Lee Dowell, a senior in communication, has always had a passion for watches. Now he is able to call himself a true watchmaker and distribute his work across the world. His business, Schmutz Watches, is more of a collaboration than a single business, as the watch faces feature local artists, and the bands are handmade by a leather maker in Logan.
Schmutz, pronounced “shmoots,” launched on Kickstarter a few days ago. The project will be funded if it raises $40,000 before May 5. Dowell is hopeful the company will make the goal, based on the fact it was already 40 percent funded after three days. He said watches have already been sold to people in Singapore, Switzerland and Brazil.
Dowell came up with the idea for the company and started developing it in 2010 after he worked in a watch repair shop and for a watchmaker in New Zealand. His grandmother gave him a book containing diaries and the history of his ancestors in Switzerland, who were also involved with watchmaking. The name Schmutz comes from those ancestors.
The connection helped spark a desire to bring his heritage to life.
“Back then, all of the watches were [painted by hand] as opposed to now, where everything is digitally made,” he said. “When I read from [my great-great-grandmother’s] diary, I really felt that was something that could be brought back.”
Although there are still some businesses who hand-paint their watches, most are out of the average person’s price range. Dowell wanted to make watches accessible and affordable for everyone. The watches are currently priced at $150.
Dowell said part of what makes these watches special is their individuality, because no two watches are the same. Those who purchase a watch select the casing, strap color, accent color and artist for the art on the face.
“It’s the sum of several people’s efforts, not one big company churning out a mass-produced item. This is several people that are individually contributing to each part of the watch,” he said. “It means more that so many people are contributing and putting in their passions.”
There are four artists with their work on the watches that feature different mediums and styles. Dowell is hoping to add more artists in the near future.
Erin Berrett, a local artist who graduated from the U in art in 1998, is one of those artists. She said although working on such a small surface has been a challenge, it has been a fun one. She jumped on board because of the company’s emphasis on local craftsmanship.

“I wanted to be a part of this one-of-a-kind product that is not a reproduction,” she said. “I saw it and knew I would want a watch like that.”
Her realist painting of fans is the only one she has featured on the watches so far, but she has lots of ideas for future art and is excited to continue working on the project.
The watchmaking industry is one that is surprisingly growing, especially in the past couple of years, Dowell said. Watch companies pay tuition to watch schools to encourage students to enter the field and meet the demands of the industry.
He attributes this growth to the country moving away from a mass-produced consumer society toward the demand for quality, handmade products.
“There’s something about having something that will last longer than your car,” he said “[There] isn’t much being made nowadays that will last longer than your car or your life. A watch is one of those things.”
While he has learned and grown through his university studies, Dowell said his most valuable time was spent in the actual field of watchmaking. He has found many people say once you graduate you are safe, but his advice is to always find what you love to do and go do it.
“I don’t think there is any dream someone could have that isn’t worth pursuing,” Dowell said. “That doesn’t mean they have to put all their money in it, but they can start contacting people and making steps to make it a reality.”