The Real Time Show — Geneva Watch Days 2025
Guest: Sohaib Magnam (CEO, Beda & Founder, Magnum)
Date: September 6, 2025
Hosts: Rob Nudds, Alon Ben Joseph (plus two unidentified interviewers)
Episode Overview
In this episode, Rob Nudds and his co-host engage in a live conversation at Geneva Watch Days 2025 with Sohaib Magnam, who stands at the creative and operational helm of two exciting young brands: Beda, where he serves as CEO, and Magnum, his own avant-garde project. The discussion dives deep into Sohaib’s strategy for brand-building, his philosophy behind watchmaking, and the practicalities—and challenges—of being independent in today’s horological landscape.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Experience & Value of Geneva Watch Days [00:51–03:01]
- Sohaib shares how Geneva Watch Days evolved for him: first as a visitor, now as a dual exhibitor (with Beda & Magnum).
- Sohaib: "It's, I would say, the best time throughout the year to be around watch people... Geneva Watch Days is, I feel like, a bunch of watch nerds who come together and talk about the thing they love most." [01:34]
- Contrasts the informal, community-driven feeling at Geneva Watch Days with the more formal, competitive "Watches & Wonders": "With Watches and Wonders, we have to compete with the publishing schedules of Rolex and Patek... it's much more formal." [01:23]
2. Business Mindset: Investment vs. Organic Growth [02:10–03:01]
- Sohaib emphasizes that participation isn’t purely about short-term financial return, but long-term exposure and trust-building.
- Sohaib: "It's an investment for sure. But if you have cool stuff to show and if you surround yourself with the right people, I feel like 100%, it's worth it." [02:58]
3. Brand Philosophies: Magnum vs. Beda [03:03–05:16]
- Origin Story: Sohaib designed his first watch in 2018, inspired by Rolex, but chose a divergent path after realizing Kickstarter was saturated with lookalike watches.
- Sohaib: "I want to do something that's very different. And this is where Magnum started... it's an art form that tells time." [03:54]
- Beda Collaboration: The founder of Beda was a Magnum customer who recruited Sohaib to lead the brand, with the understanding that he’d retain creative freedom for both projects.
- Design Approach: For Magnum, Sohaib designs for himself. For Beda, he designs with the consumer in mind.
- Sohaib: "With Magnum, for sure, I designed for myself... with Beda, I design for the people." [04:42]
4. Customer Overlap & The "Eclipse" Line [05:16–06:01]
- Some overlap between Magnum and Beda customers occurs mostly on the Beda "Eclipse," the first Beda watch Sohaib helped create post-joining.
- Sohaib: "The crossover between the two clientele happens exclusively on the Eclipse lineup... but for now, it's just that." [05:45]
5. Design, Price, and Value Proposition [06:01–10:14]
- The unique, experimental case shapes of Magnum watches are likened to much pricier brands (Urwerk, De Bethune), but Sohaib positions them for “accessible” collectors.
- The Muharrab model, for example, is priced at 6,500 CHF—well below what its design and quality might command from a bigger name.
- Rob: "If that watch were made by Omega, yeah, it'd be 20k. No doubt. Is that special now?... 6,500 for that watch is an absolute steal." [07:51]
- Sohaib’s strategy is to build trust and community through competitive pricing: "I want people to be able to take the risk and buy the watch and see that, oh, my God, like, this watch is actually worth the money and it's worth even more of that money." [06:46]
- Price increases will be slow and natural; the brand isn’t rushing to climb the luxury ladder.
- Sohaib: "It's this word: it's organic growth." [08:47]
- Authenticity over hype: a planned 2025 release was scrapped after prototyping because it didn’t meet Sohaib’s standards. Next release planned for 2026.
- Navigating the industry as a Palestinian-Jordanian: Sohaib discusses the necessity of earning trust as an "outsider" and the practical steps it took to get known.
- Sohaib: "It's not as easy for us to break into the industry. It's more of a challenge and it requires more trust... you really need to do what you have to do to get a few people to take that risk and see the watch." [10:46]
6. The "Entry Point" Business Model [12:05–13:24]
- The flagship is kept consistently priced to lure collectors, with new (higher-priced) models following as customers become repeat buyers.
- Rob: "Form 4 is basically like an entry card to the whole game... you're going to want to buy everything else because, like, well, I've already saved 10,000 by buying this watch, so I've got 10,000 more to spare for the next one." [13:08]
- Sohaib: "A very large percentage of Noor, which is Form 5... are repeat customers from Form 4." [13:15]
7. On Limited Editions & Direct Sales [14:16–15:38]
- Magnum does not typically do “limited editions,” preferring an on-order, made-to-demand system.
- Sohaib: "If I limit everything, I also limit myself and my ability to produce something new... at the end of the day it's a business. And if it's not a business, I could not keep doing this." [14:23]
- Orders can be placed either via a website form or directly through Instagram (brand or personal profile).
- Sohaib: "Some people actually reach out to me on my personal Instagram. It works either way." [15:22]
8. Hands-On Company: Sohaib’s Role [15:38–16:17]
- Sohaib is very much hands-on: design, technical development, a lot of assembly, and outsourced production.
- Sohaib: "I do design, technical development, but I do get the help of other people with prototyping." [15:41]
9. Working with 289 PR & GPHG Nomination [16:06–17:28]
- Sohaib credits the Swiss agency 289 with helping introduce Magnum & Beda to a wider audience.
- Sohaib: "I suck at communication. So they really helped me by simply connecting me to the right people at the right time." [16:20]
- Major milestone: Beda Eclipse nominated for GPHG Challenge category.
- Sohaib: "The Bedard Eclipse... has been selected as the top six for the GPHG Challenge category. We're really, really happy about it." [17:13]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On entering the fair as a newcomer:
"If I want to do this, I want to do this my way. I want to do something that's very different.... it's an art form that tells time."
— Sohaib Magnam [03:45–03:55] -
On business philosophy:
"You have to build trust with the people. You have to show up. It's an investment for sure. But if you have cool stuff to show and if you surround yourself with the right people, I feel like 100%, it's worth it."
— Sohaib Magnam [02:48–03:01] -
On "organic" growth and pricing:
"It's this word. It's organic growth."
— Sohaib Magnam [08:47] -
Rob's first impressions:
"That is one of the craziest cases I've ever seen in my life. I mean, it's got shades of De Bethune, shades of Urwerk, you know, but it's its own thing. Something very, very special."
— Rob [06:07] -
On the industry’s price bar:
"There's a magic number now in Geneva pricing... Whenever you go now you'll hear, how much is this? It's 80K... They want to give you a bargain. It's 75."
— Sohaib Magnam [11:50] -
On repeat customers:
"A very large percentage of Noor, which is Form 5... are repeat customers from Form 4."
— Sohaib Magnam [13:15] -
On accessibility:
"We don't usually do limited, and I'm kind of against doing limited... Magnum works on order. So people order the watch, we build it for them, and then we deliver it a while later."
— Sohaib Magnam [14:23]
Important Timestamps
- [00:51] — Sohaib on Geneva Watch Days being the "best time" of year for watch fans
- [03:45] — Sohaib on launching Magnum and desire for distinctiveness
- [04:42] — Designing "for myself" (Magnum) vs. "for the people" (Beda)
- [06:33] — Discussion of pricing philosophy for Magnum (6,500 CHF)
- [08:47] — Sohaib: "It's organic growth."
- [10:30] — Sohaib on industry outsider challenges (Palestinian/Jordanian roots)
- [12:20] — Uncommon entry-point business model in watches
- [13:15] — Repeat customers across Magnum models
- [14:23] — Approach to limited editions and direct sales
- [16:20] — On learning communications with help from PR partner 289
- [17:13] — GPHG nomination for Beda Eclipse
Tone & Final Impressions
The episode is candid, collegial, and packed with practical insights. Sohaib is open about the obstacles he’s faced, his passion-driven approach, and the realities of balancing creativity with commercial sense. Rob and his co-hosts are clearly enthusiastic—at times effusive—about the watches, making no secret of their admiration.
Closing Encouragement for Listeners:
Rob and team make a clear point: If you ever get the chance, experience a Magnum or Beda in person—they truly are like nothing else in contemporary watchmaking.
For more on Sohaib Magnam and his brands, listeners are encouraged to follow up through the official Instagram pages or by visiting the brand websites.