Who knew the desire for a digital detox could ignite an unexpected change in one's career trajectory-and a successful attempt to boot?
That was what happened to self-employed motion graphics designer Ivan Chua in 2015 when the local broadcast television companies he was serving started to falter.
"Entertainment platforms like YouTube and Netflix sort of killed the entire industry. And since I had a lot of free time and was experiencing phone fatigue, I decided to go back to wearing my old watches and design new straps to replace those that have disintegrated," says Chua.
This spark of ingenuity kicked off his journey as an entrepreneur in an unlikely industry. Today, eight years on, Vario is an online start-up that doesn't just count itself among approximately 60 registered Singaporean micro watch brands, but an up-and-coming name that has already garnered an international following, along with global press coverage.
IN COMES THE OUTSIDER
Neither a serious horology enthusiast nor an industry insider with capital backing, Ivan very simply launched Vario with his first batch of colourful, patterned NATO straps on crowdfunding platform Indiegogo in March 2016.
This debut campaign raised just over $7,500 from 119 backers and was followed by a second campaign offering fun straps for smartwatches.
A year later, Chua's first timepiece, the Bauhaus-style Eclipse dress watch, was ready to be listed on both Indiegogo and Kickstarter. "When customers started sending me photos of their watches with my straps, I got hooked on designing my own timepieces."
Every year since 2017, he has launched a new watch annually, with his earliest models realised via crowdfunding. His current portfolio comprises automatic, mechanical, and quartz models in varied styles inspired by history and art. "I don't want to be stuck in a niche, and I like to have a play on everything."
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