Each year, we run a design survey to give our customers a direct hand in shaping the future of our product lineup. The 2025 edition—our sixth annual survey—was the most detailed and well-participated to date. With over 4,500 respondents and more than 2,000 open-ended responses, it offered a clear window into the preferences, habits, and expectations of the Vaer community. As usual, the results brought both confirmation and surprise. What follows is a high-level breakdown of key takeaways, alongside our reflections as the brand owners, and leaders of Vaer’s product development.
A Community of Collectors—But Not Elitists
We always start the survey with the question: how many watches do you own? Predictably, most Vaer customers sit comfortably in the “casual collector” zone, owning between 2 and 5 watches. This makes sense. Our watches aren’t built for hoarding or sitting in a glass display case; they’re built for wearing, daily. Still, it’s important to note that a meaningful percentage of respondents own 10 or more watches, which tells us we’re also resonating with the more serious enthusiast.
When we look at annual watch budgets, it’s a similar spread. Some of our customers spend $200 a year on watches, and others spend over $2,000. That range underscores what we believe is Vaer’s unique position in the market: we can deliver meaningful, enduring value at a range of price points—whether someone is investing in their first timepiece or adding a rugged daily beater to round out a more luxury-oriented or investment-focused rotation.
The C4 Tactical: A Confirmed Hit
One of the key tests this year was to gauge interest in the upcoming C4 Tactical—a new ultra-durable solar tool watch targeted towards military professionals and front-line operators. The response? Strong. With over 2,000 people expressing interest, we’re moving forward with an initial production run in the 400–600 unit range, currently slated for September 2025.
Even more helpful was the color preference split—about 60/40 between two proposed versions. That may sound minor, but a difference that small can shape our entire production balance, ensuring we’re building the right mix and avoiding sell-outs. For a product this specific and use-case driven, that’s a huge validation.
Major GMT Momentum
If there was one clear winner of the survey, it was the white dial "Polar" GMT. Originally not on our 2025 roadmap, the overwhelming interest has led us to fast-track its development. For those asking,yes, it will now release this year.
Other GMT designs also showed promise: the G2 Root Beer variant is an easier color execution on our existing platform, so that will also likely be produced in 2025. A no-bezel GMT, which was also very popular, will be a longer-term project, probably for 2026, due to the amount of case development required.
More Divers and Fields
When it comes to dive watches, the results showed healthy division—fairly even splits across several variants. That’s ideal. It tells us the options were well-chosen and that we’re not over-indexing on a single trend. The top three dive watch concepts will all likely make it to production, though scheduling may vary depending on seasonal cadence and production lead times.
One of the most important pieces of validation came with our proposed 38mm A5 automatic field watch. This is a future model we’ve been working on for several months, and the high level of interest helps push it into formal production. Another standout was the updated version of the Atlas field watch, which actually outpaced the A5 Field Tan in popularity. We hadn’t planned on releasing the Atlas until 2026, but the response here may accelerate those plans.
Ceremony and the Limits of Survey Data
Our proposed 36mm dress watch, part of our “Ceremony” series, predictably saw less enthusiasm than field or dive models. But there was still enough interest to justify a smaller release this year. And that’s where we have to make some nuanced judgments.
In the survey, gold watches consistently perform poorly. But we know this is skewed by the audience. Survey respondents are generally seasoned enthusiasts—and gold is less popular in that crowd. However, when we broaden our lens to include first-time buyers or people shopping for gifts, gold has broader appeal. So while survey data is extremely valuable, it’s not infallible. Our job is to balance direct community feedback with the bigger picture.
Swiss Made: A Complicated Path Forward
Another area we probed was interest in more premium Swiss Made offerings in the $1500 price range. This is something we’ve explored for years, but it’s always been secondary to our core focus on value, durability, and American assembly.
Tariff uncertainty and the expected pricing—over $1,500—make this a tougher product line to commit to at scale. Still, 681 respondents said they would be “very interested,” which is not insignificant. If we proceed, we’ll likely limit our initial run to 100–200 pieces and treat it as a boutique release. The appetite is there, but we’ll approach cautiously, especially since the majority of our core customer community spends under $1,000 annually on watches.
Demographics and Sizing Preferences
We ask about case size preferences every year, and this year was no different. The result? A strong leaning toward 38mm and 40mm cases. That aligns with the current trajectory of our product line. But again, it’s important to remember that surveys can underrepresent outlier preferences. Just because most people checking boxes want a 38mm case doesn’t mean there’s no market for a larger diver or military-inspired piece. It just means we have to be intentional about how we release those designs and who we’re targeting.
Age demographics followed a similar pattern to years past. Vaer’s most engaged customers are predominantly over 35. That makes sense. Watches are often purchased later in life—after careers are established, families are started, and aesthetic preferences settle into place. Still, we do see a cohort of under-30 customers, and we’re actively thinking about how to grow that side of the business without diluting our core identity.
The Power of Listening
Perhaps the most gratifying takeaway from this year’s survey was the volume of written feedback. Over 2,000 customers took the time to write notes—some short, others several paragraphs long. As founders, we are committed to reading every single one. There’s no substitute for this kind of insight. It helps us improve customer service, iterate on designs, and refine our product strategy.
It also reinforces a larger truth: Vaer isn’t just a watch company—it’s a conversation. The people who buy our products aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet. They’re hobbyists, gift-givers, fathers, surfers, soldiers, climbers, and collectors. They’re people with strong opinions, lived experiences, and, in many cases, real emotional ties to what we make.
To everyone who participated this year—thank you. You’re helping us make better watches and build a better company.
