As the second-generation leader of Adina Watches, I often reflect on the decisions that shape not just a year in business, but decades. Our company was founded in 1971 by my father, Bob Menzies, a master watchmaker who believed that Australians deserved timepieces built for our conditions, our milestones, and our way of life.

More than five decades on, our North Star remains clear. To become an Iconic Australian brand, but that clarity has been tested many times.

The Smart Watch Temptation

Some years ago, I was encouraged to approach a major national jewellery retail chain. A business turning over hundreds of millions of dollars. The idea, to develop a locally produced smart watch for their network of stores. It was exciting. The scale. The exposure. The possibility of white-labelling components and expanding into new markets.

On paper, it looked like a leap forward, however I never pursued it.

To move in that direction, we would have had to become something we are not. And as it turned out, the retailer never introduced smart watches into their range anyway. The opportunity that seemed so compelling was never truly aligned. For them or for us.

That moment reinforced a lesson we’ve encountered repeatedly across our 55-year history. Know exactly who you are, know exactly who you serve, and don’t let ego blur the lines.

We’ve seen fads and technology come and go. Digital watches in the late ’70s, Swatch Watches in the ’80s, surf watches in the ’90s, and now smart watches. Each time, we’ve been asked the same question, “Why don’t you make those?”

The real question I ask myself and my father before me is. Why should we?

Staying in Our Lane

For over half a century, we have produced reliable, beautifully finished watches with a conservative yet progressive edge. Our timepieces mark work anniversaries, retirements, significant birthdays, long service awards, graduations and personal milestones of every kind.

Our customers don’t just buy a watch. They invest in a moment. They often come back, bringing their families, their colleagues, and their stories with them. That loyalty is earned in my opinion through our consistency of purpose.

Had we pursued smart watches, we would have faced a fundamental operational and philosophical shift. We are watchmakers. Precision engineering, durability, serviceability, with long-term value. That is our craft. Entering the smart device market would have required different technology platforms, supply chains, support systems, and ultimately a different identity.

Agility does not mean chasing every trend. It means responding intelligently without abandoning your core.

Family businesses like ours, possess a level of agility that larger organisations often struggle to match. Decisions can be made quickly. Problems can be addressed immediately. By the end of a single day, the ground covered can be extraordinary.

At Adina Watches, that agility has allowed us to refine collections, improve manufacturing processes, respond to customer feedback, and continuously elevate quality, often in real time.

But agility without discipline becomes impulsiveness.

Particularly when significant capital is involved, enthusiasm must never replace sound judgement. The temptation to back a big, exciting project, like entering the smart watch market. Can be strong. But without alignment to strategy and purpose, it risks diluting everything that has been built.

For us, remaining agile while planning long-term comes down to structure and clarity:

Guiding Principles
We are explicit about what we will and won’t do and who we will and won’t serve. If an opportunity requires us to compromise our identity, it is not the right opportunity.
Clear Purpose
Our purpose extends beyond profit. It includes legacy, stewardship, and building an enduring Australian brand. As custodian of a second-generation family business, the goal is to think in decades, not quarters.
Adaptability in Real Time
Major pivots are considered carefully but swiftly. We adapt our designs, improve materials, refine operations, but always within our strategic framework.
Annual Review
Even when we don’t need dramatic change, we review our plan. Often, it’s about refinement rather than reinvention.
Shared Ownership of Strategy
Our business cannot rely on a single individual. Key people are involved in shaping and executing the plan. That collective accountability strengthens resilience.
External Perspective
Trusted advisers help hold us accountable. External insight tempers internal bias and ensures decisions are commercially sound.

The Bigger Picture

Family businesses generate more than 60% of Australia’s GDP and employ over half the workforce. Their flexibility and innovation are not just strengths. They are national assets.

But that strength depends on balance. Courage paired with discipline, risk tempered by principle, agility anchored by identity.

At Adina Watches, our journey from my father’s watchmaker’s bench in 1971 to today has been shaped by continuous change and improvement. Not constant reinvention.

Agility, for us, is not about becoming everything to everyone. It’s about moving forward without losing who we are.

And as we continue pursuing our North Star. To become an Iconic Australian brand, that clarity is our greatest competitive advantage.