In the final episode of Fratello’s series on building VPC, founder Thomas Van Straaten looks back on the first two years of the independent watch brand: delivering its debut Type 37HW, correcting a bracelet-sizing problem, trying to sell a first run of 300 watches, and weighing growth against creative freedom. His account also sets out priorities and a possible second model as they stood in January 2025—not confirmation of what happened afterward.
What the first two years meant for VPC
Thomas Van Straaten’s January 15, 2025 retrospective closes Fratello’s series about building VPC. It is a founder’s account of the practical and creative decisions behind the brand’s debut watch, the Type 37HW. The story is useful less as a product comparison than as a look at the work involved in delivering an early independent-watch release.
Van Straaten said the first production run arrived around the window originally promised. Dutch customs then pushed fulfillment to the first week of December. The delivery delay was limited, but the first deliveries also exposed a quality-control issue with some bracelets.
How VPC handled the bracelet-sizing problem
A bracelet-maker error had left some customers unable to size their bracelets small enough. VPC took affected bracelets back and added removable links so owners could achieve a smaller fit. Van Straaten described addressing the issue proactively and transparently, while acknowledging the financial cost and treating it as a lesson for future releases.
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- STYLE: This Michael Kors Slim Runway mens watch features a black sunray dial, three-hand movement and black stainless steel bracelet
- CASE & DIAL: This watch for men has a round 44mm stainless steel case with a black dial; mineral crystal face resists scratches
- WATCH BAND: A mens wrist watch with a black gray stainless steel bracelet band; 22mm band width; links can be removed for a customized fit
- PRECISION TIMEKEEPING: A men's watch with Quartz movement and three-hand analog display; imported
- SWIM-READY Water Resistant: This wrist watch for men is wearable while swimming in shallow water up to 50m (165ft); 5 ATM
He also drew a broader lesson from the episode: “This also confirms to me that it makes no sense to be secretive or try to cover up your mistakes when running a business (as in personal life, actually).” That is his reflection on how VPC chose to respond; it is not evidence about the performance of every Type 37HW bracelet or a recommendation for a particular repair tool.
The challenge of selling a first run
Van Straaten described selling 300 watches as an unproven brand in a relatively high price segment as difficult. At the time the retrospective was published, he said sales were accelerating as remaining stock became available and that the Dove Grey version was nearly sold out.
Those sales and stock comments describe the situation as reported in January 2025. They should not be read as current availability, present-day sales figures, or proof that the same dial configuration remains in production.
Rank #2
- Mens Wrist Watch: Features a classic big dial and quartz movement with stable quality. High hardness coated glass mirror is wear-resistant, scratch-proof, Butterfly double buckle ensures comfortable wear
- OLEVS Mens Watches: Unique Classic Design Analog Date Calendar Display Watch Window. Easy to Read, Classic Business Style, Stylish Casual Dress Watch, Stylish Gold Indexes and Round Case, finely designed, stand the test of time, handsome and outstanding
- Business Pointer Quartz Watch: Dial diameter is 1.6 inches (41 mm). Case thickness is 0.43 inches (11 mm), steel band width is 0.79 inches (20 mm), length is 8.66 inches (22 cm). The weight of the men's watch is 4.16 ounces (118 g)
- Fashion Gold Green Man Watch: Luminous Hands/Markers and Enlarged Date Window at Three o'clock, Stylish Watch with Roman Scale Bezel, Water Resistance Up to 30M: Usually, Suitable for Swimming, But not Suitable for Deep Diving
- Night-light Function：When Using the Luminous Pointer Function for the First Time, Please illuminate The Watch Under The Light for 30 Seconds to Activate the Luminous Function. Watch Chain Can Be Adjusted in Size
Why the founder resisted conventional growth advice
Van Straaten presented VPC as a founder-led creative project and said he chose to follow his artistic vision rather than reshape the Type 37HW for broader appeal. He cited alternatives he could have pursued: a catchier name, a larger case, an automatic movement, or a lower price. He did not frame those choices as universally wrong; they simply did not fit the watch and brand he wanted to make.
He also described a preference for keeping VPC small enough to preserve creative freedom, rather than growing into a large logistics operation. The retrospective therefore frames success not only as selling watches, but also as deciding what scale the brand should reach and what it should retain as it grows.
VPC’s priorities and plans as of January 2025
Independent service and spare parts
Van Straaten named establishing independent service points and making spare parts available as a short-term priority. He identified Tempus as VPC’s first independent service partner in the Netherlands. He said the goal was to find service points in the United States and Asia over the following two to three years; the retrospective does not confirm that those locations were later established.
Rank #3
- STYLISH: This Armani Exchange watch features a gold sunray dial, gold-tone stainess steel bracelet, and chronograph movement
- CASE & MOVEMENT: A men's watch with a 44mm case, 22mm band width, scratch resistant mineral crystal, accurate quartz movement with chronograph analog display, imported
- DIAL: These men's watches feature a stainless steel case with a gold dial
- WATCH BAND: Wrist watches for men with a gold-tone stainless steel bracelet; links can be removed for a customized fit
- WATER RESISTANT MENS WATCH: Up to 50m (165ft); Wearable while swimming in shallow water; 5 ATM
A clearer account of the brand
Another stated priority was clarifying VPC’s brand story with the help of a strategist and designer. In the context of a young independent brand, that work was presented as a way to make its identity and creative choices clearer—not as a change already completed.
A possible second model: a dive watch
Van Straaten said he planned to develop VPC’s second model with Max Resnick and Samuel Baker. The intended design was a dive watch, and he said the design stage was about to begin. He gave no fixed release date: depending on sales of the remaining Type 37HW watches, he thought the new model might launch in 2025 or 2026. That was a forecast in January 2025, not confirmation that the watch launched.
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Van Straaten said the first 300 editions were numbered and that future batches might vary in details such as dial design. He also raised the possibility that some dial configurations then available might not return. These comments explain the creative approach he described at the time; they do not establish current availability, production plans, or a present-day rarity claim.
Rank #4
- Features a classic big dial and quartz movement with stable quality. High hardness coated glass mirror is wear-resistant, scratch-proof, Butterfly double buckle ensures comfortable weara
- Mirror diameter is 1.6 inches (41 mm), case thickness is 0.43 inches (11 mm), and band length is 7 inches (180 mm). The length of the watch can be adjusted, and it weighs 132 g(4.65 ounces). Maximum applicable to about an 8-9" wrist
- Luminous function can be activated by illuminating the watch under strong light for 30-40 seconds, providing a new visual experience at night. Manual includes detailed instructions for adjusting time and calendar
- Fashionable and elegant design for any man who appreciates quality and style. Versatile and stylish men's watches are suitable for any occasion, including parties, work, daily life and dating
- Water resistance for daily life, waterproof to 100 feet (30 m), generally resistant to splashing or brief submersion, but not suitable for swimming or bathing
What this retrospective does—and does not—establish
The account documents a young brand’s early operational challenges alongside its founder’s stated priorities: respond openly when something goes wrong, build service support, and protect the creative intent behind the watches. Its concrete details are tied to Van Straaten’s January 2025 retrospective. It does not provide updated stock figures, confirm later service-network expansion, or verify the release of a second model.
Read Thomas Van Straaten’s full Fratello retrospective.
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