I’ve just purchased my first American-made watch.
It’s a Shinola, and I took the plunge after hearing great word of mouth, reading highly positive editorial comments and, finally, visiting their site (www.shinola.com).
I was immediately hooked by the watch’s industrial/sport/fashion appearance.
I was also impressed by the relatively young company’s line extension into everything from bicycles to doggy products.
But, what sealed the deal was a video depiction of the @shinola work force and their focus on high-quality manufacturing, packaging and customer service.
They also celebrate their Detroit headquarters office, and boast that Shinola is the first handmade watch maker to build a watch factory in Detroit (which makes sense. Where else would a Detroit watchmaker make watches?).
I’ve only had my Shinola for a week or so, so the jury’s still out. But, I will say the brand has ever so slightly changed my POV on all things Detroit-made.
I’ll never abandon my M3 for a Big Three competitor, but I can see myself including other, quality Detroit-made products in my lifestyle.
And, it’s all because these guys DO know sh*t from Shinola.
Congrats, and enjoy. I love Shinola. I’ve done some work for them — they seem like high-caliber people. Those watches are beautiful and the bikes put Linus to shame for stylish city commuting.
But don’t give up on Detroit’s automakers just yet. The faster Mustangs with (finally!) independent rear suspension and much-improved build quality gives the latest-gen M3/M4 some competition.