When most people think of fine watches, they immediately think of Switzerland. It’s the birthplace of many iconic brands and has earned a reputation for precision and tradition. But the reality of modern watchmaking is more nuanced.
When we decided to invest two years into developing the best everyday men’s sports watch possible, we knew we needed the right manufacturing partner to bring that vision to life. After speaking with more than a hundred candidates, we chose to partner with one of the leading timepiece manufacturers in Guangzhou, China. That decision was driven by a single goal: to create the highest-quality product possible, at a price that delivers exceptional value for our customers.
There is a misconception that craftsmanship in China is inherently lower than in Switzerland. The truth is, the craftspeople we work with are equally skilled. Many have decades of experience in watchmaking, working with the same tools, techniques, and technologies as their Swiss counterparts.
The key difference lies in how their time is allocated. Some poorly run factories in China operate on such tight margins that workers are pushed into long, fatiguing shifts, where focus and attention to detail inevitably suffer. In Switzerland, by contrast, deadlines typically allow more time per piece.
But the reality is clear: when Chinese craftspeople are given the same time, the results are almost identical to Swiss standards. It’s why so many high-quality replicas of Swiss watches exist — the skill is there, but the time invested makes all the difference.
That’s why we proudly pay extra to ensure the people crafting our watches have the time they need to focus on the finer details. This naturally reduces margins, but it achieves a standard of finish and performance much closer to Swiss luxury — without the inflated price tag or compromise on quality.
Where other factories push workers to meet aggressive timelines, our philosophy is the opposite. We invest in longer production cycles and pay more for extended time on each timepiece. This gives craftspeople the ability to refine details, perfect finishing, and ensure consistency across every component.
Yes, it takes longer. But we believe if we’re going to do something, it should be done properly.
One of the biggest challenges in watchmaking, regardless of location, is quality control. That’s why we developed a 92-point quality checklist, with independent quality control personnel overseeing every stage.
Each watch is:
Each watch is first tested by our manufacturing partner, then inspected by a third-party quality control specialist, and finally reviewed by an internal quality manager at Emerton Scott. This triple-check process ensures every piece we deliver has been independently assessed to meet the highest standards.
We initially considered working with Swiss manufacturers, but found drawbacks that would limit our ability to serve customers and grow sustainably.
Working with Swiss manufacturers would mean significantly higher costs — not necessarily for better results, but largely due to location, branding, and overheads. In fact, many of the Swiss manufacturers we spoke to admitted they would be sourcing cases and hardware from China anyway, only assembling the pieces in Switzerland to meet the “Swiss Made” requirement.
By partnering with our world-class facility in Guangzhou, we can:
The result is a product that offers genuine quality without the inflated markups.
Our relationship with our Guangzhou partner allows us to combine the craftsmanship of skilled artisans with rigorous quality control systems and a commitment to fair pay and longer production times. The result is a product that reflects our values: mastery, timelessness, and integrity.
By taking this path, we believe we can deliver watches that not only stand alongside Swiss-made pieces in quality, but often exceed them in value.
