Reply With QuoteHmmm. Yellow date wheel on the yellow watch. Nice touch, that.
Anyone here been a part of the Halios frenzy today?
It seems the site crashed as a result of so many people trying to get on and order the latest Seaforth and Puck offerings, so Halios have announced orders won’t now be open until tomorrow. Be interesting to see what happens in 24 hours time...
Beautiful watches, there is a total fever around them.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Hmmm. Yellow date wheel on the yellow watch. Nice touch, that.
I’ve been trying to get onto their site all afternoon, when I eventually got on I thought i’d missed out. Are you sure it’s only happening tomorrow as it doesn’t say that on their website ?
Lovely looking watches at a good price? It would seem rude not to.
If only I could order one.
I will have to try tomorrow too!
They have posted on Instagram - delayed 24 hoursOriginally Posted by boundary546
Quite right. But check their Instagram, that’s where they seem to be posting their updates. https://instagram.com/p/BeGRvIDFhs5/
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Got it 👍
What’s the appeal, I don’t get it.
Whilst the yellow dial wouldn't be my pick (hello, pastel blue!), there's quite a lot of nice touches, in my opinion - chamfered lugs, a box sapphire crystal, an extra strap included, optional sapphire bezel inserts, colour-matched date wheels etc.
As I understand it, Halios as a microbrand are pretty far from your standard 'Kickstarter' or 'pic'n'mix' Chinese catalogue offerings.
Jason Lim is a one-man band - owner & designer. He travels to the Far East to vet suppliers (his cases are bespoke to him), then personally inspects, QCs & ships each watch individually, by himself - if you have a problem, you deal with him, and are not redirected to some far-away Chinese factory.
As well as that personal touch, I think the appeal is getting an original design, well executed, in very low production runs, that you'll likely not see elsewhere, and which will probably at least retain its price point if re-sold.
His 'problem' (if you can call it that), is that he's a 'victim' of his own success - massively oversubscribed & hounded for the small number of watches he produces. Better to leave 'them' wanting more though I think, and retain that very personal ethos.
He recently did a couple of good podcast interviews with 'The Grey Nato' & 'Worn & Wound'. Well worth a listen if you want to learn more.
Had mine 24hrs, really impressed. I was part of the frenzy, will be tomorrow. Yellow with 12hr bezel for me.
Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app
I’ve had a look at the Halios site tonight and have seen the Puck II for the first time - stunning!
That is bloody lovely.
I was thinking that too but after reading a little about the whole process and personal touch I can see the appeal however if you add the import duties etc on it will soon add up!!??
It would be nice to have another watch you don’t see anywhere else, although I get that from Sinn personally as I don’t ever see any on my travels!!
Chris
The designs are attractive and the backstory is a good one.
I was tempted by the yellow seaforth with 12hr bezel but honestly the frenzy has put me off. Also a slight lack of funds... :)
I do like the look of the puck more than that of the seaforth, but the size is simply unworkable on 6.5” wrist.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I agree the Puck is a stunner, just totally impractical. I also like the bracelet option on the Puck... kind of wish there was a bracelet option for the Seaforth too.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I could handle the diameter but the height is crazy!
This is really nice. Looks better in your photos than the press ones.Had mine 24hrs, really impressed. I was part of the frenzy, will be tomorrow. Yellow with 12hr bezel for me.
Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app
Was seriously considering a yellow/crystal bezel Seaforth combo, looks like the site is having trouble with the 4pm demand though!
Hey ho.
Big fan of the watches, but the launch/ordering process has come across pretty amateurish this time. Too much hype seems to have generated more than they can handle.
Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app
Update:
https://instagram.com/p/BeIy3ODFJPl/
Looks like he’s being hit pretty hard by bots trying to resale for profit. Poor bloke. Might need to rethink the ordering process.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yup, site crashed again at 16.00 UK time
I'm actually glad he's shutting the site down, the only Internet access I have right now is through my mobile and I'm not far short of running the battery flat...
"Buy bots", hey? Can't blame him for doing what he's done, though just how is he going to get around it?
One way to do it would be the same way FORaSEC did it for their allocation but I guess this would be on a much larger scale so may not be as easy.
Lottery?
Lots of insta-fans are suggesting a lottery. Not sure how I feel about that personally, but I guess in the face of unmeetable demand it might be the only fair way.
The other suggestion floating around is to hike the price! Doesn't make it fairer, but would certainly cut down the demand!
I think the addition of some CAPTCHA type security could help to prevent the bots, but it's still not going to solve the sheer volume of traffic if he choses to announce another time for orders opening.
I'm on the EU site and it looks like I'm able to order, and they all seem to be in stock? Does anyone know any different?
Thanks
You won't be able to. Well, you'll be able to order but it will be cancelled. Only those who have received emails confirming what they have been allocated are able to put an order in which will be honoured.
Allocation of Halios Seaforth II
This is a strange situation. We had a huge number of people pre-registering for the Halios Seaforth II. After sharing the preference list with Halios in Vancouver, it quickly became apparent that we would not be able to satisfy all people on the list.
So that is how a Rolex dealer must feel sometimes....
All kidding aside, together with Jason from Halios we thoroughly reviewed the list in an attempt to divide the total number of watches between his and my shop. We used the list as basis, but in all fairness: the demand for the Seaforth II is so huge that choices had to be made. Not all of you will be happy when reading this mail.
We had people offering us up to 20% more to get a specific request, some tried to manipulate the outcome by entering their preference under multiple email accounts. We actually had to check IP addresses etc to pinpoint these clever ones. In short: People want the Seaforth II badly.
If some of you will not use their "right" to purchase, please let us know. This "right" cannot be transferred to someone else. We prefer to check the list in cases like that to find someone who actually pre-registered for "your" model but was too late. I am sure you will understand.
OK, so here it goes. Apologies that we could not get the first preference for all, please remember that quite many people will not be able to purchase the watch at all!
Your name:
The watch that is available for you: Grey - Rotating Steel 12hr markings
Your 1st preference was: Gloss Blue - Rotating Blue Sapphire Bezel 10-60
Your 2nd preference was: Grey - Rotating Steel 12hr markings
Your 3rd preference was: Gloss Blue - Fixed Bezel
Please click the button below to make your order final.
Finalize your order
Shipping is expected within a few weeks. We will send you an update once we have the final shipping confirmation from Halios.
NOTE: we will have to double check all orders carefully. Please only order the model that was allocated to you. We will have to cancel and refund all orders that are not according to the allocation list. Thanks for your understanding.
Last edited by Binsull; 19th January 2018 at 18:43.
It's a bit self inflicted in all honesty. The supply/demand balance is way off.
Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app
I'm wondering whether it's deliberate. They under produce to create a big hype and an air of exclusivity.
Taking lessons from Rolex maybe
This will become a cautionary tale...
And it’s almost like the WIS are gripped by a terrible case of group-think or something :)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It's naivety. I don't think there's any bad intentions, but using the social media/blog hype machine when you know you'll sell out within minutes is silly. Especially when you're a one man band, without the capacity to cope.
Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app
I really like the look of the pastel blue one....shame I can’t buy it!
It's not under production. It's not charging enough.
Although if he had 5000 more to sell then the problem would go away. Equally if he didn't try and launch two models at once things might have been a bit smoother.
I'd have bought one yesterday, had the site all set up at 3.59 but the add to cart never appeared and once I refreshed, the site was gone.
Probably won't bother now, it was a real spur of the moment thing.
He's making a profit, and has applied the same pricing structure since day 1. It's having supply drastically short of demand that's the issue.
Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app
Yeah. This is what the 3rd or 4th time they have sold out in minutes. I wonder if they have manufacturing problems
That seaforth is a belter.
I don't think this is naive.
I think this qualifies as success for them.
There are lots of examples of micro brands that do this, produce in small batches designed to sell out in minutes. Obris Morgan is an obvious one.
Saves on the issues of having your money tied up in stock.
They are not particularly fussed if you don't manage to get one, the only reason you can't is because someone else has already bought it.
And doing this ensures that the ones they do sell do not get passed on at reduced value immediately (as there is a proportion of all buyers who are flippers). And that lends further cachet to the brand.
All good.
And not at all naive
Dave
I (personally) think you're missing my point. Without drumming up the hype, they'd have sold out in minutes on Thursday. There's zero debate on that.
Drumming up hype to such levels has made speculators get involved (hence the bots), and so much demand that the website can't cope.
More supply than demand is a great thing for him. So much demand, that greatly outstrips supply, leads to this mess, and a load of Internet idiots insulting the poor guy on social media.
The balance is wrong. Getting to this situation demonstrated that nicely.
Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app
Two sides of the same coin.
Sat ready at 4 o clock ready to buy on both days, bit miffed if its down to scalpers crashing the server, he should restrict folks to one watch until demand satisfied
Scottie
It was limited to 3. Someone managed some computer based nonsense and managed to add 30 pieces to basket. Website crashed etc etc.
It'll be like speedy Tuesday, first few on eBay will be up at some silly markup, then it'll calm down.
Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app
Don't really see how he can be accused of 'drumming up the hype' - it's entirely the obsessive watch geek fraternity that does the hyping for him, we can't help ourselves.
He does zero advertising, and communicates more or less exclusively via Instagram - up until very recently his website was extremely simplistic. Apart from that, he's done a couple of watch nerd podcasts. Hardly saturation hype.
As regards increasing production, like a lot of small businesses, it can be a fairly precarious existence. And there is literally just him doing everything from concept to posting. Increasing supply means extra risk - loans for bigger supplier orders, temporary staff, even more IT investment, more funds tied-up in stock sitting around, supplier pressures (he already has a tough/exacting time managing the quality of his suppliers in China) etc. Plus, he must feel this size works for him and allows him the nimbleness to constantly research, design & issue fresh models, which is what Halios is known for
In terms of pricing, he could probably solve the issue by doubling the price, but that approach risks alienating his customer base. In a few months the Halios mania may have moved on to something else, so where would that leave him? Every time I see a Halios review on 'Hodinkee' etc., you can be sure that the comments section will be full of myopic persons saying they're too expensive for an ETA, Miyota, whatever.
I do agree he could make life easier on himself, and the order process is undoubtedly very frustrating and a bit shambolic, but too many people are overreacting like entitled little kids, throwing tantrums because they can't buy a watch.
Sold out in 3 mins. Those that got one seem happy, those that didn't are having a pop at him on social media.
Weirdos.
Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app
I am glad they got it done in the end.
It is a hard line to tread.
You need to get interest high enough to sell out of the batch, which has been costly to manufacture up front.
And you need to make a good enough watch for peoiple to want one.
However, it seems that if you do your job too well (either of them, or perhaps here, both), and you risk the WIS-lynch mob parking their pitchforks on the web.
I feel sympathy for him if this ends badly, he doesn't deserve that.
Dave
They are good looking, ok, but I still don't think it justify the hype... Maybe I'm old school
Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app
I don't understand it, if he's doing pre-orders/registrations, he knows how many he will need.
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
Nothing like a bit of instagram, twitter , vlogging hype.
Amazed that there is such a massive demand to be honest.. its a nice looking watch, but hard to believe that there are people who are actually flipping and making a profit on these watches!
He doesn't do pre orders. Limited runs. A pre order system looks likely for future releases.
Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app
Posting Permissions
