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Pursuing Excellence in Timekeeping: Barry Cohen and the Story of ProTek Watches

“After 27 years with Luminox, and becoming more and more disillusioned with my partners' view of priorities for the brand, it felt like the right time for me to move on. I had other watch brands running concurrently (Official Watches of the Hawaiian Lifeguards, Szanto Vintage watches, and Szanto ICONs Collections), and continued with the Szanto vintage brand, which will get a big expansion for 2026. I also launched a couple of ‘cause' brands for the purpose of giving back by donating portions of the sale proceeds to organizations tied to those brands, but these were not very fulfilling, so I closed them out." Cohen explained, recalling his departure from Luminox after 27 years. “I realized I missed the category of timepieces I helped to create - tactical and sport watches, with a superlative self-powered tritium illumination technology, so I decided to jump back into my lane and create ProTek, with the desire to produce the best quality I could deliver, to pursue perfection with the hope of arriving at excellence.”That mindset became the cornerstone of ProTek, the brand Cohen founded in early 2022, and first shipped watches in fall 2022From Luminox to a New BeginningCohen’s roots in the watch industry stretch back to 1984, when fashion watches from Swatch, Guess, and Fossil were reshaping consumer trends. But it was his vision to introduce self-powered illumination—originally a military technology—into consumer watches that changed his career trajectory. Partnering with a colleague, he co-founded Luminox, bringing tritium illumination to the market and setting a new standard for tactical and durable timepieces.While Luminox grew into a globally recognized brand—boosted by relationships with the U.S. Navy SEALs and appearances in iconic mail-order catalogs—Cohen ultimately stepped away. As can sometimes be the case, ideological differences with partners led to his decision to leave in 2016. He considered retirement, but he ultimately decided to return, determined to create something truer to his values. The Birth of ProTekAfter experimenting with other ventures, Cohen realized he needed to return to what he knew best: tactical-inspired, tritium illuminated sport watches. The result was ProTek, a brand built around the same tritium illumination technology he pioneered, but with a renewed commitment to quality and design.“This is truly a startup,” Cohen admitted. “For two and a half years, I lost money every single month… but the good news is the last six months, we’re not losing money and the accounts that have us are telling us they’re starting to see an uptick. In fact, just today, I got two messages from England telling me they are seeing buzz around the brand that did not exist before.”ProTek is an amalgam of global craftsmanship:American brand visionSwiss design and illumination technologyJapanese movements for durability and precisionAssembly in a Hong Kong cleanroomCohen emphasizes that it’s not where a watch is made, but how it’s made. “In other words, a watch need not be Swiss-made to be well-made - there’s also excellence [in Asia] if you just ferret it out,” he explained.Why Illumination MattersAt the core of ProTek’s identity is its lume technology, which sets it apart in a crowded marketplace. Unlike traditional photoluminescent paint, ProTek’s self-powered borosilicate glass tubes glow continuously for up to 25 years without requiring an external light source to "charge" the lume. “There are thousands of watch brands out there, but there are only eight or so of any consequence that use this lume technology,” Cohen noted. “Without this, I wouldn’t even be doing this, and probably would have retired.”This unique feature allows ProTek to shine—literally and figuratively—in a space where brand recognition is everything. Building a Brand in Today’s MarketCohen is candid about the challenges of establishing a new watch brand in today’s retail environment. A conglomeration of retail stores and retail closures have changed the retail landscape.  Where department stores once sought differentiation, often with unique stock mixes in different stores, now they operate with cookie-cutter merchandise. To gain retail placement, consumer demand must come first.“It takes time to establish a brand,” he said. “In the old days, you’d get into a store and build recognition from there. Today, it’s reversed—you need consumer desire first for the store to take the gamble, and give new or emerging brands a chance.”Despite these challenges, Cohen sees growth ahead. ProTek has expanded from its original 19 models to around 55, now offering both quartz and automatic mechanical options. The brand has also secured partnerships, including a United States Marines collection in four series currently, but to celebrate the 250th birthday day of the USMC (November 10), ProTek is releasing 5 new models in two case sizes for the holidays, some with MARPAT digi camo dials (as seen on their uniforms), and of course some with basic black dials too.  ProTek is also working on potential collaborations with the Mexican Army and the Philippine military as well.  The Road AheadFor Cohen, the future isn’t about building a massive empire—it’s about creating a sustainable, respected brand that resonates with its customers.“I don’t have any illusions of grandeur here. This doesn’t have to become a 40, 50 million dollar business,” he said. “If we’re doing a couple million dollars a year, I’m happy. That’s a nice little business—making a product for people that appreciate the heart, the sweat, the effort, the design, the quality that went into creating our timepieces.”And the feedback has been resoundingly positive. From industry experts to longtime collectors, ProTek is already being recognized for its build quality and value. “We’ve had certified watchmakers tell us we offer the best value in tritium illuminated watches on the market, and state our build quality is outstanding.” Cohen shared proudly. A Lifetime of Timekeeping, and Still GoingAt an age when many peers have retired, Cohen remains deeply invested in his craft. He sees ProTek not just as a brand, but as a mission to keep moving forward.“How many times do you hear John Brown retired and five months later, John Brown died?” he asked. “I think we’ve got to keep moving… perhaps to the consternation of my wife, who said, ‘Why don’t you just retire?’ I like to keep going, and that’s a reason for doing what I’m doing.”Go to www.protekwatch.com to peruse the full array of ProTek brand watches. ProTek is offering a special 30% discount to the readers of Bay Area Business on any ProTek watches. Just use the code “BAB” at checkout on our website.