Ralph Christian: This London-Based Company is Closing the Gap Between Luxury and Affordability

Ralph Christian. This is a name that you need to know.

It’s no secret that luxury watches and outrageous price tags often go hand-in-hand. The reality is that luxury watches were created for people that have a seemingly unlimited supply of money or credit like celebrities, professional athletes or others that earn millions of dollars in a year. For others, buying a luxury watch such as a Rolex, Philippe Patex or Richard Mille can be the difference between buying a car or a house. However, Ralph Christian, a London based watch company (they have an office in the US as well) is looking to bridge the gap between luxury and affordability. Worn by influencers, NFL and Premier League athletes, this company has certainly carved out a niche in the competitive market of luxury watches. As they are coming up on their five year anniversary, we decided to take a deeper dive into the budding brand. Here’s the story.

In 2004, Matthew, the founder of Ralph Christian had an idea. He wanted to create a high quality, designer watch that young professionals would be proud to wear without breaking the bank. “I saw the Richard Mille’s and the Phillipe Patek’s, then I saw the cheaper ‘little white circles’ that were sold at retail stores. I didn’t see anything interesting to someone that wanted a little flash on their wrist for an affordable price.” That’s when he started playing with the idea of launching an affordable luxury watch brand. “I created some designs and played around with the idea, but didn’t really take substantial action.” However, after over a decade of mulling over his idea, he decided it was time to take action. Ralph Christian Watches was born.

Since launching in 2018, the brand has seen incredible growth and with good reason. What makes the brand unique is that despite a lower cost – no corners are cut in the design and production process. “Our design process is in house and can take anywhere from 3-9 months. We start on a pad of paper and work up to a 3D model before putting together the materials for the watch.” This attention to detail has garnered the attention of young entrepreneurs, athletes, and business professionals in the UK and around the world. “I don’t want to name names, but we have professional athletes in the Premier League and the NFL as well as some pretty well known influencers that have purchased our watches. It feels good to see our brand embraced by some pretty influential people.”

Despite their growth, Matthew shared that the journey to success has created a new problem. Staying true to their brand. “As we have grown, the trap is trying to please everyone. We want to honor those that have been with us from the beginning, but also try to reach a larger audience. It’s a balancing act.” At the end of the day, Ralph Christian just needs to keep doing what they are doing. By focusing on creating attractive and high quality watches, they have grown every year since 2018 based primarily on organic referrals. “We paid for ads, of course, but our brand really grew from word-of-mouth. Our customers loved our product and were more than willing to share with their friends and family.” Quickly heading toward five years in business, their product first approach to business seems to be paying off.

To celebrate their upcoming five year anniversary, Ralph Christian is releasing a limited edition of their best-selling watch – the Intrepid Chronograph.(pictured above) By adding a beautiful rose-gold linked strap to this already stunning watch, they are looking to provide their customers with another eye-catching timepiece for their collection.

If you are looking to learn more about Ralph Christian’s collection of watches or simply want to browse their inventory, you can visit their website at RalphChristian.com. You can also keep up with their latest news and styling tips by following their instagram page.