Ryan, Pennsylvania

"A few weeks after we sold our last company, I picked up a Vacheron Traditionnelle — a longtime favorite, beautifully made, historic. I appreciated it, but in my collecting I had a growing sense that I was putting on a costume for a play I wasn’t sure I wanted to be in. I was finding myself in this quiet arms race of pedigree and complication, where the point stops being the object and becomes the status orbiting around it.

So I started poking around for something different — something unique with a pulse rather than a pedigree. Down that rabbit hole, I found a GQ article about new watch brands, and a line about Split caught my attention: “Transforming watches into a symbol of connection… to get people talking, sharing the stories that truly matter.” I read more about the brand, read more about Ed and his story, and just found it all resonating in a way I found happily surprising. Really fucking refreshing.

Ed’s story and journey in many ways mirrored mine: my last few years
have been about rebuilding — from grief over the death of my son, from punishing myself with regret, from looking “fine” on the outside while feeling disemboweled on the inside. And one of the aching anchors in that resurrection has been connection: opening back up to the world and the people around me.

I got into it. Split felt sincere without being self-serious, well-crafted without the ego, Japanese in a way that signals quality and confidence instead of theatrics. Precise, genuine, not particularly performative. And because it’s not Swiss, it nudges the whole category a few inches off its axis. A little counter-culture. A little rebellion. I liked that.

So I ordered one. No overthinking — just a gut feeling that this was a brand operating on the wavelength I’d been trying to tune my life back to.

Only after placing the order did I hear from Ed. I told him what the watch would represent to me once it was personalized — “Do It Anyway” on the strap, my son Sloane’s tattooed credo reminding himself to live even when he knew he was inevitably dying from his brain tumor. I was going to wear that credo around my wrist every time I put that watch on. It was becoming part of my reconnecting to the world and reconciling my grief with my life looking forward. That deep conversation with Ed led to more conversations, and before long, we were having lunch in New York and discovering that the whole Split ethos wasn’t a marketing line — it was personal to him, too. Ed has become the rarest kind of friend.
Connection.

As I reflect back on this, it started with a brand that wasn’t handing me another script to play out, but offering a small, beautifully made watch that asked nothing of me except to tell the truth about where I’ve been.

I’m proud to be Split’s first North American customer — not because
it says anything about status, but because it says something about
connection.

And really, that’s the magic here. Watches are just the excuse.

The point is everything that happens when someone asks, “Hey, what’s that on your wrist?”

And for once, instead of posturing an answer, you tell them something real."

James, USA

"I’ve been a vintage Heuer collector for over twenty years, drawn to the timeless design and craftsmanship of chronographs from the 1960s and 70s. I find that watches of this time in particular tell stories,not just of engineering and design but, of the people and eras behind them.

I’ve also been in recovery for even longer, and mental health is something I engage with every day as an alcoholic in recovery. When I discovered Split, it immediately resonated on both a personal and design level. The brand’s approach to mental health awareness feels honest and lived. A real mission I recognize from my own journey.

Beyond the purpose, I genuinely love the watches. Their modern interpretation of classic chronograph design clearly nods to the golden era of brands like Heuer, while still feeling fresh and contemporary. It’s a rare balance of heritage and innovation done right.

For me, Split is more than a great timepiece. It’s a reminder of resilience, growth, and the power of meaningful design. I’m proud to be part of the journey."

Dom, Toronto

"I am fortunate to work in a field that I adore, being part of a team that has won BAFTAS and OSCARS. Dedicating all my time to this success. I ignored all the times I knew I needed help.

Having secretly been so close to death, my greatest achievement, is making it through the other side of Rehab. Alcohol is the beast that I will forever have my eye on.

How time changes.

I have added the Sub-7 to my collection for many reasons. Not only for the quality of the watch but its very nature, but equally what we are celebrating here.

We are acknowledging mental health. Recognising that time is the large factor needed in healing. Split embraces this with constantly reminding me of just that. The time between Calm and Chaos. Splitting one's time to celebrate the NOW.

I'm grateful to connect with Ed and share the message of quality, beauty, and resolve. Not only in his beautiful time piece, but in Life itself.

Support was afforded to me. Let us keep providing that foundation."