CHP Caliber was founded with the aim of connecting emerging talent with top-tier jewelry and specialty stores, giving retailers early access to exclusive, innovative timepieces.
Focused on quality, storytelling, and rarity, CHP Caliber helps collectors discover watches not found in the mainstream market while supporting the next generation of independent watchmakers. Their curated partnerships give both retailers and enthusiasts a competitive edge in today’s fast-evolving watch industry.
Here, we caught up with founder Becca Florence Davis to find out more.
Can you tell us a bit more about your background within watches and beyond?
I’ve been in retail/wholesale for a combined 14+ years. My leadership and sales expertise landed me at Mulberry, Stella McCartney, and then, (where I fell in love with watches), Shinola, for about 5 years. I started out there as a Brand Coordinator, training/merchandising for the big box doors – Neiman’s, Nordstrom, Saks, and Bloomingdales.
Then, when Shinola started branching out into managing our independent accounts in-house, I was promoted to the Northeast Account Executive position. My focus shifted from servicing majors, to focusing on 90+ East Coast Independent Doors (Hamilton, Reeds, Longs, London, Nagi, Smyth, Brent Miller, Etc) by managing their assortments, assessing their reporting to ensure they had the best product possible, seasonal buys, and training elements.
And man, did I fall in love with indie retailers. Hearing some of the stories of these owners, buyers, and their teams, ignited a passion within me to do everything I could to support their businesses. I quickly had a vested interest in their success, and it laid the groundwork for impactful and authentic partnerships.
What does CHP Caliber deliver to the watch industry?
The idea for CHP came to me three or so years ago when I attended my first Windup Watch Fair. I had no idea so many incredible, relevant, high-quality, and reasonably priced watch brand existed. I started to wonder how do we get these watches in front of more people? Why don’t any of my old accounts carry these new and upcoming brands? Where can people try these on in-person?
What I discovered, in consulting with some of my retailer contacts, is not that they don’t want to feature or buy these brands – it’s that a lot of them don’t have the time or bandwidth to entertain it. It’s a completely reasonable roadblock, so there’s where CHP Caliber can bridge the gap/do the work for them.
What CHP Caliber is offering is simple, effective, and fills a niche in the watch industry that’s lacking at the moment in terms of access and education around these incredible independent and micro watch brands.
The concept is this: A proposed case space for 3-5 vetted CHP brands in some of the top watch/jewelry retailers, plus a placard reading “The Future of Independent Watchmaking.” Here, brands chosen will complement each other, not compete, and retailers will also be strategically chosen to ensure sell through.
Ultimately, with this model, it gives brands a foot in the door that they may not have ever gotten otherwise, due to the trust I’ve built with these retailers. And on the Retailer side, it gives them something extremely fresh, relevant and exclusive.
I believe with the right execution, this model could change the face of the independent watch market while bringing something fresh to independent jewelry and watch world.
How do watch brands benefit working with you?
The main benefit is securing appointments and getting a seat at the table. These retailers know me, my quality of work, and my high standards for customer care. They know if I’m vetting a brand, I’m bringing in someone who I also trust; whose product I believe in. That’s something that isn’t built overnight, and takes having years logged in working in the industry.
Ultimately, my relationship with brands should feel like a partnership. We’re in this together. It’s a new thing we’re trying to do. I want to use everything I know in the realm of wholesale and retail to ensure these brands are set up for success when entering (what will be for some of them) their first wholesale partnerships.
While I have a few brands that I’m currently in contract negotiations with, I have 2-3 slots left for the launch. I’ll be in Chicago at Windup in July scouting for the final spots.
How does that differ for retailers?
For my current retailers, I think it’ll be a special, reignition of an already awesome relationship. My inaugural stores will mostly be people I’ve worked with before (although I’m totally open to ones I haven’t if they’re interested!) so they know the drill with me. I’m honest. I’m fair. And I will not sell them anything I don’t 100% believe in.
The best part of all of this, is over the years, I’ve gained so much invaluable leadership and business experience from running my own company (CHP Consulting); I now can relate on a visceral level with these buyers/owners on how revenue driving actions and business decisions are key to keeping them going.
We all sell what we love, and it’s my job to help these indie retailers fall in love with the brands I love, too.
How does calling upon your personal experience within the watch retail industry help?
I firmly believe knowledge, wisdom, everything I’ve learned derives just as much from the challenges as it does from the wins. I’ve been beyond grateful to have a lot of wins in my career, but I’ve also seen mistakes happen. No company is perfect, no business model is perfect, no person is perfect. I’ve had to pivot and adapt, especially in today’s landscape, but what sets CHP Caliber apart is how we, as a team, have handled challenges and risen to multiple occasions throughout our careers; it separates the no’s from the pro’s.
I’ve been told (several times, by my mom) “If you’re comfortable, you’re not growing.” By being okay with growth and discomfort, which a lot of young brands faces, I can draw from what I’ve learned, and help my brands mitigate certain growing pains in the future.
CHP stands for Creativity + Humanity = Profitability. The human part is important and essential to any business/brand I engage with.
I have a pretty special list of folks I either call friends, mentors, advisors, or simply people in the industry I really connect with – the likes of Shannon Washburn (former Shinola CEO), Hank Siegel (President of Hamilton Jewelers), Ron Thurston (Retail Champion/Best-Selling Author/Mentor), and Anthony Austin (Former CHRO of Bedrock Manufacturing).
They all have had invaluable insight, thoughtful advice, and they see the vision. That being said, I’ve learned that anything great can’t be done alone. I value and respect their opinions wholeheartedly, and I think a sign of a great business mind is knowing what we know, but also knowing what we don’t know.
When I first started as an Account Executive, my boss was Jamie McGrath. Jamie was the Director of Sales for Shinola and was the VP of Sales/Marketing Temple St. Clair for over a decade. She taught me almost everything I know about marketing, reporting, and sales analytics – I knew how to sell, and she turned it into strategy. I’m sure she’s annoyed at how often I sing her praises, but I can’t sing them enough. She rocks.
The reason I mention these folks isn’t for the namesake, but to speak to the fact that Rome wasn’t built in a day, but also, Rome wasn’t built alone. I strongly believe in CHP Caliber. But it’s the people along the way who have influenced me in my career, and continue to be of support, that gives me the confidence to know this is going to work. It’s about timing, strategy, and the right partners.
On the detail, can you give us an insight into what it’s like to work with CHP Caliber and how a partnership looks?
It’s extremely collaborative, and I’m sure that’ll continue even as CHP Caliber grows. Every brand is different and is coming in with different needs. Some people have dabbled in wholesale and are super prepared – some have no idea where to start. I’m interested in taking care of everyone in-between and seeing where CHP Caliber can fill the gaps, for stores and for brands.
After meeting a brand, I build them a custom proposal which usually involves a 6-month plan with hopes to launch doors by September, right before holiday season. Between now and then, I’ll be visiting doors with samples, selling in assortments, training teams, and working with the brands on other operational/technical needs before their wholesale launch.
The stores are more of a well-oiled machine, because most of them have been around for decades. These partnerships will look slightly different in terms of how they’d normally interact with one brand. We’re carrying several, so the overall assortment must be cohesive, and has to look good together. Stores can be assured the brands I chose will be high-quality, operationally supportive (IE repairs, shipping), and stunning aesthetically.
What does growth look like for CHP Caliber?
One nugget of wisdom Shannon imparted on me was to “go slow”. And I couldn’t agree with her more. I love the saying, “How do you eat an Elephant? One bite at a time” because it’s true; all long-term, sustainable growth takes time. I’m not in the business of making a quick buck – I want this to stick.
Ideally, we’re talking maybe 3-5 years in the future – I see there being 150 strong, kick-ass stores, carrying CHP Caliber brands. I’d love to have some of the first brands that started with CHP Caliber running their own wholesale businesses, with big, beefy assortments in some of the first CHP Caliber Retailers. 150 may seem small when you think about the US, but again, I’m going for quality, not necessarily quantity.
But ultimately, CHP Caliber being a success looks like independent watchmakers and retailers thriving by working together. Seeing an independent make their way into becoming the next legacy brand would be the dream, and I think any other retailer involved would also agree.