Gebauer Watches is a watch brand based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, founded by Liam Gebauer in 2026. The watches are crafted in Japan and feature real wood dials. The first edition is limited to 300 watches total, with 100 of each of three wood variants (Hinoki, Black Ebony, African Padauk).
Liam Gebauer founded Gebauer Watches in 2026 when he was 14, after buying his first watch in Milan and finding nothing comparable for other teens. He runs the brand, designs the watches, and writes the content. The company is based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
No. Gebauer Watches is an independent brand based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, founded by Liam Gebauer. Marc Gebauer is a separate person, a Swiss-based watch reviewer and retailer. There is no affiliation or connection between the two.
Three wood variants: Hinoki ($299, Japanese cypress with pale gold grain), Black Ebony ($339, dense and deep), and African Padauk ($375, ages from fiery orange to deep burgundy over years). Each dial is naturally one of one because no two pieces of wood have the same grain pattern.
The watches are made in Japan. The packaging is made in Italy. Each watch uses a Seiko VH31 meca-quartz movement, a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, a 316L stainless steel case (39mm) with a butterfly clasp, and 3 ATM water resistance.
The first edition is 300 watches total: 100 Hinoki, 100 Black Ebony, and 100 African Padauk. Each watch is individually numbered within its wood variant (for example, EBONY 012 / 100). Watch numbers are reserved personally rather than auto-assigned.
Samples arrive August 2026. The Kickstarter campaign launches in November 2026. Watches ship to backers in early 2027. To get notified at launch, sign up at gebauerwatches.com.
Seiko VH31 meca-quartz movement. It pairs the accuracy of a quartz movement with the sweeping seconds-hand motion of a mechanical watch.
Gebauer Watches is built for milestone gifting for young men, typically aged 13 to 25. The buyer is usually a parent or family member; the recipient is the young man marking a moment that matters (graduation, 16th birthday, confirmation, coming of age).
Liam writes a daily founder log at gebauerwatches.substack.com. It covers what is actually happening as Gebauer Watches gets built.