Starting your own watch company is hard. Unlike, say, hiring a factory in Taiwan to make a bunch of MP3 players for you, creating a watch takes patience, an understanding of the history of horology, and a willingness to risk failure. Thankfully, Buscum Ducis’ Svan van Der Zande has all of these attributes.
After promising a finished watch since last March, Sven has finally delivered his first timepiece, a quartz watch with great styling and quite a bit of attention to detail. The watch comes in a handsome display box and includes a tan and a black band along with a screwdriver for swapping them out.
The watch itself is a healthy-sized 45mm with a brush steel case and a 22mm lug width. The watch is water resistant but, as Sven points out, not suited for diving. The dial consists of two parts – a cut face with numerals and pips and a Super-Luminova face that gives the watch excellent night readability.
The movement is a Swiss Ronda 1069, a workhorse quartz three hand movement. The seconds hand is set at above 6 o’clock.
At $295, the watch is on par with other quartz timepieces but I think the build quality is far superior to the standard department store watches you’ll find at this price. Because Sven designed this watch by hand, you’re essentially getting a boutique timepiece at a bargain price.
The watch keeps excellent time and is just large enough to be ostentatious without being overtly huge. The band is signed on the buckle and on the leather and the back is engraved with the BD logo.
Buscim Ducis is a small company with big ambitions. I’m all for giving the little guy a leg up and this is a great opportunity to own a unique and inexpensive watch. These guys are definitely worth another look.
That crown dig into your hand much?
I like the canopy effect of the lugs, though.
Seriously, I know you like this guy, John. I too wish him well.
But the name…oh, the humanity!
Why do people have such a hard-time with the name. It’s just a name and a cool one at that. Although that’s just my opinion and of course I am totally biased. Haha.
Sven, I dig the watch man. Just need to save up a couple of bucks and get me one…maybe after the holidays. Good luck with the company!
not for me. I think to be competitive and to stay in business you have to innovate. because there is no brand here and the design is at best pedestrian this company is going to zero.
If you are going to start a watch company start with a cool unique design. not this traditional quartz watch look it looks like everything else out there.
Well Rod, luckily many people don’t agree with you and I’m already going near break-even. So this company is definitely NOT going to zero. Why? Two reasons. 1. I still have other companies that I can live off of. 2. As I said,MANY people already bought the watch.
I’ll be glad to share with other readers that we are coming with an exclusive SWISS MADE watch next MAY. A limited edition of about 5 peices exclusively available in the first few months for people that already bought the Buscum Ducis BDI.
Regards,
Sven
hopefully you can make some money and not have to subsidize the company in the next year. I don’t disagree the price point is reasonable but the product as it stands now is not unique there is a million other companies offering the same generic type case and style. good luck.
Rod, I am not one to going into open discussion, usually. However, I would like for you to find a 45mm watch, with a sandwich dial and Swiss movement, I don’t think that you will find it. However, if it is not your taste, then that’s really just a matter of taste, isn’t it? I don’t expect everyone to like the watch, but what watch is unique? I have seen posts on various forums that call the Serket Watch a Seiko rip-off and I have seen people scowl at Bathys aswell, however, I personally find them very unique, original and quite simply “kick-ass!” companies. But that is just a matter of taste aswell.
Sven, there will always be people who either hate it or love it. I agree with you about taste. It’s all a matter of personal preference. That’s why we buy anything in the first place. If you don’t like this watch, there’s plenty of other choices out there. I’m glad to hear you are doing okay. Too bad your company isn’t here in the U.S. Because if you were having financial problems you could always ask for a “bailout” package! Ha! ha! I for one, love this watch. It’s on my christmas wish list…just hope Santa (the wife) thinks I’m a good boy this year.
You tell them, Sven.
Has Rod designed a watch? Started a company? Tried to innovate and take a vision to market?
Or is he just another armchair critic, putting down those who are out on the field?
Frank Sinatra said it best. “As funny as it may seem, some people get a kick, stomping on a dream.”
I like the watch design myself. It’s simple and clean and classy. Great job. Best of luck to you.