and delivery takes 45 days after order confirmation. Main markets are Europe, North America, South America and Japan.

Marketing manager Stewart Kwan says: "We are planning to expand further into Europe, particularly into the Czech Republic, Romania and Poland."

Written by Mischa Moselle

WHILE traditional plain brown or black leather watch-straps are the perennial best sellers, demand for models featuring insect and star burst designs is increasing, along with a trend for brightly coloured plain straps.

Banda Bracelets (HK) Ltd is a Swiss company that established a factory in Hong Kong in 1980. Marketing manager Peter Tso says in those days straps were made by hand in small Hong Kong factories. Then in 1985 a Swiss manufacturer invented a strap-making machine and Banda imported one to Hong Kong.

This method of production revolutionised the industry, vastly increasing the quantity of straps that could be produced and enabling strict quality control. Just as importantly, the machine could handle a wide range of materials and guarantee consistent designs. Tso says other companies were quick to buy the machines and soon production boomed.

About 10 years ago, Banda and other companies moved the bulk of production to mainland China to take advantage of lower rents and wages. In the process, production and quality improved and prices fell as a result of increased competition.

Banda, which sells under the brand name Banda Swiss, now produces 350,000-450,000 leather watch-straps a month. The minimum order is 100-200 straps per size and colour, and delivery takes 25-30 days. Prices range from HK$8.10 to HK$29.90 FOB Hong Kong.

About 50% of the firm's straps are sold in Europe, through the Swiss headquarters, and the rest are exported direct from Hong Kong to the US, Middle East and Taiwan. Leather is mostly imported from Italy, and straps come in a wide variety of styles and colours.

Consistently good sellers, says Tso, are the classic croco hide, the dual-grain croco and the smooth black strap with brass buckle, though a change in fashion trends has resulted in more demand for bright colours, such as the firm's Nile blue model.

Didony Chan, sales director of Combo Leather Watch Straps Co, says crocodile and lizard skin designs are perennially popular, but that every strap maker needs new ideas all the time.

The company, founded in 1989, offers 500 models, all of oil-tanned calf and semi-oil tanned calf from Italy and the US. Most have alloy buckles, and about 300,000 straps are turned out each month.

Main markets are the US, Europe, South America and the Middle East.

The firm's watch-straps are priced at about HK$8 FOB Hong Kong. Minimum order is 500 and delivery takes 3-4 weeks.

One of the oldest watch-band companies in Hong Kong is Lap Shing Leather Watch Band Co Ltd, set up in 1975.

According to marketing director Ricco Cheung, the company produces a million straps per month, made from leather, PU and nylon.

Cheung says the main market is the US, which buys about 40%, with the rest going to Japan and Switzerland. The company has its own design department, which creates new styles every season. Among the best sellers are black leather bands moulded into patterns and a model sewn with bumble-bee decals. Red and black are the most popular colours.

Prices range from HK$4 to HK$25 FOB Hong Kong. Minimum order is 500 straps and delivery is within 35 days.

Sun Po Leather Watch Belt Co Ltd, founded in 1988, offers a range of more than 400 models, but tends to specialise in traditional favourites, such as plain calf skin in black or brown. Croco hide, suede, woven leather and dappled brown patterns also sell well, according to marketing executive Elsa Chan.

She says that minor changes are made to the styling, often by introducing buckles of different shapes and colours, and prices range from US$0.25 to US$2 FOB Hong Kong.

Sun Po produces 500,000 straps a month at its 400-worker plant in Dongguan, mainland China, for export to Canada and the US. Minimum order is 1,000 watch-straps and delivery takes 4- 6 weeks.

Kwok Shing Industrial Co's method of staying ahead of the competition is to look for different markets. The company sells mainly to Argentina and neighbouring South American countries, and these markets are set to expand, says general manager Chen Li-ping.

Popular designs combine brown leather on blue bands, leopard spots or star bursts on khaki bands, and a white-stitched brown band.

The company turns out about 475,000 watch-straps a month at its 300-worker, 2,750-square-foot factory in Shenzhen, on the mainland. Leather, PU and PVC are imported from Taiwan and Italy.

The minimum order is 300 straps and delivery takes 21 days after order confirmation.

Written by Shann Davies

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