How the Apple Watch Ultra Became Our Biggest Challenge
Perfection. A goal often pursued, but seldom truly achieved. At BandWerk, our philosophy is that every product, every order leaves our premises only when it is truly flawless. Every piece of customer feedback is carefully analyzed and serves as the foundation for continuous improvements.
Since the inception of the brand in 2015, we have adhered to this philosophy and perfected every aspect of our production, from the selection of materials to shipping. Whether it's sourcing the best tanneries for our high-quality leather or choosing the right paper for our delivery notes to convey a pleasant feel - we pay attention to every detail.
However, in 2022, we encountered an unexpected challenge: the Apple Watch Ultra. Our trusted overseas manufacturers, who have been producing excellent adapters – the connecting parts between the strap and the Apple Watch – for us for years, quickly delivered an updated version for the new watch.
But something was different. The adapters did not fit as seamlessly and firmly into the watch case as we were accustomed to, and despite our intensive efforts, we could not figure out why.
This meant we could not meet our commitment to perfection – a moderate disaster.
Vincent (Co-Founder)
"The stability of the adapter depends on three factors: the general form factor of the adapter housing, the precise size of the middle oval bar, and the correct size of the two rubber buffers. Despite adjustments to these factors, we could not achieve a perfect fit."
Vincent (Co-Founder)
"The stability of the adapter depends on three factors: the general form factor of the adapter housing, the precise size of the middle oval bar, and the correct size of the two rubber buffers. Despite adjustments to these factors, we could not achieve a perfect fit."
The Plan
A change of strategy was needed. Together with Holocreators, a company specializing in extremely precise 3D scans of product components, we decided to first establish a solid foundation.
Just to be safe, we decided to scan everything that could potentially assist us in the design of the adapters, including an Apple Watch Ultra and several original Apple bands.
With the scan files, which were ready a few days later, our internal design team set to work and, based on this, designed a completely new adapter design tailored to our requirements. On paper, the concept was already perfect, but would it also hold up in production?
Our adapter design for the Apple Watch Ultra: Could the problem already be solved with this?
A Detour to China
To ensure the production process went smoothly, we initially sent Flo, our Supply Chain Manager, to Hong Kong to monitor the production progress.
As luck would have it, he was already in Asia. To be precise, we surprised him in the middle of his Vietnam vacation with the request to check on things in Hong Kong.
Day 1 in Hong Kong: Before it can start, the holiday wardrobe must first give way to an appropriate business outfit.
It was a lucky coincidence that brought Flo and Michael together. Hardly had Flo moved into his hotel room and set up, he met Michael.
Michael, who had lived in China until recently, was in Hong Kong at this time waiting for his visa for mainland China. He planned to take care of some bureaucratic things in Beijing.
While Europeans do not need a visa to enter Hong Kong, one is required to enter mainland China - and this can take some days or even weeks, especially in times of Corona.
Michael speaks fluent Chinese and offered Flo his support. He would stand by his side in case of potential language barriers and help navigate the bureaucratic maze that sometimes comes with international business trips.
First Prototypes
The first personal meeting with our Chinese manufacturer took place at a trade fair in Hong Kong. Our producer had a booth there and offered to bring the first adapter prototypes there so that Flo could inspect them.
Unfortunately, these first samples did not quite meet our high quality standards: They still had a bit of play and the surface finish was not quite perfect. Fortunately, our manufacturer proved to be extremely cooperative and suggested that Flo could personally accompany the further development process in the factory in Shenzhen, China, in order to speed up the process and ensure quality.
Flo (Supply Chain Manager)
"Sometimes it's best to monitor production on site to give feedback directly and thus not lose any time in product optimization."
Flo (Supply Chain Manager)
"Sometimes it's best to monitor production on site to give feedback directly and thus not lose any time in product optimization."
The Border Crossing
The journey to Shenzhen turned out to be a special kind of adventure. Although Flo did not have a visa, he was assured that a 5-day visa would be applied for him at the border. Normally this is a straightforward process, but the current prevailing zero-COVID policy put a spanner in the works.
After hours of Covid tests and visa formalities, he finally received the terse reply: "No Entry - Sorry". The reason for this? No one could really explain that, only that he should probably try again at another border crossing.
So it was back to Hong Kong for now, without a hotel booking and in the middle of the night. The only option to get a few hours of sleep now was a (somewhat dubious) hourly hotel in an outlying district of the city.
The good news: The next attempt to cross the border was successful. At another border crossing, Michael and Flo were allowed to pass. Finally, the two of them had made it to Shenzhen.
Border Crossing to Shenzhen, First Attempt
Made it: Finally arrived at the hotel
The Well-Deserved Feast
Michael and Flo with Chou, the world's friendliest Chauffeur
Border Crossing to Shenzhen, First Attempt
Made it: Finally arrived at the hotel
The Well-Deserved Feast
Michael and Flo with Chou, the world's friendliest Chauffeur
Shenzhen
When the two finally arrived in Shenzhen, it was a joy to see familiar faces. Flo had been in contact with some employees of our producer for years, but had never met them in person.
After checking into the hotel, Lu, the factory boss, took the small BandWerk delegation to his favorite restaurant: A hot pot place known for its excellent dishes and very generous portions. A warm welcome and a great experience that made up for the efforts of the past few days.
The adapter production: In order for the parts to really fit perfectly in the end, a lot of adjustment has to be made here.
In the following days, Flo and Michael dedicated themselves with tireless commitment to perfecting the Apple Watch Ultra adapters in the factory. After several adjustments and improvements, we finally achieved the desired results. The milling machines were precisely adjusted to produce an adapter that met our high quality standards.
Mission accomplished
After the work was done, Flo returned to Vietnam to enjoy the rest of his well-deserved vacation, while Michael continued his journey to Beijing.
In Munich, we simultaneously celebrated the successful completion of our mission. Even though it ultimately took much more time than planned, we are glad that our tireless commitment to flawless quality is finally paying off.
As the saying goes: Good things take time. Today we can proudly announce that we probably use the highest quality Ultra adapters on the market. And the best part? It's our own design!