THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CHASE FANCHER, FOUNDER OF OAK & OSCAR
Since 2015, Chase Fancher has been the driving force behind Chicago-based Oak & Oscar, an accessibly priced brand making utilitarian, casual and well-made watches with a local touch. For Fancher, this means numerous trips to Switzerland, and a unique perspective on the global watch industry.
“Working outside of Switzerland has been a fun challenge for me. Learning more about the culture and how they operate while also building a brand has been exciting. And while there is a lot of reverence for Swiss watchmaking (deservedly so), I’ve also learned that they can be somewhat stuck in their more traditional ways. While we rely on good, sound horological principles, Oak & Oscar is a young brand doing things our way, with great attention to detail and design. On occasion, we’ve had to push them past their comfort zone, and they’ve always
