Lady LUX

Fewer people wear watches now, as more people opt to use their mobile phone as a timepiece. So those who do choose a watch often do so to make a fashion statement and to be different than everyone else. With this in mind, Original Grain is a trendsetting watch collection created and designed by three men who live in three vastly different places: Hong Kong, Oregon and San Diego.

The trio consists of Jasem Dulany, Ryan Beltran, and his brother, Andrew Beltran. Dulany, the only one still remaining in the trio’s home state of Oregon, took time out of his hectic schedule to talk to LadyLUX about the lifestyle brand.

LadyLUX: Tell me how you guys came together to create Original Grain.

Jasem Dulany: I have been friends with Ryan and Andrew since grade school. We always played sports together and went to school together as well. We all grew up in Creswell, Ore. Ryan had the initial idea for Original Grain while he was in China, and when he came back for the summer in 2012, Andrew and myself got on board and we helped with designing, naming and brand ideas.

LL: What spurred the creation of Original Grain?

JD: Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, we were always drawn to the idea of creating a product that incorporated wood. After checking out the market and seeing all the success wood watches were having, we decided we could create something better. We wanted to create a watch that was more durable and unique than anything we had seen on the market.

LL: Where did each of you work before Original Grain?

JD: Ryan graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in business and then left for China with the hope to get into business while he was there. Andrew just finished up his time in the Marines. I work at a high school as an educational assistant and basketball coach.

LL: You used Kickstarter to raise $390,000 in 30 days to begin your company. Was it a surprise to have so much support, so fast?

JD: Yeah it was an amazing experience overall. We had an initial goal of $10,000 and we passed that in the first few hours. It was amazing to see the support we got from friends and family sharing our link on social media sites. As well as the amazing support from the Kickstarter community. The process of developing the brand and getting it out to the public would have been a much more difficult task without that support.

LL: You and your partners are in three different cities. How do you manage to work across the distance?

JD: In the beginning, we had a ton of Skype meetings. We were constantly on calls with each other. Morning and nights were consumed by talking strategy and thinking of ways to create the best product we could.

LL: When did you add women's watches to your lineup?

JD: We added the Woman's watches to our line up during our Kickstarter campaign as a stretch goal. We are hoping to add a few new watches to the line soon.

LL: What is your single best-selling women's product?

JD: Our woman's watches sell pretty evenly between the two that we offer now.

LL: Who is the typical watch wearer these days?

JD: Our demographics at this point are pretty broad. I feel that our watches go good in any scene, from casual to business.

LL: What are you most proud of in regards to Original Grain?

JD: The whole experience has been amazing and humbling. We are continually striving to do better for all of our supporters out there. It’s been a great experience working with two of my best friends and watching something that we put so much time and energy into become successful. We hope that we can continue to build the brand and make it a household name.

LL: What's next for the company?

JD: We plan to expand our product lines in both men's and women's watches. As well as come out with some new exciting products.

LL: Where can our readers buy your product?

JD: Originalgrain.com and if they use the promo code “FreeFall” they will receive free shipping.

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