Chai and Soemantri started Red Army Watches 16 years ago. — Photos: AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star
Red Army Watches (RAW) in Malaysia was set up by Soemantri Kusumandi and Juliana Aloresa Chai nearly two decades ago to champion unique, independent watch brands with emphasis on individuality, craftsmanship and avant-garde design.
When RAW opened its doors in 2008, it quickly became a destination for collectors and enthusiasts seeking timepieces that stood apart from mainstream offerings.
“The mall formerly known as Tropicana City Mall (now 3 Damansara) was the first to give us the opportunity to showcase something unique and different,” says Chai, managing director of RAW.
“Prior to Covid-19, we had five outlets. The pandemic changed everything and unfortunately, we’ve had to close some of them,” she says.
Currently, RAW still has two main outlets: one in I Utama shopping centre in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, and the other in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.
The stores carry more than 20 independent watch brands, including French, Japanese, Italian, Chinese and even Singaporean brands.
While they have diverse background and experience, both Chai and Soemantri share a common passion for innovation and all things horology.
The ball starting rolling when they noticed a gap between the high-end luxury outlets and the mass cheaper retailers.
“There was nothing in between to serve the mid-tier level, although there were plenty of independent watches out there that were not available in Malaysia at that time,” Chai notes.
“We found that the more affordable mechanical watches were mostly Russian-made.”
After some research, they decided to take a leap of faith and deep-dive into the business. It has been “an incredible journey”, she adds.
RAW flagship store in One Utama.
During the early years of the business, they would attend various watch fairs, including the famed Basel watch fair, to familiarise themselves with the latest trends and models.
RAW executive director Soemantri says gaining access to these fairs, like the one in Basel, was quite an expensive undertaking.
So, rather than aiming for famous names, the pair focused instead on unique brands that have a great story to tell.
“We were nobodies at that time and did not come from a traditional watch industry background,” says Chai.
“In order for us to be different, we had to stand out; that’s why we were drawn to smaller, independent brands.”
Unique stories
“In the beginning, we only carried Russian and German brands − about nine of them − at mid-tier prices. We focused strictly on mechanical watches,” Chai says.
With these smaller brands, Soemantri and Chai had direct access to the founders.
“We often met up with the founders themselves and was amazed by their brand stories. Each watch was like an art piece with its very own unique story,” says Soemantri.
“One of the first few brands that we introduced and still carry today is Sturmanskie from Russia. Most people don’t realise that the first watch to be worn in space was a Sturmanskie.
“In fact, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made his first-ever space flight wearing the Sturmanskie watch specially made for him in 1961,” he adds.
Initially, Sturmanskie watches were designed for army and navy officers, and were not available to the public until 1983.
Today, the Gagarin watch collection is occupied by the models-heirs of the Sturmanskie watches which Yuri Gagarin took with him on that historic flight to space, as did many other Soviet cosmonauts following that event.
The watches from the collection come in many variations, but each one is easily recognised thanks to the characteristic features of its Soviet ancestor.
Taking on challenges
“Most of the brands we represent are smaller brands, so there is more freedom in creating what we want within the store,” says Chai.
“That gives us the opportunity to put RAW first. Since we do not come from a generational business background, we don’t have a family backup. So, for us, it’s a matter of do or die!
“And that reality makes us work even harder to ensure the success of RAW,” she adds.
This has also become the impetus for creativity.
“We are able to innovate since we are not bound by customs or heritage,” says Soemantri.
“In fact, it has pushed us to think out of the box when it comes to running the business.”
RAW carries Alexander Shorokhoff watches.
He says customers often ask him: “‘Why do I need to buy watches from you since there are other mainstream watches?’
“We take this challenge as our advantage as we can focus on the overall buying experience for our customer.
“We take the time to share the interesting stories of each of our watches so that customers leave with the feeling that they’ve gained something more than just a timepiece.
“Even with the store name, Red Army Watches, gets people curious about what the store is about and acts as a conversation starter when they step into the store,” he adds.
“It’s such a great feeling when we meet our customers who were first jobbers years ago, and are now bringing their own children into the store.
“Seeing how our customers have grown with us is a satisfaction that can’t be measured,” says Soemantri.
“It may be a business, but it also feels like one big family, be it our customers or the watch brands we deal with, some of which we’ve carried since day one.
“These days, if we happen to drop by the store, we probably won’t be able to get much work done as we’ll end up chatting with our regular customers, many of whom have become friends through the years!” he says with a laugh.
Striking a balance
In retrospect, Chai and Soemantri reveal they had to make some tough decisions post-Covid-19.
“During that period, most of our retail contracts were ending, so it was actually a blessing in disguise and perfect timing for us to close some of our stores,“ says Soemantri.
“Even though business was difficult then, it was easier to survive through Covid-19 since we were a small independent company.
“We also managed to keep all our staff during the pandemic,” he says.
One important lesson they learned was to embrace digital transformation.
“Prior to Covid-19, we didn’t have an online Malaysian store,” says Chai.
“But within the first two weeks of lockdown, we established our first online store to allow our customers access to an e-commerce marketplace.”
Buoyed by its online success, RAW continues to offer online access to customers who prefer convenience when making a purchase.
A quick glance at the many watch brands on display.
“We also noticed that customers do not want to go through the hassle of parking and being caught in a jam just so they can purchase a watch.
“This made us rethink whether we needed an outlet out of state.
“With our online presence, we are still able to serve our customers who are based in Johor, Kelantan and even Sabah,” says Chai.
“In the comfort of their own home, customers can browse and study which model to buy before deciding a purchase,” she says.
However, Soemantri is of the view that an online marketplace will not be the main sales channel.
“Physical stores and the opportunity to touch and feel each watch will still be the preferred mode of purchase,” he notes.
“In terms of brand portfolio, we are growing and now carry models with higher price points.
“You probably won’t spend about RM15,000 online for a watch. If you are going to spend that amount, you’ll want to see the watch in person to ensure that it is the right one for you,” he opines.
“We live a very fast-paced lifestyle. Throughout the day, we are often so busy and sometimes forget what’s important to us.
“The good news is, you are the captain of your own life, so how you choose to make the best of whatever limited time you have is up to you,” concludes Soemantri.
