Happy Friday, friends.
October 23, 2026
Written by Dr. Adam Fleddermann, Founder & CEO of Fleddermann von Rieste, who designs every watch and oversees manufacturing and operations.
Happy Family Friday. This one starts on a farm, not a workbench, but stick with me, because it’s the same story either way.
For years, I carried around a dream. Ever since I was a boy watching my dad care for our old family watch from Ritzi Jewelers, I wanted to build watches like that. Watches that could become heirlooms. Watches built with the same pride my family put into working our farm.
But I knew one thing for certain. I didn’t want to hand that dream off to some anonymous factory overseas. If we were going to do this, we were going to do it here, in Indiana. The same state where my family has farmed for over a century, on land that earned the Hoosier Homestead Award for more than 100 years of continuous family ownership.
Wanting that and knowing how to do it are two different things, though. A guy who grew up on a farm and in a tool and die shop can dream up a watch. Building one right takes a real watchmaker.
That’s when I met Adam Parrish.
Adam is an AWCI-certified watchmaker, a certified Rolex and Omega technician, and he runs a Seiko Performance Center. When I sat down and shared what I was hoping to build, his eyes lit up. He understood it right away. Not just the watches, but the why behind them.
And yes, I know. Two Adams. It makes for some confusing emails around here. I’ve made my peace with it.
Today, Adam and his apprentice, Tanner, hand assemble every Fleddermann von Rieste watch in Kokomo, Indiana. Each mechanical movement gets regulated to within about five seconds a day before it leaves his bench. When somebody asks me what makes us an Indiana watch company and not just a name on a dial, the honest answer is Adam.
I think about how many things had to line up for this little company to exist. A family watch. A farm. A dream I couldn’t shake. And a watchmaker who looked at a guy with more heart than experience and said, in so many words, let’s build it.
If you’ve ever had someone take a chance on your idea, send them a note this weekend. I’m betting it’ll mean more than you know.
Have a good weekend,
Adam
We may not be your grandfather’s watch, but with time, we hope to be your grandson’s.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Hoosier Homestead Award?
It’s a designation given by the state of Indiana to farms that have remained in continuous family ownership for 100 years or more. The Fleddermann family farm holds this award, and it’s part of the family history that shaped the values behind Fleddermann von Rieste.
Why does Fleddermann von Rieste grow slowly instead of scaling quickly?
Because deliberate, patient growth is core to the company’s values, not a limitation. Every watch is hand-assembled and regulated in Indiana, and retail partnerships are added carefully rather than rushed, in the same spirit as a family farm that’s been worked honestly for generations rather than pushed for short-term gain.
Is this story related to the company’s watchmaking philosophy?
Yes. The same patience that earned the family farm its Hoosier Homestead Award is the philosophy behind how every watch is built, hand-assembled rather than mass-produced, and how the company itself grows, one honest relationship at a time.
Where to go from here
If this story resonates, I’d point you toward where the watch came from, another piece of the family history that shaped this company. And if you want to see what that patience actually looks like in a watch, the Hanoverian is where I’d start.
Or email me at adam@fvrwatch.com. I like hearing what part of this story lands with people.
Dr. Adam Fleddermann, Founder & CEO
Dr. Adam Fleddermann founded Fleddermann von Rieste after growing up watching his father care for a watch passed down through generations of the family. He designs every watch and oversees the brand’s global supply chain, operations, and manufacturing, working alongside an AWCI-certified watchmaker and his team who lead the hand-assembly of every timepiece in Indiana.
