Interview: Berns, the man behind OWG Mars

Few watch enthusiasts who live their interest online have missed that a happening for charity by the name of OWG Mars is going on right now. The idea with the project is to wear one and the same watch every day for a whole month and not even try another watch on the arm. In parallel a big fundraiser is running for the charitable cause Min Stora Dag. The base for the challenge has been the watch forum Klocksnack and with over two hundred participants and over 100 000 kr collected so far we at Eqotime thought it was time to have a chat with one of the initiators of the project, Berns.

How did you come up with the idea for OWG mars?

– I don't know exactly what I was thinking in 2019 when I started OWGmarch. But I thought it would be an interesting challenge for myself and thought that it's always more fun to do things together. I have not super active on any watch forum before and was really prepared to be completely slated when I started a thread on Klocksnack about it. But it went down well and everyone who took part made the atmosphere exceptionally good and our shared suffering suddenly became fun. I like to structure and organise things so I spent a lot of time keeping track of who was taking part and how it was going for everyone. Remember that I sat and searched for all the usernames of the participants to see what they posted in other threads. Sometimes I found sinners and it was then at some point that the batman meme started. 

The batman meme?

– Yes, when someone breaks off their participation it is tradition that the apostate gets their own meme which among other things contains Batman, a slap and a few well-chosen taunts, Berns clarifies.

This year's set-up

What is the set-up this year?

– The basis is exactly as in previous years, Berns tells. You sign up with your choice of watch and if you change watch at some point during the month you are struck from the list. This year we have however tightened up the charity fundraising in a clearer way. It should be easy to follow and we create a common goal to collect as much money as possible. Every person who takes part pays a registration fee of any amount they choose.

You have run lotteries too, right?

– Yes, we have organised weekly lotteries and spontaneous auctions to collect even more for charity. The prizes in the lotteries have been goods and products that our sponsors have donated. But quite a few participants have also donated watch-related things to the prize table. An important thing is also that we don't handle any money ourselves, all participants are themselves responsible for paying money directly to the fundraising page where you can also easily follow how much is coming in.

What kind of organisation does the fundraising go to?

– Everything goes to Min Stora Dag! What a lovely organisation. So perfectly right in what they do for us. Especially as many of us are in the middle of life and are either on the way to having children, have children or have children around us. Their work stands for joy where it is needed most. The size of the organisation is also important. They take the time to talk to us several times a week and help spread information about us and our fundraising in their own channels. I am very happy that we found this collaboration.  

International match and participant record

New for this year is also an international match against Norway?

– Yes, doing the same thing every year is fun but getting to develop the concept and grow is even more fun. That is why I got in touch with the Norwegian watch forum Tidssonen and asked if they wanted to join in and challenge us in OWGMarch. An international match about collecting money for charity. It landed very well with them and they have done a great job over there.

Is it a participant record this year?

– Yes, I actually think so. This year around 240 people signed up. I had hoped for 200 but it took off at the end and became a few extra. If you compare with previous years there has been a steady increase and many who have returned year after year. 

How has it gone for you, because you are taking part in the challenge, right?

– I will be honest, it has gone really well for me. But not because I have been especially good but because I haven't had time to think much about changing watches. The work of keeping everything going has stolen all my attention. Here I also want to take the opportunity to highlight my fantastic colleague and friend Staafen. Without him it would never have gone this well. he runs and manages the Klocksnack thread in an exemplary way. Which has given me time to put energy into the lotteries and the sponsors.  

What watch are you running yourself?

– I wear a Catalina from Malm Watches. A watch that is made in bronze and that has been patinated from the factory. That means that the more I use it the more the appearance changes. The patination wears down in places and the watch just becomes more and more beautiful.

Tough final stretch

Now there are only a few days left of March. How many have stayed on?

– I think about 2/3 are left without having counted up. Am actually a little surprised that people are falling away now when there is so little time left. But on the other hand it does show how hard it can be to be a one watch guy for watch nerds.   

Which have been the most eye-catching watches this year?

– There are a few really nice gold Rolexes which I think have both been knocked out. Plus some fantastic AP. But at the other end of the scale there are a couple of crazy plastic watches. We have for example Staben's Double-Swatch and Jakob Häll's Mickey watch.  

Will you make it to the end?

– Yes, I have no choice. How would it look if I fell? 

OWG Mars ends with a live-streamed stay-up evening on the last of March. Do you want to hear Berns and Staafen tell more about the challenge and hear interviews with participants and sponsors? Listen through March's episode of Eqotime’s podcast Urbildningsradion which you find here! Please also visit OWG Mars' own website where you find everything about the challenge, the lotteries and the fundraising.