Studio Underd0g began not as a fully formed watch company, but as designer Richard Benc’s lockdown-era project: playful dial ideas that he tested with watch enthusiasts before deciding to see whether people would pay for them. The watches paired those unconventional designs with mechanical chronograph movements. A later report put the trio’s November 2021 Kickstarter total at £90,189, offering evidence of demand without making the campaign a guarantee of lasting commercial success.
How a personal design project became a business idea
During the early 2020 lockdown, closed pubs and extra free time gave Benc space to sketch watch concepts. A designer by trade, he initially regarded the work as a passion project rather than a commercial plan. He shared designs with an enthusiast community on Facebook and was surprised by the response.
That reaction gave him a reason to test demand beyond the people who had seen the sketches. In the March 2021 account by Time+Tide, Benc put the starting point simply: “I was simply designing a watch for myself that I liked!” The move from personal project to a brand was a way to find out whether other people liked the idea enough to support it, too.
A name with challenger intent
Benc wanted a distinctive identity for a small challenger in a market dominated by large watch companies. The brand’s name turns “Underdog” into “Underd0g,” replacing the final letter with a zero. The official brand account also describes the name as combining the underdog idea with a design-studio identity.
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- Quality 17-Jewels Mechanical Hand-wind Movement And Analogue Dial with Silver Color Bars Index
- Protective Mineral Hardlex Crystal Window,Alloy Case,Leather Strap
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- Original Brand New & Shipped with Tracking No and Well package.Own Factory and All the Watches are Original.90-DAYS Replacement Or Full Payment Guarantee
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Playful dials, serious mechanical watches
The launch collection comprised three chronographs: Watermel0n, Desert Sky and Go0fy Panda. According to Benc’s interview with Time+Tide, their visual cues came from fruit, Nike Air Max 97 sneakers and panda imagery, respectively. Their bright or unexpected treatments and asymmetrical subdials made the watches look deliberately unlike restrained dress chronographs.
But the joke was in the presentation, not in abandoning watchmaking substance. Time+Tide identified the original watches’ movement as the Seagull ST1901, a hand-wound mechanical chronograph. Benc cited its affordability, visible mechanics and history as reasons for choosing it. He called it “an incredible movement with an even more incredible history”; that assessment and the movement-history details are his, rather than independently verified claims here.
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- [Mechanical Movement] This watch has manual self-winding. Please consider that mechanical watches that require manual winding can only keep time for a short time after winding. To prevent running or inaccurate time, it is advised that you verify the time periodically and wind up the chain 15–20 times.
- [Waterproof] Water resistant to 50m (165ft) -suitable for short periods of recreational swimming and showering, but not diving or snorkeling
- [Ideal as a Gift] This beautiful retro-style watch can be worn on any occasion or given as a gift to your father, brother, partner, or boyfriend. At weddings and any holiday gatherings, it can be a really appreciated and elegant gift.
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The brand’s design brief captured the contrast: “To create a serious watch that didn’t take itself too seriously…” Time+Tide presented that wording as a quotation from the brand’s website. The concept was not simply a novelty graphic on a watch: it used humor to make a mechanical chronograph feel approachable while keeping the complication central to the product.
What the Kickstarter campaign established
WatchPro’s 2024 founder interview reports that Studio Underd0g launched on Kickstarter in November 2021 with its trio of hand-wound bicompax chronographs and raised £90,189. This is a retrospective report of the campaign total, not a figure that establishes how many watches were sold, how many backers participated, or whether the company was profitable.
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- Material: Mechanical movement, mineral strengthened glass mirror, the case is made of stainless steel and the strap is made of High grade leathe.
- Measuare: Band length: 18.5cm/7.39inch, dial diameter: 41mm/1.6inch, dial thickness: 15mm/0.6inch.
- 30M waterproof, Daily waterproofing to prevent water splashing. But not suitable for bathing and swimming.
- Classic and fashionable desgin, PU leather strap, suitable for any occasion.
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The dates in the available coverage do not form a fully resolved timeline. Time+Tide’s March 2021 feature predates the November 2021 launch date reported by WatchPro and describes the chronograph as available on Kickstarter. Those accounts may refer to separate moments or campaign activity; the reporting does not explain the discrepancy in greater detail. They should not be compressed into a claim that the two reports describe one contemporaneous campaign event.
For an early-stage product, crowdfunding can show that a group of customers is willing to commit money to a specific concept. It does not, on its own, prove repeat demand, sustainable margins or long-term business health. The reported total shows that Benc’s designs attracted financial backing; it is not a complete account of the company’s economics.
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- CLASSIC WHITE DIAL WITH BLUE HANDS – Clean white dial with striking blue hands and bold Arabic numerals for easy reading at a glance. Vintage-inspired design that draws compliments. A timeless aesthetic that works equally well for business or casual wear. 40mm case size offers substantial wrist presence without being overwhelming
- AUTOMATIC SELF-WINDING MOVEMENT – Powered by wrist motion during wear, no battery needed. Manual winding available as backup for occasional use. For optimal performance, wear regularly or hand-wind 15-20 turns daily. Note: Power reserve may not last overnight without regular wear or winding
- SCRATCH-RESISTANT MINERAL GLASS – Reinforced mineral crystal resists scratches and scuffs from daily wear. Clear exhibition case back lets you view the intricate mechanical movement. Durable construction for reliable everyday use
- COMFORTABLE BROWN PU LEATHER STRAP – Soft, flexible PU leather strap designed for all-day comfort. Adjustable buckle closure fits most wrist sizes. 20mm strap width complements the classic dial design. (Note: For extended durability, avoid prolonged exposure to moisture.)
- VERSATILE & EASY-TO-READ DESIGN – Bold numerals and contrasting blue hands ensure quick time reading in various lighting conditions. 13mm slim profile fits comfortably under shirt cuffs. Ideal for work, weekends, travel, or casual outings. 3ATM splash-resistant for hand-washing and light rain
From launch collection to a broader watch brand
The original Kickstarter watches are a launch-era story, not a guide to what is currently available. Studio Underd0g’s official site now lists 01SERIES, 02SERIES and 03SERIES watches, as well as special editions and straps. Names, specifications and availability can change, so a reader interested in a particular watch should check the live official product listing rather than assume a launch model can still be bought.
The company’s about page says that each watch is assembled in-house in Great Britain by one pair of hands. That is the brand’s own description of its process. In a June 2026 report, Hodinkee said the company had about 30 staff and produced about 14,000 watches in the preceding year. Those are reported figures, not independently audited metrics. Hodinkee also described investment in UK assembly and after-sales service, suggesting that the business had developed beyond a single crowdfunding launch.
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Why the idea worked as more than a novelty
Studio Underd0g’s founding idea joined three things that could easily have pulled in different directions: a designer’s personal taste, a humorous visual identity and the mechanical appeal of a hand-wound chronograph. The playful dials supplied a clear point of difference; the movement gave the watches a technical proposition beyond their appearance.
The commercial lesson is narrower than “a funny product will succeed.” Benc first shared concepts with a community, used the response to justify testing demand and then presented a defined trio of watches through crowdfunding. The reported Kickstarter total indicates that customers backed that particular proposition. The later collections and reported growth show the brand continued beyond the original campaign, but neither fact turns the early response into a universal formula for launching a product.
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