Our Story
WHY I STARTED OVADER
Not long ago, I was looking through old photographs when I came across a picture of my childhood dog, Butch.
The moment I saw it, I was reminded of how much of my life he had been a part of. We spent countless days together exploring in the woods, climbing trees, catching frogs and crayfish in the creek, and later, when I was a teenager, how he was often the quiet companion who sat beside me on the days I needed it most.
Looking at that photograph brought back memories and a time in my life I hadn't thought about in years.
Then another thought crossed my mind.
Butch's ashes were sitting in an urn on a shelf at my parents' house.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with an urn. But seeing that photo made me realize something felt incomplete. The memories that came rushing back weren't of a shelf or stillness. They were of adventures, loyalty, companionship, and all the moments we shared together.
I found myself wondering if there was a way to carry a small piece of that story forward.
At the same time, I had another passion: wristwatches.
What started as a simple idea became months of experimentation, failures, setbacks, and more than a few moments where I considered giving up entirely. But the idea kept pulling me back. Eventually, I created the first Ovader watch.
What began as a watch containing ashes soon became something much bigger.
I realized this wasn't really about just a watch with ashes in the dial. It was about memories. The people who shaped us. The places that changed us. The moments we never want to forget.
That realization led to other meaningful materials. Soil from a childhood home, the place that made you who you are. Sand from the beach where a couple became engaged, a moment that was the start of something new. Materials tied to stories that deserve to be carried forward.
Today, every Ovader watch is still built one at a time by hand. Not in a large factory. Not on an assembly line. Each piece is created with the care and respect that meaningful memories deserve.
The first production model I made was in honor of my dog, and our memories. Every time I wear it, it reminds me why I started.
Now when I check the time, I don't just think about where I need to be. I think about where I came from and what matters most.
Carry What Matters.
