To create the first women’s model of its bestselling DS PH200M, a ￡785 sports watch popular for its precision and shock resistance, Swiss watchmaker Certina bypassed its in-house designers last March and took to social media, asking fans to vote on key aspects of the design, including the bezel, dial, hands, strap and packaging, with a chance to win the final model.

The winning design, which featured a 39mm dark mother-of-pearl dial offsetting a black bezel, surprised chief executive Marc Aellen, who was sure only light, feminine tones would resonate.

“The outcome was not expected and that alone was a good reason to do the campaign — to change our mind and vision,” he says. “We’re experienced people in the watch industry but sometimes we have ideas that are, just maybe, outdated.”