Dragon Handle

The time is nigh for Duncan’s new venture

Fans of the tv series Dragon Den, would surely be surprised to know that Duncan Bannatyne, one of the stars, is in touch with his femine side. Being the tough Scot with his habit of glaring at the contestants, you would think he would be the last to offer such insight. But go inside the luxury flat near Covent Garden in the centre of London, and something unusual is waiting to attract your attention. Between the elegant cream sofas in the living room and the minimalist lines of the kitchen, sits his favourite chair – garish, glaring pink asymmetrical sofa!

Looking closer, he seems quite a dapper sort of man, even chic – the cut of the suit seems better than the tighter Theo Paphitis and the dour Peter Jones. You also get the sense that he is aware of it!

Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise, then, that his latest venture is into the world of style, with the launch of a snappy line of designer watches marketed under the name ‘Kurt Zeiss’. Design of the range is modern and comtemporary, with clear open faces in designs combining elegance with futuristic sleekness. With this range of mens watches and designer ladies watches, Bannatyne and new business partner Grant Morgan, clearly aren’t messing around. Or maybe not? There certainly does not seem to be any great rush to sell the products, as the main outlet was through eBay, and Bannatyne’s wife’s boutique in Yarm, North Yorkshire. A new purpose built website now operates, since the arrival of Morgan, which has been developed to sell the watches.

Morgan and Bannatyne met through charity work and discovered that they had a mutual appreciation and interest in watches, and the Scotsman admits there hasn’t been too much risk setting the company up.

From a slow start, they have seen an increase in sales and the outlook for the next quarter is positive. The run in to Christmas should be the busiest time of the year, and at the company are preparing themselves for the extra demand.

If Kurt Zeiss is a vanity project, though, it is certainly a good one for a man who knows a good proposition when he sees one. Bannatyne, with a fortune of £320 milliion is by far the richest of the Dragons, and built the business after buying his first ice cream van twenty years ago.

Dragon Handle System- Extraction