Oak & Oscar: The origin story
Hey there!—I’m Chase, founder of Oak & Oscar.
Folks love to ask me how I started Oak & Oscar, and the story behind the name. Well...in short, I started Oak & Oscar to create a job that I would love, to build a career I was passionate about, and to find a better work-life balance. The long version? Here it goes...
I spent a couple of years finding the right production partners, perfecting our design language, and eventually even made 3D prototypes. I got to a point where I had to decide: either go for it and try or shelve the idea and not move forward.
In 2014, I asked my dad for advice (on Thanksgiving, over bourbon) about leaving my corporate job that was cushy, but I didn’t have much passion for it. He offered the best advice any parent could, which encouraged me to take a chance on myself and start my company.
He told me, "What would you tell your own kid? Would you tell him to remain in a stable job that you aren't passionate about, or go out and chase your dreams?" I was pretty much set on the path to start my own watch company after that.
As for the name, that was easy for me. I wanted to combine my passions: Bourbon, which is aged in oak barrels, and dogs. (My lovable but mischievous pup is named Oscar—that’s him in the photo up above.) With the name locked in, I turned my attention to making watches according to my three guiding principles: to make no little plans, the belief that good people make great products, and that the details always make the design.
You can probably tell that Oak & Oscar is very personal to me—the products we make and the relationships we build with our Owners make this a dream job. I don't think it's even fair to call this a job.
I'm SO incredibly grateful and humbled that people love our watches. Your appreciation not only means that I get to continue making awesome new pieces, but that I get to spend more time doing what I love.
As Chicago’s famed architect and city planner Daniel Burnham once said: “Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood.”
It’s true—most of the time, the big risks really are worth taking.
Want to see all the cool watches we've created over the years? Click here!