As the largest, black-owned luxury watch company, Talley & Twine is creating a space for black consumers that confronts the lack of representation in the luxury designer industry.
Starting the company 7 years ago, co-founder and president, Randy Williams, designed Talley & Twine watches with the mission to see himself and his community being represented with each luxury timepiece. Talley & Twine now offers men’s and women’s metal, canvas, and leather watches, and even has His & Her sets – all of which have a unique look without the usual numbering on the face of the watch. Only a sole #7 is on the face display to represent a number of completion and serve as a reminder to finish what you start. “Luxury still hasn’t figured out diversity, and there are so many diverse consumers who support brands that they simply do not see themselves being represented in or marketed to – yet this group of consumers is the largest,” says Williams. With so many industries promising diversity (especially since several Black Lives Matter protests), Talley & Twine is passionate about continuing their effort to provide timepieces for every group of consumers to create something that everyone will love.
Sheri Simmons: Tell us why you decided to launch a watch company? –
Randy Williams: I started Talley & Twine because I noticed that the industry lacked representation. As a watch collector myself, I didn’t feel catered to or seen as a customer. This is essentially what Talley & Twine is all about – making sure that everyone who purchases a Talley & Twine can see themselves in the design, the history, and the meaning of all of our pieces.
S.S.: Representation definitively makes a difference. Some people may equate the word Luxury with expensive. What is your definition of luxury and how do you bring it to your customers?
R.W: Luxury is a feeling. It’s ok to treat yourself to nice, quality items, such as our timepieces. It also means that you should expect excellent quality and attention to detail.
S.S: I most definitely agree with you on that. The number 7 on your watch represents completion. Tell us why you chose to use the number and what message you are trying to convey to your customers.
R.W: First we wanted to create a distinctive look for our watches to make them difficult to emulate. Secondly, the number seven is so meaningful because it represents completion. We wanted the number seven to serve as a reminder to finish what you start.
S.S.: I love that you want to remind people to finish what they start. With that being said, what is next for Talley and Twine?
R.W: We’re expanding our offerings by creating new collaboration watches. A lot of this we can’t share too many details at the moment for the sake of wanting to give an element of surprise to our audience and the audience of our collaborators, but we are very excited for what is to come. We’re also launching our first Swiss-made automatic watch – which is very good news for true luxury watch enthusiasts. We’re happy to offer something for everyone. With this launch, we hope to attract a new layer of clientele who understand the work and detail that goes into creating automatic watches.
S.S: I know your customers are super excited and can’t wait for the release of the new products. What is one of the biggest goals you want to accomplish for your brand?
R.W: Just like any company, we aspire to become a household name. We’d like to still be around and thriving in the next 20 years with more audiences that are able to speak to the meaning of Talley & Twine and honor what we’ve created.
S.S: A household name is what you want your brand to be. How do you feel about the recognition and support for black representation in this field?
R.W: I think the support thus far has been great, but I also think we’re just getting started. We have to put things in perspective and realize that the watch industry is dominated by brands that are 100 years old so there is still much to accomplish. This starts with our community thinking bigger, increasing their support, and investing in the brands that are creating products specifically for inclusive purposes.
Be sure to keep up with Talley & Twine on social media and on their website!
Follow Us On Social Media!
