THE PRICE YOU PAY FOR VALUE

At the time of writing, Ianos has already completed 5 years of life and we have just released of our third watch. During this time, the exercise of finding the true value of our watches has not become easier. On the one hand, you always want to price the watch on a level that your clients will be comfortable with, taking into account the production quality, while also ensuring that there is enough income left to further develop the brand in a sustainable manner.

When we first started, I knew very little about watch production and even less about all the expenses surrounding a new brand and watch launch. What I was primarily focused on was creating the watch and gaining visibility by making the watch accessible to our early supporters. In our eagerness to connect with our audience, we offered the Avyssos at a price that, in hindsight, did not align with the watch's actual worth or the costs involved in producing a high-quality timepiece and was more affected by our enthusiasm of bringing the watch to market.

Despite this, we continued to offer the retail versions of the Avyssos that followed after the Kickstarter campaign at a low price considering what we think is the true value of the watch, in order to further strengthen our supporter base. 

Following the Avyssos, the launch of the Mihanikos was a real test for us. At a price almost double the Kickstarter price for the Avyssos and available only through our website, we decided to bring the price closer to what the actual cost of the watch was plus our budget for our next projects, while still not fully pricing in craftsmanship, innovation, and quality embodied in each watch.

As we look to the future, it’s vital for us to adopt a pricing model that aligns with the true value of our watches which, as most people familiar with watchmaking understand, is more than the sum of their parts. While high-quality materials like Swiss movements, crystals, and our unique case designs contribute to the base cost, there are also expenses like sampling costs, the creation of specialized tooling and molds, and the intricate process of designing and refining prototypes, which for Ianos are considerable considering their unique design, custom elements and attention to detail. Furthermore, a portion of the price must reflect the broader investment a brand makes to bring the watch to market to ensure that their watches are presented to the right audience. Apart from the above we also need to consider the costs for research and development of new watches as we continue to innovate and expand our portfolio with more complicated models. Therefore, in order to firstly survive and secondly thrive, in an industry that is competitive and complex, we need to maintain a sustainable business model and balance the quality we offer with prices that ensure the longevity and success of our brand.

It is important to stress that any adjustments in our pricing are not motivated by a desire to maximize profits but rather by a need to reflect the genuine worth of our watches so we can continue our successful path and invest in the development of new references, expand our portfolio, further develop our production capacity, enhance our marketing efforts, enlarge our community and ensure that we continue to offer distinctive, high-quality watches that are a true reflection of Ianos' identity. Also, as a personal promise I will continue to do my best to offer you more value than the price you will pay, as we have done until now.