As a watch manufacturer, we often encounter customers who ask, “How long is your production cycle? Answer: 60 days.
“Why is it so long? This product doesn’t look complicated. Is there any way to shorten the time?“ The industry’s time is like this, there is no certainty that we can shorten the time for you?”Why?” “ Let me explain the details for you”
What are OEM Watches?
OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer, which refers to companies that produce components or products that are used or sold by another company under their own brand name. When it comes to OEM watches, the term usually refers to watches manufactured by one company and then sold to another company, which adds their own branding before selling them to consumers.
OEM Watches Whole Process
This is the whole lead time of a watch brand:
- Manufacturing processes: The production of watches involves various complex steps, including designing, prototyping, sourcing & buying materials, assembly, quality control, and packaging. Each process takes time to ensure the final product meets the desired standards. especially the watch cases
- Supply chain management: OEM watch manufacturers may rely on a network of suppliers and subcontractors to source components, such as watch movements, dials, hands, straps, and clasps. Delays in the supply chain, including issues with material availability, production capacity, or logistical challenges, can cause delays in the overall production timeline.
- Customization and branding: Since OEM watches are manufactured for other companies, additional time may be required for customizations and branding. The company purchasing the OEM watches may request specific modifications, such as adding their logo, adjusting the design, or selecting unique materials, which can extend the production process.
- Quality control: Watches are precision instruments, and strict quality control measures are necessary to ensure that they meet the required standards. This involves rigorous testing and inspection at various stages of production, which can add time to the manufacturing process.
- Shipping and logistics: Once the watches are manufactured, they need to be shipped to the destination country or region. Shipping, customs clearance, and local distribution can also contribute to the overall delivery time, especially if there are any unforeseen delays or complications.
In the whole process, the watch manufacturing processing time is the longest.
The Reason Why OEM Watches Takes so Long Time?
Watchmaking companies do not and cannot produce alone. There are too many parts for a watch, no matter how big the factory is, they can’t produce all the watch parts and complete all the procedures alone. Your watchmaker is at best a watch assembly house. They outsource watch parts to subcontractors (strap factory, dial factory, hand factory, case factory, etc.) and finally assemble them in-house. This is an industry-wide
Coordination takes time. The case (outside housing) is the most time-consuming part of the production process. It is good to have it in stock, but 99% of the time, people want to customize styles, when customization is needed, the manufacturer has to start from scratch. If the case design is entirely new, a die-casting mold must be made first. This usually takes 30 days or more. Other parts of the case, such as the glass, caseback, bezel ring and crown, can take another 20 days. Custom text and logo on the back cover and case color variations will take an additional 5-10 days. Therefore, without inventory, casing production usually takes 55-60 days.
To better explain the production times for each watch part, we explained in below table
Notes: the total lead time is just to take the max value of a part(watch case), as all the other parts can finished production within 50-55 days. They produce simultaneously.
As you can see from the table above, there are parts with short production times and parts with long production times. The total lead time is just an average.
However, It doesn’t matter what your quantity is, 500 or 5000pcs, the time will not differ by about 100 days.
Finally, there is a watch box, the production time of the packaging box did not count, if you buy a watch and watch package at the same time, then the total time is also the same, also many customers will choose to buy the watch box and some other accessories in one watch manufacturer, then the advantage is to save you time, you can use the minimum time, directly communicate with the same supplier on it, and you can let the watch manufacturer, directly match the package with the watch, take the photo show you.
Of course, the above time is a very rational time, we in the production process, will give customers some feedback on the status of production, and some details may have to confirm with the customer, then, the customer may reply late, and will spend some time.
Related FAQs When talking the OEM Watches takes so long time:
Is the OEM Watches sample takes the same time?
Yes, it takes the same amount of time, even more.
A simple style watch will take less time, a complicated watch will take more time
What factors contribute to the extended production time of OEM watches?
Confirmation with the customer, slow response from the customer, supplier material extension, price increase
Are delays in the supply chain the main reason for the lengthy production of OEM watches?
Sort of. The main point is that the complexity of the case process increases production delays. Delays in production materials, price fluctuations in the market for materials, and the size of the order can cause the supplier of the watch supplier to delay your order
How does customization affect the production time of OEM watches? What role does？
If the customer uses an existing case or a stock-style watch, and just adds a logo or text to it, the production time of the case is reduced by 2/3, and with the simple operation and communication method, the time is greatly reduced.
Quality control play in the extended production timeline of OEM watches?
Quality control occupies a small amount of time in the entire production process, but not if it’s the last step before you realize that the product size is made wrong and the color is made wrong.
Are shipping and logistics factors responsible for the delayed delivery of OEM watches?
Half, the transport time of logistics is related to 2 aspects,
- the trend of the logistics market
- the choice of logistics methods.
If you are plan to ship around the Chinese New Year or during the epidemic (with the exception of the epidemic), not only is the logistics cost expensive, but the transportation time is twice than the usual time. And as you generally know, the time of sea transport is not the same as the time of express delivery.
Can the complexity of watch components impact the time it takes to produce OEM watches?？
Yes, the complexity of the watch will affect the production time, from confirming the details of the product, to doing the design drawings, and then to the production, it will extend the time, because many suppliers are doing common styles, and it will be faster to do the familiar styles that they have done, and confirm and reconfirm for some styles that have not been done and are complicated. Communication and production time will be extended a lot
What are the common causes of delays in OEM watch manufacturing?
The material price increase, low quantity, complicated products, and more detailed requirements. Water and power outages during peak season, EPA census, etc.
Are there any specific steps that can be taken to expedite the production of OEM watches?
Yes, there are, using materials that are common in the market, using cases that have already been molded, and a large number of cases that can speed up production.
Are there any alternative manufacturing methods that can reduce the production time of OEM watches?
Not available at the moment, All products are machine plus manual operation.
Pensamento final:
Overall, Customized watches are a mutual communication process, the customer tells us the idea, we reply to the customer with our understanding in the form of graphics, and finally make a finished product. This takes 45-60 days.
Even if the watch is a delicate item, 55-60 days is an approximate time, it will vary according to the complexity of the product and the scheduling of each factory, each detail is confirmed, and the quality of the product will be better controlled.
