Over the past few days, I went back through our supplier price lists and recalculated the real cost of building an EP Watches piece. It was the first complete review I had carried out in several months, and the conclusion was impossible to ignore: the cost of many of the components and services behind our watches has risen significantly.

For a young independent watch brand, that matters. We do not manufacture tens of thousands of identical pieces or negotiate at the scale of a global group. Every movement, case, dial, set of hands, bracelet, finishing operation, presentation box and shipment has a direct impact on the final cost of a watch.

That is why some EP Watches retail prices are being updated in 2026. This is not a decision we take lightly, and it is not an excuse to change our positioning overnight. It is a decision made to protect something more important: the standard we want every EP Watches customer to receive.

What is driving the increase in watch production costs?

The price of a finished watch is not determined by one component alone. It is the sum of dozens of elements, and several of those cost lines have moved upward at the same time.

1. Updated supplier prices

The most immediate factor is also the simplest: our suppliers have revised their prices. The components we reorder today no longer always cost what they did a few months ago. For a small independent brand working in limited quantities, increases at supplier level are felt quickly and directly.

2. Movements and technical components

The movement remains one of the most important parts of a watch. EP Watches uses established calibres selected according to each model, including automatic and meca-quartz movements. When the purchase price of a movement rises, that increase affects the complete build immediately.

The same applies to movement holders, crowns, pushers, gaskets, hands and other technical elements that may appear small individually but are essential to reliability, assembly and long-term serviceability.

3. Cases, dials, hands and bracelets

Our watches are built from components chosen for their appearance, durability and compatibility with the project. Stainless-steel cases, dials, applied indexes, hands, bezels, crystals, straps and bracelets all contribute to the finished piece.

We could sometimes reduce costs by choosing a cheaper alternative. But a lower purchasing price is not automatically a better decision for the customer — especially if it changes the look, feel, durability or identity of the watch.

4. Finishing, personalisation and small-series production

EP Watches is not based on anonymous mass production. Personalisation, engraving, special configurations and small quantities are part of what makes the project different. These services require additional work, preparation and, in many cases, supplier minimums or individual handling.

Producing in smaller quantities also means we do not benefit from the same economies of scale as brands ordering thousands of identical components at once.

5. Packaging, logistics and the complete customer experience

The watch is only one part of what the customer receives. Our premium presentation, official documentation, warranty certificate, protective packaging and shipping all form part of the real cost of delivering an EP Watches piece properly.

Transport and landed costs can also vary from one order to another. For a brand sourcing specialist components from different suppliers, those variations accumulate.

The Capitão has now crossed the CHF 500 mark

One example makes the change particularly tangible. After updating the current component costs, the Capitão now has a retail price slightly above CHF 500 for the first time.

Seeing one of our best-known models cross that threshold made the situation very real for us too. It would be easy to look only at the final number. But the more important question is: what should we change in order to keep the old price?

Our answer is clear: we do not want to quietly downgrade the product simply to preserve a number.

What EP Watches will not compromise on

Price adjustments only make sense if the customer can clearly understand what we are protecting. These are the principles we intend to keep:

• Carefully selected components chosen for the model rather than simply for the lowest possible cost.
• Careful hand assembly and control in our atelier in Switzerland.
• Personalisation as a central part of the EP Watches experience, from aesthetic choices to special projects and engravings.
• Premium presentation so that receiving the watch feels like receiving something meaningful, not just another parcel.
• An official warranty certificate accompanying each watch.
• A 3-year EP Watches warranty and direct support after the purchase.
• Transparency about the components, the way we work and the reality of being a small independent brand.

Why we prefer to adjust prices instead of reducing quality

There are two obvious ways to react when costs rise. One is to maintain the old selling price and quietly reduce the cost of the product. The other is to preserve the product and adjust the price when necessary.

We believe the second path is the right one for EP Watches.

This does not mean that every expensive component is automatically better, nor that prices should increase without discipline. We will continue to compare suppliers, negotiate, improve our purchasing decisions and control unnecessary costs. Efficiency matters.

But there is a difference between becoming more efficient and making the watch worse. That is the line we do not want to cross.

What this means for our customers

Some models will see their retail prices change as new supplier costs are integrated. The exact evolution may differ from one watch to another because the components, movements, bracelets and configurations are not the same.

Our objective is not to chase a higher price point. It is to maintain a sustainable price that allows us to continue assembling, personalising, guaranteeing and supporting the watches in the way we believe they should be delivered.

For customers considering a personalised project, the final price will continue to depend on the model and the level of customisation requested. We will remain clear about those costs before production begins.

An independent brand also has to be transparent

Building EP Watches means sharing the enjoyable milestones, but also the less comfortable decisions. A price increase is never the kind of announcement a brand is excited to make. Yet hiding it behind vague language would not reflect the way we want to work.

Our costs have changed. Our standards have not.

We believe that protecting the quality, personality and service behind each watch is the right direction for the long term — even when that means making difficult adjustments today.

Thank you to everyone who follows, supports and buys from EP Watches. Every order helps an independent project continue to grow without losing the values on which it was built.

EP — Eduardo Pimenta Watches
More than time — it’s life.
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