Marius Vasilescu and the Horologer Story: Tradition Reimagined in the Digital Era

Discover the story of Marius Vasilescu and Horologer – a perfect balance between tradition, craftsmanship, and digital innovation in the art of horology.

Marius Vasilescu is a modern professional, with a balanced approach between tradition and innovation. He is the contemporary voice of an old craft, one that acknowledges the value of craftsmanship but also leverages the power of digital tools to make it more visible and accessible. He is the co-founder and strategic driver of Horologer, a multi-brand service for Swiss and luxury watches.

C&B: How would you describe yourself in a single sentence, in a way that would make those who don’t know you yet curious?
Vasilescu Marius: I am a very curious person, interested in discovering details from as many fields as possible, a follower of the concept of “uomo universale.” I like to blend creativity with exact sciences and believe that innovation arises when you have knowledge from various domains and manage to translate concepts or ideas from one field into another.

C&B: If we were to trace the narrative thread of your career or business, what were the key moments that defined you?
Vasilescu Marius: I graduated from the Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications, and I believe that’s where I learned to prioritize, to work efficiently, to think analytically, and to identify problems that could later propagate. Then I worked for a multinational for a short period, and afterwards I laid the foundations for Horologer. I believe that even a short experience in a multinational helped me start Horologer on the right foot, think big, and set up processes that would allow us to be efficient.

C&B: What has been the most difficult moment so far in your journey, and how did you overcome it?
Vasilescu Marius: The hardest moment was the beginning. We started with limited equipment and reinvested over time in state-of-the-art machinery. The lack of equipment was compensated by my father’s experience.
Still, we were a new name on the market, appearing out of nowhere, promising customers services at a high standard for watches worth thousands or even tens of thousands of euros. Fortunately for us, there was (and still is) a shortage of professionals working at a high level in this field, so we had a solid client base from the very first months.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?
Vasilescu Marius: I only want to prove that a family business can be sustainable and to introduce, as much as possible, modern elements into a field considered “archaic.”

C&B: What did you look like at the beginning of your journey, and how do you feel you have transformed until now?
Vasilescu Marius: At the beginning, I had a lot of energy and was eager to try anything. Over time, I learned to manage my effort and not make changes just for the sake of change, but first try to predict the outcome as much as possible.

C&B: If we were to meet your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?
Vasilescu Marius: They would probably say that I am someone who is serious when needed and perhaps excessively detail-oriented.

C&B: What is the most important decision you have made that changed your trajectory?
Vasilescu Marius: Without a doubt, the most important decision was to give up my corporate career to start a business with my father. Then, the second very important decision was to invest in a brand manual before starting Horologer.

C&B: How did you build your leadership style or the way you make decisions? Was it a natural or a learned process?
Vasilescu Marius: My leadership style and decision-making process are constantly under construction. Regarding leadership, my main focus is to treat colleagues and collaborators the way I would like to be treated: with maximum trust, with respect, and with the assumption that both parties want to win equally from the interaction.

C&B: What do you think differentiates your business or your professional approach from the rest of the industry?
Vasilescu Marius: I believe our business allows us to be agile, transparent, and thorough in solving problems. We put customer satisfaction first, and there have been many times when we preferred to reduce our profit margin or even earn nothing, simply to provide the best possible value-for-money experience. I like to believe that through such practices we earn customer trust and that they can later approach us more comfortably, knowing that we try to work in their best interest.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and what moments bring you the most satisfaction?
Vasilescu Marius: We wake up in the morning, have breakfast together as a family, then head to kindergarten and work. I usually arrive at Horologer between 9:00 and 10:00, we arrange the watches in the showcase, make a small battle plan for the day, open the shop, and I could say that no day resembles the other. The most pleasant moment of the day is when I get home and my little one comes to hug me or happily shows me what he did at kindergarten.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do, and how do you apply them daily?
Vasilescu Marius: Transparency, seriousness, fairness. We like to treat our customers as equals, as partners in a long-term relationship. We like to see Horologer as a platform for people passionate about watches. We try to provide customers with clear explanations and personalized advice regarding the use of their timepieces.

C&B: How did you come up with the idea of starting this business and choosing its name?
Vasilescu Marius: My father has been working in the field for over 30 years, and until 2015 he worked in the service department of the largest watch retailer in Romania at the time, which imported the most prestigious watch brands.
I have always been passionate about the online environment and the idea of a family business, so in 2015 I convinced him that we might have a chance if we tried to create our own business, one that combines tradition and experience with modern elements of communication and marketing.
The name was chosen after a branding process, as it is similar to the idea of “horology,” and for the logo, we wanted it to convey the image of a crest, a family emblem.

C&B: If you were to send a message to people who might follow your example, what would it be?
Vasilescu Marius: We have always guided ourselves by the idea that we would regret it more if we didn’t try than if the business didn’t work. My advice would be to try to turn any passion or hobby into a source of income. At the same time, be realistic, do your homework thoroughly, and set checkpoints in advance to know whether things are really going the way you want. In addition, I would encourage anyone to think long term and see business as a marathon, not a sprint.

Marius Vasilescu proves that passion, discipline, and innovation can turn a family business into a benchmark of excellence.