Q&A: CHP Caliber on championing indies in the Northeast

Consultancy and distribution platform CHP Caliber was founded in 2025 by industry stalwart, Becca Florence Davis. Davis has extensive industry experience, including a five year stint at American brand Shinola. She’s recently carved out a niche at CHP Caliber for championing independent watchmakers, including the likes of Hampden and Briston. Watch Insider’s Daniel Malins caught up with her to find out more about her expanding operation.

Watch Insider: What roads led to the formation of CHP Caliber?

Becca Florence Davis: Well, if you want to go way back, I actually moved to New York when I was 18, and I started my luxury goods journey working part-time slinging denim at Diesel. From there, I worked at various other different retail jobs (Mulberry, Stella McCartney), and I even worked at a fine jewelry store for a year and change. I got into watches when I worked for Shinola as their account executive for five years — by far my favorite gig. The watch addiction began, along with the strong relationships I began building with some of the best independent retailers in the Northeast.

There are a lot of account executives that cycle in and out of a position like that — understandably so, it’s a tough job. You’re on the road all the time, cold calling, negotiating, juggling a million tasks at once, merchandising, training, all along with hitting targets and ultimately trying to sell watches. It’s something that takes some stamina. I worked with these retailers through the good and bad — even the pandemic — we all stuck it out together. When you go through a collective economic and global crisis, in a weird way it brings you together, and the relationships strengthen and deepen. When I decided to leave Shinola, I did my own thing for a while, which had a lot to do with company culture and treating people well. That is, to this day, the basis of every business decision I make. I started out in retail on the frontlines. I completely understand what these retailers and their teams go through on a granular level. They are undoubtedly the heart and soul of the luxury goods industry.

All of that being said, I missed working in the watch world. I went to my first watch fair in 2022, and I was floored. I had never heard of any of these brands. They were at such great price points and impressive quality. All I could think of was, “Why haven’t I heard of them? Where are they? How can I try them on but not at a fair?” 

As we know, a lot of these brands are only available online. CHP Caliber was built out of sheer necessity. I decided to use my superpowers for good and utilize the connections that I had built in the industry to become a ‘matchmaker’ of sorts for these brands and these retailers. So far, it’s been great. The reception has been strong. It’s growing, slowly but surely. All good things take time.

The taproot of what I do is firmly rooted in lifting up and being of service to small businesses, retailers, and brands alike, with the unwavering mentality that there’s room in the sandbox for everyone to play (and yeah, make some money while doing it).

WI: How do you choose which brands to partner with? Do they generally come to you or do you reach out to them?

BFD: It’s been a healthy combination of both, since I have strong brands signed (Briston, Tsar Bomba, Hampden) and I’ve opened with retailers (NY, Connecticut, Boston, Maryland, DC (the Pentagon)). There are brands that have since approached me, but man… I was hustling last year! I launched my company in February 2025. I had about 60 brand meetings that year, and I didn’t sign my first brand until August, which in retrospect made total sense. I had to educate the marketplace about what I was doing because not many people are doing exactly what I’m doing, the way I’m doing it. Sure, there are plenty of agents and distributors that are distributing, but my concept is a little bit different. 

While some of the retailers I work with have a full assortment of certain brands, the CHP Caliber concept is different; the concept is this: 2 feet of case space, a little placard that says “the future of independent watchmaking,” and featuring each of these brands at 5 to 10 SKUs each. This allows the retailer to test the brands, see if their clients like them, see how quickly they turn, and then expand the collection. Some brands have sold through so well already that my retailers are expanding even more into the lines. It’s working, and is turning the traditional ‘buy 30 SKUs and see what happens’ model on its head.

The way I choose brands is very intentional. My goal is never to take someone’s money just to take it. I’ve turned down brands before because I don’t think they would be the right fit, even though I love the product and people, but then we get to work together in other ways; I’m all about what’s best for their particular situation, money aside.

When I decide to sign a brand, I ask a few things: What’s your story? What’s at the heart of your brand? Why do retailers need it? The second, if not, most important thing to talk about is operations. The biggest pain point for these retailers is repairs, special orders, anything that’s client-facing and has to do with logistics. I’m a bit obsessive over the client experience, and a part of that mission is ensuring brands are operationally in a place where they can support a wholesale model. Or, if they’re not, cool. I can help get them there.

WI: What is it that you love about the watch industry?

BFD: What I love, especially about the independent watch industry, is the idea that there is something for everyone. I strongly believe that everyone deserves a nice watch. And that doesn’t have to cost tens of thousands of dollars. People can be a part of this community, whether they’re wearing a $30 Farr and Swit Retro Digital watch (one of my faves), or a $30K Patek [Philippe].

There’s also a sense of creativity and humor in some of these indie brands that I think is so refreshing in a sea of what can feel like uber-seriousness. For example, Farr and Swit’s Retro Digital Killcount watch that has blood spatter on it, or Sevenfriday’s watch that quite literally says: “Action talks, Bullshit walks.” I love that. Let’s see more of it.

This industry has been around for centuries, but some of the best products I’ve seen are from brands that are edgy, take risks, and that have the ability to laugh at themselves a little bit. At the end of the day, we’re selling something that is in no way a necessity. We’ve got our phones to tell time. We’re selling individuality, story, and creativity. We might as well have some fun, whether it be in the brand stories, the materials that are being used, or if a brand has an eccentric founder who lives and breathes their business. Those people and products are my favorite.

But then there’s this juxtaposition of brands that are doing insanely high-quality work at affordable price points that blow my mind. Not to play favorites, but I think all three of the brands I represent currently — Tsar Bomba, Briston, Hampden — are excellent examples of that. Many of the watches in these lines could easily be priced at $1,000+, and my retailers wouldn’t bat an eyelash. And the fact that the sweet spot of them is under $1,000 makes my job a lot easier than I thought it would be.

WI: Why is it so important for brands to have strong relationships with their retail partners?

BFD: I’ll say this now, and I’ll say it until everyone is sick of hearing it: retail workers and the people working in stores are the heartbeat of the luxury goods industry. In order to be successful or build a meaningful business in independent retailers, their respect, trust, and partnership is paramount. It’s a non-negotiable, and it’s where I’ve seen a lot of brands trip up. There isn’t enough time investment in building a relationship with people at a store level, and that’s their Achilles heel. That part-time sales associate that only works on weekends and is partially retired is arguably just as, if not more, important than the buyer or owner. Those are the people who are going to be your champions, but you’ve got to champion them first.

This is why I’m so damn passionate about bringing these watches into physical retailers, because I’ve seen what amazing in-store relationships can do for a brand. I’ve seen clients light up at trunk shows and buy piles of watches when they have a good relationship with the brand rep who’s there working the events alongside the retail workers. I’ve seen it trickle down and positively affect a brand’s DTC e-commerce business. All of these brand touchpoints matter, and expanding into independent retailers, where you’re actively investing time and presence is  worth its weight in gold.

It’s so easy to buy someone a cup of coffee. It’s so easy to come in and bring a little bag of chocolates for the team. When I do that, I’m shocked at how taken aback some of these stores are, blown away by such small acts of appreciation. It doesn’t take much, but in the hustle and bustle of sell-in, sell-through, etc., it’s a small but critical step that’s easy to gloss over. Coffee, treats, and gifts have a huge ROI. A box of cookies has turned into a $25K reorder or opening a new store more times than you’d think.

WI: How different are individual retailers in your experience? Do they all tend to follow the same patterns and behaviors or does it vary from store to store and state to state?

BFD: There are a lot of differences, but there are also a lot of similarities. I would say the thing that varies the most is the type of assortment they want, and the brands they decide to carry. But when it comes to operations and back-of-house support, it’s all pretty standard. The thing is, I also mainly work in the Northeast, not all over the US (yet). So I’m sure from region to region things differ quite a bit, but in my particular territory there are more similarities than differences. I think the level of support is totally different, though — some stores, there are three people working there doing everything (e-comm, marketing, reporting, inventory), and other stores have whole teams dedicated to each department. 

WI: What will you be looking to achieve in Geneva this week?

BFD: Ultimately, I’m looking to sign one to two more brands and add them to the CHP Caliber portfolio. The goal is to get into 20–30 retailers by the end of year, and we’re on track to do that. I don’t want to oversaturate my own company with too many brands, but with that said, there are other aesthetics and price points I’m looking to fill within my current lineup. I’m excited about the brands I’m currently in talks with, and some I’ll be meeting for the first time.

There are also a lot of different ways that I can engage with these brands in a consulting capacity, even if they’re not ‘officially’ signed with me. With every brand I’m meeting, I’m very interested in hearing their feedback, grievances, and difficulties in entering the US market. While I’m obviously a big talker, I’m looking to do a lot of listening in Geneva. I want to hear what they need, and support them in answering any questions they may have for me. I’m looking forward to collaborating with brands and being of service to some of these brands that are extremely ready to take that next step, and they just don’t know where to start.

WI: What changes do you predict we’ll see, both in retail and at brand level, over the coming 12 months? Will the appetite for independent brands continue to be so strong?

BFD: In the next year, I see fairs getting maxed out and clients continuing to seek out where they can actually try on watches in person. Not just buying them online, or waiting for a fair to come around once a year. These watch fairs are always crawling with watch lovers because there isn’t a consistent place for people to try and buy these brands. There are lines around the block for entry, sales through the roof — the demand continues to be there and will continue to be there. To be honest, I don’t think making these watches more accessible (i.e. being in independent retailers) will oversaturate anything — I think it will satiate a need that’s been long overdue. Clients at these independent retailers are sick of seeing the same watches over and over again. 

Recently, there was an event at one of my retailers, Lumos Jewelers, and the independent brands were 40% of total sales from the entire night, with Tsar Bomba specifically outselling all brands carried (including Tissot, Hamilton, Seiko, and G-Shock). I wasn’t surprised at all. The clients were flabbergasted, as many of these folks don’t live close to where the watch fairs are. They have no idea what’s out there. 

So the more and more we can bring these brands to them, the better it’s going to be for the independent watch market as a whole. The dream vision is, within the next five years, having a solid network of CHP Caliber retailers (150-200 max in the US) that are on the cutting edge of what’s new — that aren’t afraid to test new watches, take risks, and bring their clients brands that could become the next big name in the industry. I’m cautiously optimistic about the future. I’m humbled by the opportunity and conversations I’ve had with brands, retailers, and watch nerds all over the world.

The hunger is there. The appetites haven’t even been close to satiated, because up until now there weren’t a lot of places to sit down and eat. Let’s give people what they want, and build more places where they can finally discover their next favorite dish — which, in our world, is their new favorite indie brand and retailer.