Ibarra Watch

[Timothee Cazares]

Foundedin 2014, Ibarra prides itself as a Filipino watch company that crafts universally appealing timepieces that exude classic aesthetics, demonstrate quality, and share in the spirit of innovation. Throughout its young history, it has become a symbol of national pride as Ibarra timepieces have made their way onto the wrists of history-makers themselves, including national athletes, ASEAN leaders and ministers, and a Philippine President, among others.

The future will still depend on how the market receives Ibarra today. We can only plan so much. We need to build up on the capital we need to push the brand further along with the models we hope we can release eventually. But that will not happen unless people help support the dream.Like true watch enthusiasts, we want to be able to design military-inspired pieces, elegant steel ones, or even get into the line of divers and complications. These are all music to the ears, of course, but we need to get all the instruments to create those tunes that come on the form of the beautiful ticking heartbeat.

Now that Ibarra Watches is on its way to becoming a well-known local brand in the country, what advice can you give other aspiring young Filipino entrepreneurs who dream about starting their own business?

When he first realized that no other Filipino watch brand assembled watches in the country, he decided that it was the right time to embark on a journey of self-discovery to find out if he could help change that.

He named the brand after the main protagonist in a book written by Philippine national hero Jose Rizal. In the late 19th century, Dr. Rizal inspired a revolution to free the country from Spanish colonial rule.

Moreno took the business online, focusing his efforts on overseas markets with large populations of Filipinos. This included the United States, where 3.5 million Filipinos live, and the Middle East which is home to another two million Filipinos.

It has also caught the eye of well-known individuals, including local celebrities and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who showed off his Ibarra watch at a press conference before a trip to Russia.

It is also working hard to shorten the manufacturing cycle for each batch of watches. Typically, it takes five to eight months from design to launch, and only 150 to 300 pieces are produced per model.

As indicated by Moreno, a part-time course facilitator in De La Salle University, Ibarra went on an equivalent solid sense of Filipino pride and nationalism which propelled him to begin the business. Seeing the watch-making industry ascend in his own country became a dream that was sparked by his passion for watches. Confidence and strong conviction made him move forward. With his product knowledge and unwavering belief in patriotism, Moreno took a step up from being a corporate employee to having a start-up business in 2015.

Ably assisted by his younger brother Miggy Moreno, in charge of Sales and Marketing, The Moreno brothers absolutely have the vision and motivation. They have a full knowledge of the execution and the supply chain and market prerequisites.

Their fifth and sixth timepiece designs, the Rizal and Rivera, are released now at last, and the supply has gotten better now. The big names who proudly flaunt their Ibarra watches are Youtube vlogger Wil Dasovich, photographer Jason Magbanua, actors Jericho Rosales and Marian Rivera, and our President Rodrigo Duterte.

Grade schoolchildren from the Filipino Education Center (FEC) Galing Bata Bilingual Program at Bessie Carmichael School in San Francisco are among those who attended the special watch party, wearing their best Filipiniana attire.

The Sucesos Mechanical Hand Wind is not a common watch one would see today. Taking inspiration from the actual wristwatch worn by our national hero in the 19th century, this modern recreation has an aesthetic of more than a century-old timepiece but was still made to fit the modern wrist. It has a small enamel dial housed in a vintage-looking case that has a hinged double case back which adds more character to the watch. It houses a Swiss ETA manual wind movement that is a step up from the usual timepieces made by Ibarra since its establishment.

The Sucesos Mechanical Hand Wind will be released in a serialized number of 158 pieces and will be available for pre-selling beginning this June at a special price of PHP64,999.75 (SRP PHP84,999.75). Expected market release of the watch will be in December 2019. Exclusive editions will be made available to the Order of the Knights of Rizal and the Freemasons, respectively.

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