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Introducing Swiss Watch Company

9K views 94 replies 42 participants last post by  pnojazz 
#1 ·
Hi everybody, my name is Josh Roemer and I run the marketing for Swiss Watch Company.

My dad (Stephen Roemer) founded the company back in 1996 after nearly two decades working within the Swatch group. Those of you who have followed us on Instagram for the past 2 years are very family with his, as well as our, brand's history. For those who are not familiar; my dad after leaving the Swatch Group moved to the United States and began manufacturing watches for the U.S. armed forces as well as first responders. In 2008 he began facilitating the manufacturing for other watch brands, large, and micro (something we continue to do to this day). In 2017 we decided it was time to create our own line of watches and after a successful Kickstarter campaign in October of 2018 that dream became a reality.

My dad and I have truly enjoyed getting to know people within the watch community on Instagram and wanted to expand onto Watchuseek. Not only to get to know more of the community, but because forums seem to be more conducive to long form conversation, which we prefer. We get a lot of questions from people not only regarding our brand, but on the microbrand market as a whole (specifically how to start a microbrand) and these are topics we love discussing!

Here are some images and the specs for our dive watches which are currently available (with the exception of the orange model, which is sold out). We will also be releasing a chronograph (based of our of dive watch design) and announcing completely new model family later this year.

We look forward to getting to know you all!

Specifications:

  • Swiss Made
  • SW 200 Swiss Made Automatic Movement with 28800 A/h (4Hz)
  • 26 jewels
  • 316 L solid stainless-steel case
  • 120 step uni-directional divers bezel
  • Ceramic diver bezel ring
  • Oil pressed case back
  • Sapphire crystal
  • 5x Anti reflective coating
  • 30 ATM / 1000 ft water resistant
  • 20 layers of Swiss Made Super-Luminova for the indexes
  • Solid 3 link 316 l stainless steel bracelet
  • Capsa pins
  • Solid integrated divers buckle
Measurements:

  • Case: 44mm
  • Lug Width: 22mm
  • Band Width: 22mm/20mm
  • Case Thickness: 13.2mm
  • Case 9h3h: 48mm
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#3 ·
I cannot get excited or recommend a brand that chose a parts bin name. It would be like me starting a blog called Online Blog.

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Yeah, that is definitely something we have heard before. If it's worth anything we do have a brief history on how "Swiss Watch Company" came to be on the "about" page of our website. We are looking at getting the name officially changed to SWC (similar to International Watch Company IWC) but legally changing a corporation name in Switzerland is pretty tough so it could take some time before we are able to get anything changed.

Feedback like this does help steer us on future changes though and helps us a lot.

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#6 ·
We have looked at changing the size up but it is such a subjective view that we stuck with 44mm and shortened the lug to lug length. To be sure something like a 40mm would appeal to a broader audience though.

The logo and company name on the dial is something we address in our campaign but the vast majority of backers opted for it to stay with the design. Having the logo changed is something we have looked into, but isn't likely to be honest. We have definitely received negative feedback on the logo design, but it has been a relatively small amount. If we received more feedback like this that could change though!

Our next model family will come in at 41mm but will not be a diver. It also won't have the company name on the dial but will have the logo.
 
#5 ·
I like the way these look and the name has already been mentioned. The size is too big for me, and in my opinion to large for this style watch. I do think these would look good on someone with a larger wrist. Thanks for showing us your product line. I will keep an eye out for future releases.
 
#7 ·
Thank you very much! We brought the lugs down to accommodate smaller wrists but 44mm is still considered large by today's standards. As I mentioned before, feedback helps us a lot in terms of future designs.

We definitely have more releases in the works (our next will be 41mm) so do stay tuned and thank you for stopping by!
 
#8 ·
The sizing is fine for a diver, and 41mm is probably OK for a non-diver.

Appreciate that you guys are taking feedback and working on solutions for the logo/name. I understand it can take time to steer the ship in a different direction.

Love the color of the lume plots on the blue dial. I only wish more "classic/retro/vintage" style designs would lean into "minty toothpaste" instead of brown patina.
 
#9 ·
I really like the bezel design. Especially in blue. Adds a nice texture to an otherwise tried and true design.

Way too big though. 48mm 9 to 3 with that broadly sloped crown guard is not just big, but enormous. What is the Lug to Lug on this (its not in your press release above)? If it is 50mm or under it can be still manageable to the masses.

Any pictures of the buckle? I really like the bracelet's look
 
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#12 ·
I really like the bezel design. Especially in blue. Adds a nice texture to an otherwise tried and true design.

Way too big though. 48mm 9 to 3 with that broadly sloped crown guard is not just big, but enormous. What is the Lug to Lug on this (its not in your press release above)? If it is 50mm or under it can be still manageable to the masses.

Any pictures of the buckle? I really like the bracelet's look
I am happy to hear that!

The lug to lug comes in at exactly 49.6mm so it does wear quite a bit smaller than the sizing would suggest. I'll attach a photo of it on my 7" wrist.

I'll also attach a photo of the integrated buckle. The bracelet is definitely one of the most liked parts of the design!


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#11 ·
Also not keen on the name (although SWC isn’t AS bad) or logo. This watch is far too large for me in diameter and thickness. The hands are a smidge too short too.

The rest of the specs look good, and I like how you’ve matched the lume to the colour scheme. Bracelet looks great, and the overall design is very sleek

I like the backstory, and the fact it was founded the year I was born. It will be interesting to see what else you have in the pipeline without this logo (which completely kills this for me) and in a more moderate size. Do you have any plans to go under 40mm?


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#13 ·
Also not keen on the name (although SWC isn't AS bad) or logo. This watch is far too large for me in diameter and thickness. The hands are a smidge too short too.

The rest of the specs look good, and I like how you've matched the lume to the colour scheme. Bracelet looks great, and the overall design is very sleek

I like the backstory, and the fact it was founded the year I was born. It will be interesting to see what else you have in the pipeline without this logo (which completely kills this for me) and in a more moderate size. Do you have any plans to go under 40mm?

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Thank you for the feedback! And I have a brother that was born around the same time that we will bringing on board for our next model. He currently lives in Switzerland and will be handling all of our finishing work going forward.

Our next model will come in at 41mm and will be completely different from our dive watch. We are still debating on whether to leave the logo on the dial though and it will depend a lot on what our current customers have to say.

As for something under a 40mm we have a dress watch in the works that will come in under 40mm but it won't be announced until likely the summer of next year.
 
#14 ·
I like the design, I like the vibe, I like the specs and I like the fact that your dad has an established history in the industry. 44mm is a bit too large for me, but I’ll be excited to see where you guys go from here. I’ll admit to not loving the name, but it’s certainly not a deal-breaker for me. A move toward a “logo only” dial would be a big plus.

On a side note, I love discovering brands I’m not familiar with. Maybe I fall in love with something right off the bat, maybe I don’t. Regardless, it makes the industry a lot more exciting. Always a positive in my book. I wish you guys the best of luck and look forward to seeing what you come out with next.
 
#17 ·
I like the design, I like the vibe, I like the specs and I like the fact that your dad has an established history in the industry. 44mm is a bit too large for me, but I'll be excited to see where you guys go from here. I'll admit to not loving the name, but it's certainly not a deal-breaker for me. A move toward a "logo only" dial would be a big plus.

On a side note, I love discovering brands I'm not familiar with. Maybe I fall in love with something right off the bat, maybe I don't. Regardless, it makes the industry a lot more exciting. Always a positive in my book. I wish you guys the best of luck and look forward to seeing what you come out with next.
I'm happy to hear that! We've shown off the dial of our next model to a few of our customers and it has been nearly unanimously decided that the company name should be left off the dial. So you are in good company!

We are still relatively unknown and likewise always enjoy meeting new people within the community. New brands coming into the space is a double edged sword. Those that create quality timepieces drive other to up their game, but you do have a lot of companies taking pre made pieces and selling them as their own which alienates the community a bit. Overall I believe it to be a net positive though and look forward to what the future brings to the industry!
 
#16 ·
I feel like the price is too low...it feels scammy

like if this was a $1,500 watch I'd be ok....nice, the specs def make it a good bang for your buck. But at $450, I can't help but wonder what the catch is...because the math just doesn't make sense for you to be able to offer al that for a price that low.

Free world wide shipping is $100

SW200 standard grade movement with no decoration...another $100

Case that is waterproof to 1000 feet? Another $100

Bracelet? Another $50

Dials, Superluminova, AR coating etc...another $50

"Swiss made" assembly and prototyping and boxes etc...another $50.

So where is the profit? Just feels fishy.

Throw in the scam sounding company name, and all kinds of red flags start going off.
 
#20 · (Edited)
I feel like the price is too low...it feels scammy

like if this was a $1,500 watch I'd be ok....nice, the specs def make it a good bang for your buck. But at $450, I can't help but wonder what the catch is...because the math just doesn't make sense for you to be able to offer al that for a price that low.

Free world wide shipping is $100

SW200 standard grade movement with no decoration...another $100

Case that is waterproof to 1000 feet? Another $100

Bracelet? Another $50

Dials, Superluminova, AR coating etc...another $50

"Swiss made" assembly and prototyping and boxes etc...another $50.

So where is the profit? Just feels fishy.

Throw in the scam sounding company name, and all kinds of red flags start going off.
I get what you are saying, but I can assure you we are making a profit. It isn't enough to afford selling through a third party, but it is plenty for my dad and I. Also I think $1,500 is far too high for a new brand on their first model. I would say that our quality would be fairly priced up to $800. Higher than that and I would feel we were over priced.

Also we go directly to the manufacture and do not use any third parties to facilitate our manufacturing (something my dad goes into more depth on in this podcast). Also we pay FAR less (as does every other brand) than what you have listed. For example our average shipping cost is $20-$50 with DHL Express.

Regardless of that though, the most common feedback we get when we deliver a watch is that it looks far better than expected. Having our price as low as we do can be viewed as a negative as you have stated but it is a price we are comfortable with. It also builds brand loyalty as our customers know they are getting far more than what they pay for.

You aren't the first to bring this up though so I understand your concern.
 
#18 ·
Hello JRoem,

Always nice to hear from microbrands trying to appeal to the watch hobbyist crowd. I have one question:
Are you related at all the old Swiss Roemer watch company?

Here are my comments for your dive watch:
* I have found there is lots of excitement around here when companies release slightly smaller dive watches such as 38-39mm in diameter and 44-46mm lug to lug
* Overall, I think it is an attractive design, feels like a Seamaster which I think was what you were going for
* I agree with the name on the dial - full name is too much. SWC would be fine (and I think you can still label your products as that even if the company name has not formally changed yet)
* The patterned square in the middle of the dial I find a little odd - I think any dial texture or pattern should take up all of the dial
* The second hand should be longer so that it actually touches the indices of the minute track
* DATE WINDOW THE SAME COLOR AS THE DIAL - so many brands just do white date windows for all watches but watch collectors give nothing but praise to companies that match the date wheel to the dial color! The numbers of course, would need to be white.

Finally, you may or may not care but you did mention your background in making watches for first responders.
I'm currently looking for a field watch and there is a brand called Bertucci that makes some great quartz watches. However, they don't offer any solar quartz watches. If you could make some solar quartz field watches, I would be VERY interested in that but I can only speak for myself.
 
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#23 ·
Hello! And I would need more information to be sure if you are referring to us or not. There is a retail store in Texas with the name "Swiss Watch Company" but I don't know of any others! I can say that our family name (Roemer) is not a very common one so we are likely the same company you are refering to.

I really appreciate the feedback! These are all things that I will keep in mind and look into.

I can't promise anything in a solar quartz field watch but I like the idea! Nearly all of our watches that we made for first responders and the armed forces were dive watches. Also creating a quartz watch is tricky for us as most quartz watches are on the cheaper end. All of our watches are required to be Swiss Made or we will lose our licence in Switzerland. Meaning creating a quartz watch for under $200 a near impossibility for us, which is more than most would be willing to pay for a quartz watch from a newer brand.
 
#24 ·
I like them! Cool color combinations and - as said earlier - the bracelets look really nice too.

Also as mentioned previously, the only downside I see is the name. It comes off as overly generic, like something you'd pick up at Walmart between the disposable razors and flea collars.
 
#26 ·
I like them! Cool color combinations and - as said earlier - the bracelets look really nice too.

Also as mentioned previously, the only downside I see is the name. It comes off as overly generic, like something you'd pick up at Walmart between the disposable razors and flea collars.
I am happy to hear that!

And noted on the name! Maybe the switch to SWC would bump us up the Electronics or Outdoor Supplies department haha.
 
#34 ·
Brand name and all else mentioned aside, I think this is a very well executed design. Different enough to not be an homage and quality materials for a very fair price. Some small details that many companies overlook too like the oil pressed case back and multiple lume layers.

If I were not bogged down with dive style watches, I'd gladly strap one of these to my wrist. Bracelet looks well done too!

Many will criticize the tiniest things, but overall, well done!
 
#38 ·
Brand name and all else mentioned aside, I think this is a very well executed design. Different enough to not be an homage and quality materials for a very fair price. Some small details that many companies overlook too like the oil pressed case back and multiple lume layers.

If I were not bogged down with dive style watches, I'd gladly strap one of these to my wrist. Bracelet looks well done too!

Many will criticize the tiniest things, but overall, well done!
I really appreciate that! All design elements are credited to my dad and our backers. And we are very proud of our luminosity!

And we look at the criticisms in a positive way. Even the worst ones usually have a grain of wisdom that can be used Haha.

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#36 ·
Congratulations on the launch ... I'm always in awe of entrepreneurs and I hope you sell a boatload of watches!

I think it's a fantastic looking watch. I personally don't wear dive watches, but I appreciate the aesthetics and I love the color pops on the chapter rings, the handset, the detailing on the bezel and dial. In addition to some traces of Omega and TAG, I detect a hint of CFB ScubaTec in there as well.

Given that the number one comment so far on this thread has been regarding the 44mm size, do you mind if I ask a) are you surprised at this reaction, and b) what kind of research did you do to determine the dimensions?

Thanks so much for coming to WUS and sharing with us, and good luck!
 
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#40 ·
Congratulations on the launch ... I'm always in awe of entrepreneurs and I hope you sell a boatload of watches!

I think it's a fantastic looking watch. I personally don't wear dive watches, but I appreciate the aesthetics and I love the color pops on the chapter rings, the handset, the detailing on the bezel and dial. In addition to some traces of Omega and TAG, I detect a hint of CFB ScubaTec in there as well.

Given that the number one comment so far on this thread has been regarding the 44mm size, do you mind if I ask a) are you surprised at this reaction, and b) what kind of research did you do to determine the dimensions?

Thanks so much for coming to WUS and sharing with us, and good luck!
Thank you very much! Dive watches tend to be the safest bet for a brands first release, but we will definitely be covering many more model families in the future so stay tuned!

To answer your questions, the size being an issue with people came as no surprise. We have had quite a few YouTube reviews done on various channels and the size was always something that came up. I have had many people reach out to me personally in regards to it as well after we released. Most of our inspiration came from the size of traditional dive watches as well as our personal preference. Also the watches being at 44mm honestly didn't become a real point of criticism until after we began shipping watches to customers. Though this is likely due to us not having very much exposure before our release. Ideally we would release two separate sizes, but this is very difficult to do with the minimal exposure we currently have as minimum order quantities tend to be quite high. Without having a smaller and larger size we run the risk of alienating our current customer base who enjoy wearing a 44mm piece.

It is a problem we plan on working out with the help of feedback from our customers and community! Thank you for the warm welcome and comment!
 
#41 · (Edited)
I think you missed the boat on the 44mm watch trend. Nice looking watches, but way too big. The name screams Chinese mushroom brand. I have all the same reservations as others have stated. Price point is good. I always shake my head at these startup micro brands advertising a standard equipped watch for $1500. It's like they are trying to fake the luxury. If your divers were in the 40-42mm I'd be interested. I sold all my 44mm divers long ago.
 
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#47 ·
Size is definitely something we will be re evaluating in the future. We are looking at an option to have the next version of our diver run at 40mm or 41mm, but we will have to be absolutely certain that it is something our current customer base is OK with changing.

I can see where you are coming from with the name. Many backers within our campaign disliked it as well, but by the end of the month almost all opted to keep it on the dial. It gives off the vibe that we aren't "microbrand" run by individuals when it is first encountered. It is something we are working on but it will be tricky to find a final solution because we will be dealing with the other side of the coin where many people will push us to keep the name. We think the best solution may be to switch to SWC for branding and keep the full name for our company and licensing.
 
#43 · (Edited)
Good story and nice price point. The bezel is cool, something interesting about the curvy shape and textured lines. Overall, very nice looking watch.

If I was to pick on some minor things, just based on my personal tastes, it would probably be the logo / text, name and size. The text feels like its been condensed / squished into a small space. My preference would have been an abbreviation, as others noted, or perhaps making the text a lighter shade of the dial colour so it does not pop out as much. Also, the name does not feel personal enough to me, as opposed to something like Roemer Watch Works. If it were smaller, around 40, I might be tempted.

Overall, congratulations on a nice watch.
 
#49 ·
Thank you very much! The text is something that we have had a few reviewers bring up. It was designed by a Swiss designer, but has not been updated since the 1990s back when it was created. It could be that we are due for an update, but changing over to SWC with could be a remedy for this.

Having this many people express interest in a smaller design makes it very likely that the next version of this model will come in around 40mm-41mm. I will say as I have said before though that it will depend on our current customer base, but feedback like this definitely gets the conversation started with them.
 
#44 ·
Suggestions....I know you want to keep "Swiss" in the name, how about Swiss Roemer? Or at least shorten "Company" to "Co". I think "Swiss Watch Co." looks better than the full name.

Also, it says your dad got started making military watches. There are a lot of people on here interested in "military" watches. What were the products he worked on? Maybe some product lines that are similar to that. In the US military watches are primarily G-shock style. There aren't any mil-spec watches here (20 years in the Marines and I was never issued a watch). I'd be interested in your dads military designs (I assume they were for European militaries).
 
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#51 ·
Suggestions....I know you want to keep "Swiss" in the name, how about Swiss Roemer? Or at least shorten "Company" to "Co". I think "Swiss Watch Co." looks better than the full name.

Also, it says your dad got started making military watches. There are a lot of people on here interested in "military" watches. What were the products he worked on? Maybe some product lines that are similar to that. In the US military watches are primarily G-shock style. There aren't any mil-spec watches here (20 years in the Marines and I was never issued a watch). I'd be interested in your dads military designs (I assume they were for European militaries).
Swiss Watch Co. would be doable without much hassle. We would prefer to make the switch to SWC but branding laws for watches are pretty strict in Switzerland and getting approved would be a process, but definitely doable with time.

Yes he did watches for the military for quite some time (all U.S. military)! I'll attach a picture here of two of the more popular models. It has been a little more than 10 years since we produced them but we made and sold thousands so there are a lot still floating around. We made them for the Marines and U.S. Army so our company name is only found on the caseback. These were never issued to soldiers but were available in the stores on almost all U.S. bases. Most sales happened at graduation.


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#45 ·
Here are some images and the specs for our dive watches which are currently available (with the exception of the orange model, which is sold out). We will also be releasing a chronograph (based of our of dive watch design) and announcing completely new model family later this year.[/B]
1. I really like the overall design of the watch - it's great to see something besides just another submariner knockoff - but the size is a bit too large for me. That said, I believe larger watches still sell better than smaller ones, so this is just my own tastes speaking. I would prefer 38-40mm for a dive watch, but that may or or may not be the best marketing decision for you.
2. I'd need to see it in person, but I'm a little unsure of the square pattern on the dial. I like that you have some texturing on the dial - I'm just not sure that I want a square within a circle. It is understated (which I like), so it seems very likely has a different appearance in person rather than in a zoomed-in photograph.
3. As others have stated, 'Swiss Watch Company' is a bit much to have on the dial; I don't have a problem with the name itself, but I think having just the logo on the front (without the text) would look better.
4. I absolutely love the design of the bezel.
5. I love the orange chapter ring on the black watch. I'm not usually a fan of orange, but that looks like just the right amount of color to be bold without 'shouting' visually.
6. Normally, I want the date complication to match the color of the dial; in this case, the white date complication seems to take the place of the hour marker and make the dial more balanced. I'm a bit unsure on this one - I have dueling OCD on whether my desire to have the date match the dial outweighs the balance between the 9 o'clock hour marker and the date complication.
 
#46 ·
2. I'd need to see it in person, but I'm a little unsure of the square pattern on the dial. I like that you have some texturing on the dial - I'm just not sure that I want a square within a circle. It is understated (which I like), so it seems very likely has a different appearance in person rather than in a zoomed-in photograph.
3. As others have stated, 'Swiss Watch Company' is a bit much to have on the dial; I don't have a problem with the name itself, but I think having just the logo on the front (without the text) would look better.
I kind of dig the football field pattern on the dial. It's different, but not obnoxious. Really like the sword hands as well. The "Automatic" on the bottom of the dial needs to be a bit bigger. Probably not even readable in person and there is a lot of open space. That might be a good place to put the name. Leave the logo on the top (maybe make the logo a bit bigger), and move Swiss Watch Company to the bottom above "Automatic".

Swiss Watch Company
Automatic

Or

Swiss Watch Co.
Automatic
 
#56 ·
By the length of this thread, you realize you are interacting with some serious and smart WIS's here.

Got to give you credit and appreciate you taking the time to respond to everyone's comments.

It is always better to start by playing at Carnegie Hall than the ball field anytime, so welcome to the deep end of the pool.......



Your watch is nice, but the first thing I thought of was Seamaster to a bit lesser degree. Not bad, not good......

I will keep an open mind on your other stuff.

Still, anyone with good knowledge and abilities for anything-watch is certainly welcome to try and make it work.

Good luck.
 
#59 ·
By the length of this thread, you realize you are interacting with some serious and smart WIS's here.

Got to give you credit and appreciate you taking the time to respond to everyone's comments.

It is always better to start by playing at Carnegie Hall than the ball field anytime, so welcome to the deep end of the pool.......

Your watch is nice, but the first thing I thought of was Seamaster to a bit lesser degree. Not bad, not good......

I will keep an open mind on your other stuff.

Still, anyone with good knowledge and abilities for anything-watch is certainly welcome to try and make it work.

Good luck.
I couldn't agree more. Also engaging with people is honestly something I really enjoy. It the best way for us to progress going forward and the more people we engage with, the easier it is to see a pattern form in regards to what people like, or dislike.

Our next models will definitely be far more unique. This will be a good and a bad thing as unique designs are often polarizing, but we are eager to see how it is recieved. Due to my dads background we have the capability to create quality pieces for competitive pricing. However, we believe that true success will lie in creating designs that give us a brand identity. I wouldn't say our diver is a homage but it definitely has elements of tried and true designs (such as the Seamaster). Homage watches sell well, but they don't do much for a brands identity.
 
#58 ·
Congratulations on the new venture! Personally I like the 44mm size since I have larger wrists. The designs are nice too, I like the orange one (too bad it's sold out) but as others have said the name is pretty generic sounding. Someone mentioned a name such as "Swiss Roemer" or "Roemer Watch Works" and I like those suggestions. If I had some extra money in the piggy bank I'd consider buying one, because I like the idea of having a sort of "first edition" of a watch, but for now I guess I'll have to watch from the sidelines (no pun intended! Well, maybe it was...)
 
#63 ·
Thank you very much! We have a surprising amount of customers with wrists below the 7" mark (the lug length helps with that) but the vast majority are 7"-8" so you are in good company! The orange model was a surprise success for us and sold out much faster than we expected. The blue model still easily outsells the rest at about 4:1, but we were able to anticipate the demand and plan accordingly.

The name suggestions are very appreciated! We are looking at options, but as I mentioned earlier things are pretty strict when it comes to our name changes on the dial due to us being licensed in Switzerland. We'll have a bit of bureaucracy to wade through but suggestions like these definitely help push things in the right direction.

And puns will always be welcome here haha.
 
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