It’s been six months since our last update, and we’ve made real progress across the board.
We’ve launched new collections, expanded our team, navigated another wave of tariff changes, and continued to improve our production infrastructure. But above all, we’ve remained focused on the long-term foundation of the brand — and this fall, we’re making one of the biggest investments in Vaer’s future to date.
1. We’re Opening Our First Ever Showroom
This December, we’re opening our first-ever Vaer retail location at 1733 Abbot Kinney Blvd, right here in Venice Beach—less than half a mile from our homes, and about a mile from the Pacific.
The 1,600 sq ft space will serve as our new headquarters and first physical showroom, offering customers the chance to explore our full collection in person, connect with our team, and attend product launches, film screenings, and brand events.
It’s also a space we hope will evolve into a community hub—where both longtime customers and new visitors can engage with our approach to craftsmanship, functional design, and our amazing neighborhood.
Why Now?
At the start of the year, opening a retail store wasn’t part of our 2025 roadmap.
Our primary focus was on navigating the ongoing tariff situation and scaling our US assembly operations (as outlined in our 13th Founders' Update). And given that Abbot Kinney is one of the most expensive retail corridors in the world—with small storefronts often commanding $20k/month rent—adding a physical footprint felt like too big a distraction at this stage of the business.
But, as with our Kansas City warehouse buildout in 2023, the decision took shape gradually—through a combination of circumstances, conversations, and opportunities that reframed the risk as something closer to long-term strategic upside.
In the past two years, we’ve collaborated with major retail brands like Outerknown and gained a deeper appreciation for what thoughtful physical retail can offer a modern DTC business.
While brick-and-mortar is undeniably more complex—capital and labor-intensive, with far more variables to manage—it also unlocks a different kind of scale. In-person conversion rates are significantly higher than online, and customer acquisition becomes less reliant on paid platforms like Meta and Google.
What Will the Store Be Like?
We’ve designed the space to reflect who we are and how we work.
It’s a few hundred feet off the main Abbot Kinney corridor, tucked into a quieter stretch of South Abbot Kinney, known for design-forward brands and by-appointment retail. This allows us to maintain a low-key profile while offering a more intimate, hands-on shopping experience.
The front of house will feel more like a living room than a storefront—inviting and comfortable, with our full collection on display, a stocked bar with complimentary drinks, a private try-on room, and a curated mix of books, music, and artwork that reflect the world behind the brand.
The back of house will serve as our new headquarters, content studio, and workspace—where we’ll manage day-to-day operations, film new product videos, and screen upcoming documentaries.
We’re not expecting massive short-term revenue from this location—nor are we building for that. We see this as an investment in brand equity and customer experience. A place to meet people face-to-face. A space to tell deeper product stories. And a long-term platform for what it means to build a modern American watch company.
As longtime residents of Venice, this is also a way to honor the culture that’s shaped our work and daily lives for the past decade. From the surf breaks to the skate parks to the creative energy of the street itself, this store is an extension of the place we call home.
We’ll be sharing more as we get closer to the opening, but for now, we’re on track for early December—and we’re looking forward to welcoming you in.
2. What’s Happening for Holiday 2025?
What’s Already Launched (Fall 2025)
- G5 Polar Steel GMT – Sold out (restocking mid-November)
- C4 Tactical Solar Field – Sold out (restocking mid-November)
- S5 Dirty Dozen – In healthy stock
- DS2 42mm Diver – Low stock
What’s Still to Come
- A5 Atlas Automatic (38mm) – A full overhaul of our flagship field automatic, featuring upgraded finishing, a new crown and case profile, and new dial options based on customer feedback. Full preview coming later this week.
- 42mm Field Watch – Our first release in this size category. Designed to expand fit options for those with larger wrists, without compromising the proportions and style Vaer is known for.
- C1 Ceremony Dress Watch – A brand-new minimalist platform for formal occasions. Slim, clean, and long overdue.
- Two Special Edition Collaborations – Developed in partnership with brands we respect and admire. These are some of the most experimental projects we’ve worked on — limited in quantity, with more details to come in November.
Stock & Holiday Buying Notes
As we’ve said before, we’re doing everything we can to keep up with demand. But not every model will make it to Black Friday, and several designs won’t return until well into 2026.
Here are a few important notes if you’re shopping this season:
- Due to sustained demand and limited production, certain models will not be included in holiday discounts.
- This isn’t about urgency for the sake of urgency. It’s a practical reflection of how we’re managing risk and inventory in a year of ongoing economic uncertainty.
- If you’re planning to gift (or request) a Vaer watch this year, we strongly recommend keeping an eye on stock counters and acting quickly once a model goes live.
Many of the watches launching this month are either limited releases or, if they do return, won’t be back until Spring 2026.
If you’re waiting on something specific — or looking for help choosing the right model — our customer success team is always available to walk you through timelines and availability.
All told, this season reflects just how far we’ve come as a brand. The pace is intense. But the energy and alignment across the team is the best it’s ever been. We’re excited for what’s ahead — and we’re grateful to be heading into this next chapter with your continued support.
3. What’s Happening Behind the Scenes at Vaer?
- 13,051 watches shipped
- 18,907 watches QC’d
- 33 unique SKUs assembled in the USA
- 33,942 customer tickets resolved
Despite this uncertainty, we’ve chosen to absorb the majority of these increases—at least in the near term—without significant retail price increases. This decision reflects our respect for customers during a period of broader economic volatility and our belief in keeping value at the core of our offering. It’s also made possible by the incremental improvements we’ve continued to make across our U.S. operations — and the steady expansion of the systems and people behind them.
Kansas City: Our Quality Control Hub
One of the most important operational changes this year was the full transition of QC to our Kansas City warehouse. This move allowed us to streamline post-assembly processing and dramatically increase turnaround speed and reliability.
Today, every Vaer watch is inspected, kitted, and packed by a team of just three people:
- Denise, our longtime Warehouse Manager, who’s been with us since the early days and continues to lead with care and precision.
- Olivia, Denise’s daughter, who now oversees all aspects of quality control — she’s the final checkpoint for every unit before it ships.
- Brennan, who joined the team last holiday season, has helped elevate fulfillment accuracy and efficiency across the board, and has taken on more responsibility for Vaer’s Pre-Owned Store.
Together, this team processes thousands of orders each month — including multiple case sizes, strap combos, packaging variants, and service follow-ups — with a level of care that’s helped drive major improvements in customer satisfaction.
Assembly, Service, and Scale
On the production side, Blake has been instrumental in scaling our U.S. assembly infrastructure to meet rising complexity — including a major uptick in automatic builds driven by the success of the G5 and D5 collections.
Assembly in Los Angeles alone is now averaging 600–800 units per month, with 33 SKUs built since May. We’ve also onboarded a new assembler locally, helping to increase throughput while maintaining excellent pass/fail rates — Olivia’s records show our current QC defect rate is the lowest it’s been in the history of the brand.
On the service side, automated email workflows are live, reducing delays and improving communication throughout the repair cycle.
Customer Support and Retail
On the support side, Henry was promoted to Customer Success Manager this summer — a well-earned recognition after years of steady, thoughtful, and reliable work.
Henry’s deep brand knowledge and calm, clear communication style have been foundational to Vaer’s reputation — and he’s been key in mentoring new team members and helping streamline internal systems.
Evan Austin, who many of you have likely emailed with over the years, has also stepped into a hybrid role — continuing his support responsibilities while serving as the inaugural retail manager for our new Abbot Kinney showroom. We couldn’t ask for a better representative of the Vaer ethos — Evan brings years of product knowledge and customer empathy to the front lines of our first brick-and-mortar location.
What Watches Are We Wearing?
Reagan: Lately, I’ve been wearing the DS2 Black 39mm — it was my watch of choice throughout our trip to New York City for the Windup Watch Fair. At an event where 95% of brands (and attendees) are proudly showing off mechanical pieces, I wanted to highlight something different — the clean simplicity and honest value of quartz. It’s easy to overlook just how much functionality you get at this price point, and I’m proud that this design holds its own in that kind of crowd.
Ryan: The G2 Pacific Steel on bracelet has been my daily for most of the summer. The steel bezel is just such a striking aesthetic, and the 39mm size still fits my wrist perfectly. The GMT function was super useful during our trip to NYC Windup, and I can’t get away from the grab n go utility of quartz. I’ve also been spending time with some early prototypes for 2026. There’s one new field platform in particular that I’m really excited about. Can’t share details just yet — but it’s something we’ve wanted to build for a long time, and it’s finally taking shape.
Final Thoughts
Back in May, we wrote that 2025 was shaping up to be a year of unknowns. That prediction held true.
From evolving trade rules to unpredictable demand cycles to the challenge of opening a physical store on short notice — this year has been one of fast pivots and constant learning. And yet, through it all, we’ve kept building.
Vaer is growing. Our community is growing. And the quality of our work — in design, in service, and in product execution — has never been stronger.
Every week, it feels like a new opportunity lands in our inbox or walks through our door. And as we head into the final stretch of the year, we’re more excited than ever to see where this momentum takes us.
We’re looking forward to a record-setting holiday season and to finally opening the doors of our first showroom in Venice Beach. We’ll be sharing more about the launch party in the coming weeks — and if you’re in the area, we’d love to see you there.
As always, thank you for being part of this journey and for making everything we do at Vaer possible.
All the best,
Reagan Cook & Ryan Torres
Co-Founders, Vaer Watches
