If you’re tired of sporting the same rough and tumble watch as everyone else, it’s time to upgrade to something a little classier. Your first stop for an upgrade: ZINVO Watches.
Founded in Geneva and based out of San Francisco, ZINVO is a new watch brand for the modern man. Known for their instantaneously recognizable silhouettes, their watches celebrate the individuality and fashionable flair of the contemporary consumer, who wants a break from the retro and vintage-inspired timepieces dominating the market. While an old school watch is a solid option, you also want your accessories game to reflect your current day-to-day life.
Whether worn to the office, to after work drinks, or to the game, we’ve found that ZINVO watches are as versatile as they are stylish. They’re well-made with unique finishes and strong attention to detail. And while they may look intimidating at first, you’ll soon see how easy they are to wear and pair, no matter your wardrobe or occasion.
We had a chance to meet ZINVO founder, Borys Khudomaka, to chat about how the company started, where ZINVO sits in the marketplace, and why men should pay closer attention to their watch game. Read on for our full interview, then find out how you can win one of two pairs of ZINVO watches for yourself.
When did the brand launch and what inspired you to start it? What were you doing before this?
I was looking for a high-quality watch that would match my style. After searching for a long time, I realized that everything I liked was way too expensive and the watches that had reasonable prices, did not appeal to me at all. There was a clear gap in the market. And since I loved watches and ran a couple of successful retail businesses already, I decided it was time to get into the watch business! So ZINVO was born in 2013 with the promise to deliver stylish premium watches at reasonable price points.
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Tell us about the name. Is there a special meaning behind it?
The best names are those that are short, simple and easy to remember. Also, since we’re targeting a global audience, it has to be easy to say in any language. And “ZINVO” fits those requirements perfectly.
What makes ZINVO watches different from other watches in the marketplace?
We don’t make watches that look like the ones that your grandpa wore. We’re all about fashion-forward watches that are on trend. Our men’s watches are masculine, aggressive in design and highly distinct. There are too many watches out there that look exactly the same. Remove the logo and you wouldn’t be able to tell which company made the watch. We want our watches to be instantly recognizable as a ZINVO design.
With that in mind, all of ZINVO’s watches feature a distinctive design, that harks back to racing, aviation and travel-inspired motifs and inspirations. We asked Khudomaka about one of his signature models, the “Blade.”
The Blade, has a turbine on the dial that replaces the seconds hand. So it makes one full rotation every 60 seconds. That constant movement makes the watch super dynamic and definitely catches one’s attention. That’s what we want—big bold watches rather than conservative and shy ones.
We’re also very proud of the quality of our materials. We use 316L stainless steel, sapphire crystal, genuine Italian leather and automatic mechanical movements. Yet, we do everything possible to keep our prices affordable. Great style should never make you broke.
What has the response been so far? What’s the best or most surprising customer story?
We’re happy to report that the ZINVO Blade became an instant international success. Our first one was the Blade Silver and today, we have over a dozen Blade watch models boasting different colorways and strap options. We have some customers who love the Blade model so much, that they’ve bought watches for the entire family.
Why should men invest in multiple pairs of watches? How can watches serve as an accessory, as well as a functional tool?
A stylish man doesn’t just have one pair of shoes. Or one pair of sunglasses. Or one belt. The same should go for watches. Men should have multiple timepieces in their watch box to make sure that the watch they wear complements their get up, rather than clash with it.
I like to wear my Blade Silver or Blade Phantom watches during the week when I’m busy with business appointments and right now, I love wearing the carbon fiber Blade Venom on the weekend. As we head into the summer months, I’ll definitely be sporting the more colorful ZINVO Blade Ethos — I love the pops of orange color.
You switch up your outfits depending on the weather or occasion, so you should really be switching up your watches and accessories too. Khudomaka’s thoughts:
With so many awesome different styles available, there’s really no reason to wear the same watch everyday.
Tell us about the watches we have for the giveaway…
We’re actually giving away two of our best sellers—the ZINVO Blade Gunmetal (above) and the ZINVO Blade Phantom (below). These men’s watches sport a bold 44mm case with awesome design details like grooved case sides, an engraved chapter ring and of course our patent-pending designed dial with the turbine blades in constant motion. Plus, they run on automatic mechanical movements with up to 42 hours of power reserve. Whoever wins these Blade watches will love them.
Want to WIN your very own ZINVO watch? To enter the SPY Giveaway, make sure you follow @zinvowatches and @spy_dot on Instagram and tag a friend in our ZINVO post. For an additional entry, subscribe to the ZINVO and SPY newsletters, which will also keep you cultured and informed on the latest product releases before anyone else. Good luck!