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About the company
Based out of Orange, Australia, OWC is the brainchild of Dan Fock. Start date 2008 or so.
Opinion and personal
In email with Dan and reading posts on the OWC forum, Dan explains that he's very pragmatic about starting a watch company and producing his own designs. Startup costs are quite high for new cases, so his first watches (5517 and 9411) both use the classic Submariner case. In that case, his first two watches are tributes to the ultra-rare Rolex 5517 (the British military version of the already rare 5513, going for twenty times as much!) and the vanishingly obscure Tudor 9411.
However, these are not simple homages. New movements, better case tweaks and water resistance ratings, lumed ceramic bezels, sapphire crystals, Superluminova lume, solid end link Oyster bracelets, killer Milanese mesh, free NATO strap and more robust modern movements add up to watches that look vintage but are built like tanks. Unlike an $80,000 Rolex 5517, you can and should take the OWC 5517 out to use, abuse and appreciate. I found it very appropriate that the very first reviewer took his 5517 down 90 meters, and it worked perfectly.
You'll find astounding attention to detail all throughout the OWC lineup; on the discussion forum Dan is always discussing amazing levels of detail: suppliers, hassles, movements, manufacturing issues and more. If you really want to know your watchmaker, then OWC sets the standard.
Company name change
In the 2010-2011 time range, Dan ran afoul of the large Orange multinational, who despite never making watches still asserted trademark status. The brand is now called "OWC Watches".
I'll update the logo as soon as Dan updates the website.
Disclaimer
Dan is a friend of mine, and has provided watches for review for the site. I am a big fan! See
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