Bespoke, So Much Like Life

A WhatsApp notification popped up. It was a friend in Seattle: “Hi, I wonder if you would do something like a bracelet? I’ve been looking for a bracelet for years.”

When someone searches everywhere for a piece of jewelry or an accessory they truly love and still comes up empty, it’s almost always because they carry a particular idea or meaning they hope the piece will hold, or because they have their own distinctive taste and needs.

“Onward” was created for just such a man. He is accomplished in his career, experienced in life, and refined in the way he lives. Whenever he buys anything, he does his homework thoroughly. He looks beyond the features, specs, and price comparisons most people research. He thinks harder about whether he needs something or simply wants it, what he likes and requires, where he’ll actually use it, and how it will work with the things he already owns. Particular as he is, and preferring nothing at all to settling for less, he spent years looking for the right bracelet without ever coming across one or finding it.

So we set up a video call one Sunday morning (Saturday night in Seattle). Over about an hour and a half, I learned a great deal about his character and background, and got a general sense of what he had been looking for in a bracelet all this time. (We talked about so much, and every detail, every word, shaped the final form of this piece. Below are just some of the highlights.)

“Before I buy something, I like to think very carefully about what I want and what I like, and do a lot of homework.”

“I try to be outgoing, and I always choose to be kind, so that everyone I meet is happier than they were before they met me.”

“Personal growth is something I’ve focused on for a long time.”

“Searching for God!”

“2019 was a really hard year. A breakup, drugs, and yet I met God. Or, to be more precise, I went through a nightmare and met the devil, and because of that I came to believe there must be a God. From then on, the meaning of my life changed:

Always try to be a good person. Improve my health. Control my temper. Be a generous person.

Favorite music: House, Trance, film scores (Hans Zimmer, Johann Johannsson).

Favorite films: Arrival, Dune, Interstellar.

Interests: solo cycling, meditation, skiing, hiking, diving

“I’ve always hoped to find a bracelet that would go with the cross necklace I already wear, my Omega Seamaster, and my Apple Watch. So I’d like it to be mostly blue, ideally with gemstones.

Style-wise, I want to avoid anything too rugged or overly masculine. I lean toward an elegant kind of masculinity: eye-catching but not flashy. Pleasant to look at when you’re not paying attention, and distinctive when you look closely, something that could be a great conversation starter at social events. Overall, I want a piece I can wear to formal occasions like weddings, but that won’t look overdressed in everyday life.”

To understand his personal preferences and taste even better, I asked him to share some of the things he had carefully chosen for himself, like his road bike and his luggage, and of course the two watches he planned to wear in rotation with the bracelet.

Over the whole process, from our conversations and the design through to production and delivery, something major happened to him at work. It showed me that he truly is someone who, even when facing challenges, the unknown, and uncertainty, holds on to sincerity and kindness in how he sees things and how he responds.

He chose to face what life had handed him head-on and make the most of it. He gave himself a break and came to Taiwan, the homeland he loves, to cycle around the island, taking it slow and truly savoring the beauty of this treasured place.

We met at the last stop of his trip, Yilan, and went camping together at a hidden spot,

where I also handed him this truly one-of-a-kind custom-made bracelet, “Onward”!

The piece mirrors his life experiences and beliefs. The cross set with aquamarine symbolizes how he holds on to his faith, tasting the rich layers and flavors of life with passion, calm, and grace. The bicycle chain wrapped around the wrist reflects how he savors every pedal stroke, whether on a grueling climb, smooth stretches through the fields, a relaxing gentle descent, or even a thrilling sprint. It reflects, too, how his journey has taught him when to hit the road and ride hard, and when to stop and rest at an interesting café; how he looks forward each night to the different people he’ll meet at a new hostel and the stories they’ll share; and, on the occasional night he gets a whole dorm room to himself, that luxurious, roomy feeling of being upgraded to business class.

Life, Onward~ Enjoy it, and keep moving forward!