Eleanor Paulin, Designer at Paulin Watches
For me, one of the most satisfying things that has come from writing this blog is being able to
meet the people behind the designs. The last few years have been a great time to be a supporter of British design;
not only have independent craftspeople and makers weaved their way into our everyday feeds, they have captured peoples' imagination and slowly given us time to follow their creative path.
But being an independent designer or brand doesn't instantly give you a bye to a quality product; a lot of brands pass me by for not being my taste, being poorly made, or something that's just a carbon copy of the next.
You have to pick and choose – investing time into researching the the ideas behind the product, and if it's right for you.
The watch market is booming right now, with a definite Instagram-affect happening as we speak. But to set yourself apart from the others you need to be offering something a little different.
When you invest time and money into start-ups and smaller companies, in the main, you're backing the people that make the products happen, and I guess, for me, that's the most rewarding part. It's for the passion.
Paulin Watches is a great example; a British designed + built watchmaker, based in the heart of one of Glasgow's oldest districts. A trip up to Glasgow
is always met with open arms, and over the years I've made some great friends there. I visited Paulin's workshop
– which doubles up as their retail outlet
– on a very soggy Tuesday morning in July, and the team were just as I imagined; warm, open and obsessed with their craft.
