STOIC began long before I built my first watch.
My family’s roots trace back to Londorf, Germany. In the generations that followed, machining and working with your hands became part of our family’s story.
My grandfather, Clifford Schaaf Sr., was a machinist. He worked the midnight shift, and I remember him working on watches in his basement. That image has stayed with me: a workbench, small mechanical parts, and the patience to understand how they fit together.
My father inspired a different fascination. He was an Army aviator, and I remember studying his automatic Seiko as a child. He showed me the movement and explained how it worked. A watch became something I wanted to understand, not simply wear.
Years later, after West Point and a career in technology, I found my way back to that curiosity. Building watches brought together the engineering I loved, the example my grandfather set, and my interest in Stoic philosophy: attention to what matters, care in what we do, and making good use of the time we have.
That’s the foundation of STOIC Timepieces.
Today, I’m building on those influences through watches that carry personal meaning. Some celebrate a shared experience. Others mark a milestone or honor a relationship. Each begins with a simple question: what makes this watch worth keeping?
For me, the answer starts with family. My hope is that the watch you choose becomes part of your own story.