As the age-old saying holds, time is money, and the men behind Jack Mason are on a mission to make their customers look like a million bucks. Since best friends Craig Carter and Michael Reese launched Jack Mason, the pair have become a strong force in the accessories game. They have partnered with a variety of high-end retailers, including Dillard’s, Jared, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, and Nordstrom.
“Nordstrom was our first customer,” Carter says. “That was the biggest goal we had set out; having a brand, saving it, and taking it to Nordstrom. Having been in the watch industry for so many years, we just knew there was a need for a new type of watch among all of the brands available.”
By the time Carter and Reese had presented their designs and inventions to Nordstrom, the pair had a combined 25 years of retail and wholesale experience, having developed an affinity and knowledge of timepieces throughout the years.
“Mike and I first met here in Dallas,” Carter says. “We were working for the same company when we first moved here. He actually stayed at that same company for a few years and I went off to work for other companies in retail/sales environments.”
Carter and Reese were later reunited at a different watch company, where they eventually came to the conclusion that they wanted to create products of their own.
“We wanted to be a true lifestyle brand,” Carter says. “We wanted to create something that we saw a need for in the market.”
The pair launched Jack Mason in 2013 and their products were immediately well-received.
“When we went to do a presentation for Nordstrom in Seattle, that was kind of the defining moment for us,” Carter says. “We made it into the jewelry section of Nordstrom, as well as the men’s’ section, so we were double exposed. Not a lot of brands have this to their credit.”
When choosing where to set up their headquarters, Carter and Reese wanted to be in an area that had a familial, community-oriented feel.
“We had originally set up shop in the West End, which is a great area, but we couldn’t really do everything we wanted to do,” Carter says. “When we got our first office where we could ship and receive product, we were actually in the Design District. But the Design District is just so big and Deep Ellum just has more of a community type feel to it.”
The pair finally decided to set up shop in Deep Ellum, among various local brands.
“It’s cool because a lot of companies are moving down to Deep Ellum and Deep Ellum has such a rich history to it,” Carter says. “You’ve got a lot of cool local barbers, tattoo artists, and restaurants opening up. We really just love that sense of community.”
Apart from crafting innovative, technologically advanced wrist pieces, Carter is also passionate about maintaining his individuality within his personal aesthetic.
“My style is different from Michael’s,” Carter says. “Michael’s going wear his Stetson hat every day, because that’s just his style. For me, I follow a lot of influencers on social media, so if I see something I like, I try to emulate it as best as I can. But I don’t really go for one certain brand, I take multiple brands, throw them together, and create a look I want. If you ask Michael, he’ll tell you that he’s always going to shop at J. Crew. Me, I may go to J. Crew, but I’ll also go to other stores to put an outfit together.”
While Carter’s looks are inspired by a multitude of brands, he certainly never leaves home without his Jack Mason Diver watch.
“The Diver Watch is a very versatile watch,” Carter says. “You can wear it out to dinner, or you can put a rubber strap on it and go diving. It’s 30 ATM, so you can go about 1000 feet underwater while wearing it.”
Jack Mason’s Diver Watch is just one of many designs crafted by the hands of Carter and Reese.
This December, Jack Mason will be launching their Regatta Timer watch.
“We did a Kickstarter for our Regatta Timer,” Carter says, “This is our first Swiss movement watch and it’s creation was completely backed by those who donated to our Kickstarter.”
The men of Jack Mason are truly innovators in the accessories game. They have created products to fit everyone’s lifestyle, aesthetic, and price point.
“All of our watches are very approachable, given the quality of them,” Carter says. “They’re priced in a way that everyone can afford them, so that’s what sets us apart from everyone else.”