The Jeweller Summer '22: Member Profile - TickTockDepot, Capturing the Style Zeitgeist

06 Jul 2022

The German watch brands Zeppelin, Iron Annie and more recently Sternglas, are familiar names on the high street. It’s time we learned a little more about the man behind the company, Hans Brandt.

Describe your journey into the world of watches. Did you ever work in the jewellery sector?

After three years’ apprenticeship as a goldsmith, two years jewellery retail apprenticeship and two years at a business school of economics, I qualified for a state-subsidised loan to invest in an independent jewellery gallery with two branches in northern Germany.

At the beginning of the new century, retail across Europe suffered with the arrival of the euro. However, the United Kingdom was booming. Several suppliers asked me to become a sales rep for their gold, platinum and silver jewellery ranges in the UK.

How did you enter the watch world?

After spending a fortune on hotels and ferry crossings up to six times a year, my better half and I moved to the beautiful British Isles. We began in Brighton where we opened a jewellery gallery in the popular Lanes. We also partnered with POINTtec Germany to sell Zeppelin watches in our shop.

When the Bavarians realised I was acting as a sales rep across the UK, they made me an offer I couldn’t resist. We all agreed that the way I look, my accent and my name created the perfect corporate identity to represent the German watch market!

This business proved very promising, leaving no time for either the shop or the jewellery sector. With all our eggs in one basket, we moved for a few years to the Midlands – easy access to everywhere. There, we built a stable customer base so we could move back south in 2017 to Eastbourne.

Why are POINTtec brands a good fit for the UK market?

The outstanding design, reasonable price points and the reputation of German craftsmanship are their secret. Competitors are more expensive or belong to the fashion brands. I always watch for white spots on the map to find matching independent retailers, either while on the road or in online desk research. We also did the Birmingham Show and IJL several times before Covid. 

Why did you establish TickTockDepot?

When I took on Sternglas, we couldn’t continue trading under POINTtec. In 2020, supported by all our German partners, we established TickTockDepot as the new umbrella for German watch brands in the UK. Taking Brexit into account, we became the official distributor for Sternglas in 2021.

What is your aim for brand distribution? Do retailers have exclusivity in their towns?

Our brands are neither a fashion nor a department store product. I’d like to see one of them in the windows of independent family-run jewellers across the UK. We guarantee an exclusive trade area
coordinated with every retailer. We work with a handful of selected online dealers, but to keep it fair, we don’t want them to sell on third-party platforms.

How do you support retailers with POS material, packaging, special terms, staff training?

All brands have high-quality displays, packaging and annual catalogues. We’ve established a partnership with a watchmaker in the Midlands to support each line with repairs and spare parts. There’s neither a minimum order nor a purchase guarantee required (I’ve been a retailer for more than 15 years!).

Every new customer introduces their brand to the staff in a free workshop. We’re also happy to help should these be their first steps into the watch world. Customer events are welcome – we can provide staff or just stock to celebrate the whole range.

Any plans to extend your portfolio?

Quality over quantity. At this stage, we cover the classic, aviator, Bauhaus and factual design sectors. Never say never, but there aren’t many independent watch brands left to fit in our collection.

What prompted you to join the NAJ?

I’ve known the Club for a while, from every angle – as a retailer, a sales rep for jewellery and finally a watch distributor. I appreciate the NAJ’s seriousness, and it offers opportunities to bring people in the trade together. I see The Jeweller magazine as the real voice of the industry and have placed several successful adverts in it over the years.

Contact Hans

Source: The Jeweller