In Conversation with Stefan Kudoke

When independent watchmaker Stefan Kudoke won the GPHG Petite Aiguille award in 2019, he became the first German independent watchmaker to have won it. Ever since, the popularity of Kudoke watches has grown significantly, and I was lucky enough to be able to speak with Stefan about his career to date and what the future holds for Kudoke.

In Conversation with Stefan Kudoke

WA:       To start with, could you tell us how you first discovered you wanted a career in watchmaking, and about your journey to launching your own brand?

SK:       Well, to be honest it was more or less a coincidence that I came into watchmaking. I learned watchmaking the classical way in a small shop for restoration from two watchmakers who were father and son. It was only by chance that I fell into this occupation as I do not have any horological family background, and it was only because the store was located in my residential area I even considered to become a watchmaker.

So you can say I am a genuine first generation watchmaker.

At the age of 17 I started my apprenticeship in my home town Frankfurt (Oder) east of Berlin, during which I also discovered my passion for watchmaking. The theoretical part of my apprenticeship took place in the watchmaking school of Glashütte, where I later started to work at the renowned manufacture Glashütte Original.

I always wanted to create something on my own. When I was a teenager I founded a company together with a couple of friends offering airbrush design services and products as I was a “Graffiti Artist” in my young age. Creativity and the urge to do something on my own have driven me from early on.

Above that I might not be made to work in a huge organization (smiles). For me it has been always important to realize own ideas, not only being a small cog in a big wheel.

WA:       Over the course of your development as a watchmaker, you worked at ‘traditional’ brands such as Glashütte Original, Blancpain and Breguet. Where did you find your inspiration to create the hand-engraved skeletonised designs in the Kunstwerk collection, such as the KudOktopus?

SK:       During my time at Glashütte Original I first came in contact with hand-skeletonised watches when I assembled a special edition there. I was fascinated by the open-worked movement architecture and filigree details, and started to teach myself the craft of skeletonisation and engraving by hand.

The inspiration for special patterns or motifs are various ones.  Some derive from my Graffiti-time, others from special occasions. The idea for KudOktopus for example was born during the the Soccer World Cup in 2010 when an octopus predicted the results of several matches correctly.

That inspired me to create a watch with an octopus. With its tentacles wrapped around the whole movement, holding screws and wheels tightly, it is the perfect creature for a skeletonised watch. With those watches I was able to combine my passion for special designs with handcraft to create little ticking pieces of art.

WA:       Who, or what, would you say has been the biggest influence in your watchmaking journey?

SK:       Well, as I do not have a family tradition in watchmaking my path was quite stony. To acquire knowledge I read many watchmaking books, watched videos about watchmaking techniques and experimented by myself.

And I had a couple of good teachers who encouraged me to go my way. Without my great perseverance and ability to deal with setbacks, which I acquired during my school years as a competitive cyclist, I probably would not have taken this path.

WA:       When you had completed your first watch under the Kudoke brand, how did it feel to finally see a watch with your name on? Similarly, how did it feel for this to be recognised in 2019 with the GPHG Award?

SK:       When I thought about doing my own watches, I wanted to do so under another name, not my family name in the beginning. You know when you hear your name your entire life, it is nothing special to you, and even a bit peculiar to read it somewhere as a “brand”.

However, during my time at university my professor for Marketing said, I should definitely use my own family name. I followed his advice, which I am very happy about today. And of course I hope to start a long family tradition of watchmaking with it.

GPHG meant a big step forward for us. Through the win in the ‘Petite Aiguille’ category we became known to watch enthusiasts and collectors, who haven’t heard of us before.

The recognition from watch experts connected to this award has shed light onto our work and watches. It’s been a great honour, especially as I was the first independent watchmaker from Germany receiving this award. We are still a bit stunned when we think about it today!

WA:       What is your favourite part of being an independent watchmaker, and what is the biggest challenge?

SK:       My favourite part of being an independent watchmaker is to create what I like. At the same time this is the biggest challenge as well. As an independent watchmaker my time is limited and I can not do everything on my own anymore.

So in order to have time to work at new creations I need a reliable team of likeminded people supporting me in manufacturing our watches with the same claim to quality. This needs trust and passion, which is not easy to find.

WA:       You spent many years focusing on the Kunstwerk collection, before introducing the Kaliber 1 and the more traditional Handwerk collection. Following the GPHG award in 2019, I imagine there is a greater demand today for the Kudoke 1 and 2 than for the Kunstwerk pieces – I wonder, do you miss working more on the hand engraved Kunstwerk pieces, or would you perhaps describe this more as an evolution in your journey as a watchmaker?

SK:       Yes, this is correct. The proportion of pieces sold between the two lines has inversed. With the more classical HANDwerk line most of the watch enthusiasts have become aware of us, but at the same time the more niche KUNSTwerk line is benefitting from this additional attention as well.

We already plan new creations in the latter as well. So I can not say, that I no longer work at the KUNSTwerk pieces. But you are right: the addition of the HANDwerk line was kind of an evolutionary step in my journey as a watchmaker.

After 15 years I refined my skeletonising skills to peak and found myself in a position, where I wanted to develop my watchmaking skills further. To use ancient techniques and keep the practical know-how of traditional watchmaking alive, has always been very important to me. The connecting element between both lines is handcraft – interpreted very differently. So it was only logical for me to proceed this next path.

WA:       Creating and developing the Kaliber 1 must have been a huge challenge whilst at the same time fulfilling orders for watches – how did you manage to achieve both?

SK:       Lack of sleep!

WA:       If you could share one thing that you’ve learned with an aspiring young watchmaker, what would it be?

SK:       Stay independent! For us it is not important to grow fast, but to stay independent – financially as well as in our mind. We have seen too many good watchmakers failing after investors have taken over the product development strategy.

As an independent watchmaker you are often the heart and soul of the brand and that is what watch enthusiasts appreciate. We prefer to grow at our own pace – this may be not too fast, but it ensures, that the quality of our watches stays consistently high still representing the values we are committed to.

WA:       How does the Kudoke brand today compare with what you had imagined it would become when you started the brand in 2005?

SK:       To be honest, we did not have a “strategic plan” where we want to stand in 5, 10, 15 years time. Out goal always was to manufacture beautiful watches with a small passionate team. Today we can say we have reached this goal.

WA:       What is next for Kudoke?

SK:       Regarding new watch models we are working on KUDOKE 3 as well as some news for the KUNSTwerk line at the moment.

Above that we have another big project planned for 2022: building works of our new manufacture building on a nearby plot of land we have bought recently. At the moment the workshop is still in the house where we live with the family, which becomes a bit too tight now that the team is growing. This new location will be the next big step for us to slightly adapt our capacities and reduce long waiting times again. It remains exciting!

WA:       Danke schön, Stefan und Ev!

SK:       Thank you!

 

To learn more about Kudoke Watches, please visit Kudoke.eu or our partners at The Limited Edition.

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