James Stacey, in an excellent essay published on Hodinkee in August of 2018, laid out a conundrum in the watchmaking world: watch fans want to buy boutique or “microbrand” watches, yet brands hate the moniker.
“[Microbrand] operates as a blanket term for small watch brands that operate online, which lumps quality producers in with scam artists and get-rich-quick schemes,” Stacey wrote, while at the same time, insisting that it was a useful term (legitimate enough to be found on Wikipedia) that could be applied to quality brands.
So what is a “microbrand?” We can likely agree on several parameters: It’s a brand that is independently owned, often run by a single person or a team of a few people; that produces watches in small batches, at a rate of several hundred to several thousand a year; that often outsources at least one significant part of its watches to be made elsewhere, whether in Asia or Switzerland; and that “cuts out the middleman” by selling its watches online, straight to consumers (though some will also sell in retail locations).
This definition does not exclude the ugly parts of the term: Kickstarter frauds and trend-chasers who know nothing about watchmaking can and do check those boxes, without supplying any quality to the mix. But in furtherance of Stacey’s idea — that there are quality microbrands out there, that deserve our attention as buyers and watch lovers — it’s time for a guide to the reputable microbrands, which operate worldwide and produce a vast array of watches in different styles and price points.
Note: Some of these brands produce watches in very small batches and quickly sell out of individual runs, so check back often. If they're on this list, they're still in business!
anOrdain
There are a number of production techniques you’ll hear often around the “microbrand” world: straps made from locally sourced leather; hands designed in-house. One technique you will not hear about often outside of high-end brands is the grand feu enameling of a dial. This is because the process is a very difficult and highly inefficient one, involving layers of glass applied to a metal substrate in a very hot oven. The small team at Scottish brand anOrdain (named after a local loch) builds an entire watch around this process. The Model 1 is a three-handed automatic in a 38mm case, but nobody who looks at the watch will care much about that: they’ll be transfixed by its vibrant dial, whether in post office red, iron cream, translucent blue, pink, Hebridean blue or some other striking execution.
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Astor & Banks
The Chicago-based brand instantly feels representative of the microbrand scene when its founder Andrew Perez says he started the company "simply because I wanted to do something I absolutely loved." Astor & Banks has made several watches but only a couple are currently in production. One in particular, the Fortitude, stands out as one of the nicest and most affordable examples of a specific but very popular niche: watches with a sporty and tool-watch vibe that can easily be dressed up. It's extremely versatile as well as interesting and original. That combination is pretty hard to find, especially at such an accessible price point.
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Autodromo
When we asked Autodromo’s founder, Bradley Price, if he was interested in being interviewed for a story on American watches a few years back, he politely declined. He didn’t consider himself an American watchmaker, per se, he said. In fact, Price doesn’t really cop to being a watchmaker at all. He’s a watch designer, centering his creations around a love of vintage automobiles. Many have been inspired to attempt making a watch that harkens back to an old car’s gauges; the consistency with which Price has delivered sharp, novel designs to that effect has floored a loyal fanbase — and even Ford, which tapped Price to make its high-end, customizable GT Owners Watch. (If the Group B is currently sold out, it will be returning soon.)
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Baltic
Baltic’s silver bullet to conquer the heritage and homage boom? Simplicity. The French company uses Asian manufacturing and movements to keep costs below $1,000. Yet their watches capture the essence of vintage timepieces, boiling design elements into a retro concentrate of sorts. Take for instance the Aquascaphe — it's a tool watch that recalls several different dive watches from the 1960s, and it's blossomed into a robust collection of different variations (each highly recommendable). Fans of vintage dive watches who can’t afford a four- or five-figure watch can get one of Baltic’s for well under $1,000.
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Bangalore Watch Company
India is a huge market with a lot of passion for watches and a lot of manufacturing potential. So where are all the Indian watch brands? There are a few worth checking out, but Bangalore Watch Company has managed to stand out with a familiar microbrand business model and the kind of enthusiast passion you see from many of our favorite indie brands. Just as in the microbrand scenes of other countries, Bangalore injects a local pride into many of its products, and that often gives a product the sense of personality and purpose that we tend to appreciate. It also helps that the team has put together a product showing high quality for its price.
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Brew
Jonathan Ferrer got his start in watch design at Movado, through an internship during his junior year at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He then founded Brew Watches in 2015. His designs, inspired by industrial espresso machines, helped him raise $40,000 on Kickstarter, and in 2017 he shipped about 200 watches, made from Japanese and Chinese parts assembled in Switzerland. Many Brew watches have a cushion shape and a classic American design bent, with markers to time your espresso pull by. Some are powered by Seiko meca-quartz movements while others are automatic, and Ferrer assembles them himself, in Brooklyn. The result is a lot more than you’d expect out of a watch inspired by coffee.
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Coggiola
Nestled in the heart of Italy is a watchmaking company that specializes only in refurbishing and repurposing traditional watches. Sebastian Salvado, an American living in Rome, first began fiddling with English pocket watches from the 19th century in 2005. In 2015 he founded Coggiola Watch Roma, where he makes by hand and with traditional tools, and without the assistance of CNC machines or computers, every part of his watches except for the movements. Many of the finished pieces have no traditional dials, instead showing off the bones of the movements inside.
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Dan Henry
There is a concern among those who trouble themselves with such things that microbrands are engaged in a “race to the bottom” in pricing. Many brands on this list prove that’s not the case, but Dan Henry is not one of them. Take this brand for what it is: Henry, a prolific collector of vintage watches, decided to create a full line of watches inspired by every decade between 1930 and 1970, all of them priced less than $300. That price necessitates bare-bones finishing and QC. But it also puts a watch made with a collector's eye on your wrist (with even some mechanical options), and many of Henry’s designs are extremely well executed.
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Eone
Eone vaulted to headlines as big as one in The New York Times in 2015 for its instantly iconic watch that allows users to tell time by touch, the Bradley. Eone’s founder, Hyungsoo Kim, had the idea for the watch when a blind classmate at MIT felt uncomfortable using his talking watch during class. His design uses two magnetic balls to track hours and minutes, one rotating around the dial, the other around the edge of the case. But the buzz about the Bradley was about more than just the clever design. After speaking to blind focus groups, Kim realized the blind wearers were just as concerned about the watch’s appearance as a sighted wearer would be. Striking a balance between utility and visual appeal led to the final product — a slick, modernist watch that was nominated for the London Design Museum’s annual award. The company now offers more than 20 versions of the watch, with different textures and looks.
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Farer
This British company unveiled its first few pieces in 2015, all of them powered by Swiss quartz movements and made notable by ’60s-era designs touched by a tropical color palette. They made the jump to mechanical movements in 2016 with a line of three watches powered by the ETA 2824-2. (We particularly enjoyed the Beagle.) In the days since, Farer has added many watches, from a GMT to hand-wound dress watches, an automatic chronograph, a dive watch with a “super compressor” case and internal rotating bezel and more — diversifying its portfolio in all the right ways. One thing you can always expect from Farer: an unexpected pop of color.
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Halios
Halios is a microbrand OG. Since its launch in 2009, it’s focused on making sleek dive watches inspired by 1960s design, with Swiss movements and high-quality finishing for less than $1,000. Its adherence to these tenets has won it both admiration and a consistent state of being sold out (keep close tabs on Halios ahead of its next product launch if you want to land one). Its releases have regularly featured solid movements and construction, and are proof that microbrands have staying power.
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Lorier
Based in New York, and run by wife-and-husband team Lauren and Lorenzo Ortega, Lorier is a great example of how young enthusiasts are joining the watchmaking landscape and helping to reshape it with competitive prices. They want to make watches for people like themselves: those who appreciate the hobby and craft but who aren't looking for status symbols or four-to-five-figure price tags. Like other such microbrands, Lorier offers not only strong value with the kinds of specifications expected mostly at higher price ranges, but also a unique vision and personality imbued in itsproducts.
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Maen
We see smaller, independent brands pushing the boundaries of how much premium specs can be squeezed into an affordable watch, but Maen is kind of an extreme case. It shocks us time and again with the prices it's able to charge for features that are almost necessarily more expensive. Those include automatic chronographs at under $1,000 and automatic GMTs for even less. The Netherlands-based brand also tends to get the rest of the specs right, too, and overall does a very nice job for what you're paying. Often taking clear inspiration from well-known icons but steering clear of blatant homages, Maen also generally caters to those who prefer smaller case diameters.
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Magrette
Founded in 2007 by Dion Wynyard McAsey, Magrette has spent more than a decade building watches aligned with sailing and diving. The large, cushion-shaped timepieces have a touch of Panerai about them. And, though the company has strong ties to McAsey’s New Zealand roots, its watches are globally sourced: the straps are made in Canada, the graphic design is based in Taiwan, the dials are from Germany, and the movements are from Japan and Switzerland.
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Massena Lab
After working in watch-related media and auctioneering, William Massena decided to form his own brand. At first he focused mostly on collaborations in which other brands would produce limited-edition watches (and a clock) with special design elements, which he would also sell on his website. Finally, the first Massena Lab-branded watch debuted as the Uni-Racer, an homage to the vintage Universal Geneve Uni-Compax updated with modern sizing, materials and other tweaks. Later versions have expanded on the basic design with more colorful and modern-feeling variations. Massena is just getting started, so you can look forward to more cool watches to come.
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Monta
Where other American watch brands have failed, Monta, a maker of bombproof, higher-end steel sports watches, is flourishing. Before creating the brand, its founder, Michael DiMartini, started Everest Straps, which became a darling among Rolex fans (traditionally a tough crowd) for its line of active straps made specifically for Rolex sports models. Monta’s watches feature large, visible dial markings and numerals and are powered by Swiss movements. Rolex is a clear inspiration for the brand, and this is manifested in the concept of an elevated tool watch with excellent finishing, rather than direct homages.
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Nodus
This LA-based brand has made waves since it was founded in 2017. Its Retrospect, a dive watch with sunburst dial, had watch nerds swooning, and promptly sold out. We also thoroughly enjoyed wearing the brand’s Contrail 39, a solid dive-rated tool watch with an interestingly textured dial. The brand’s not-so-secret sauce, thus far, is solid design with fan favorites like sunburst dials, paired with affordable Miyota movements and a solid price point.
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Oak & Oscar
Oak & Oscar’s founder, Chase Fancher, has said he wants his watches to be talked about 40 years from now. He’s made it a fraction of the way so far. Since 2015, he’s released several watches, each to critical acclaim: The Burnham, debuting the “sandwich dial” style; The Sandford, a GMT with a rotating inner bezel; The Jackson, a chronograph; The Humboldt, a field watch with a 12-hour bezel; and The Olmsted 38, a smaller and dressier option. Not all are in continuous production, but it's worth checking out Oak & Oscar's current models.
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Orion
Nick Harris got his start modding Seikos in his childhood bedroom. Now, after completing two years at Seattle’s Watch Technology Institute, he’s able to work full-time on his microbrand, Orion. The Orion 1 got Harris’s business off the ground with a field/dress watch style, and his next batch, the Calamity Diver, was inspired by an entirely different design directive: make a thin dive watch. Harris has steadily refined and diversified his craft, branching out from the Asian movements he’s known so well to the likes of Swiss-made ETA and ceramic bezel inserts. Orion is a testament to quality in American watchmaking, but continues to offer the value small brands are known for.
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Pelton
After a stint creating ribbon microphones for the pro audio industry, Deni Mesanovic founded Pelton Watches to bring his horological ideas to life. Crafting handmade dials and machining his own cases, Mesanovic has released several models since his company’s inception in 2016, most notably (to our minds) the Sector. These models exhibit Mesanovic’s first completely in-house dial, which requires numerous finishing techniques and six hours of work to complete. While his watches are pricier within the microbrand movement, the effort that goes into a Pelton watch (and especially the dial) more than justifies its price point.
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Raven
Its watches have been borne, since 2008, out of a self-admitted obsession with Rolex divers. And Raven does the homage watch well: those early models captured the cool style of vintage Submariners, with Miyota movements and without the Rolex price tag. Their current line has kept the cool, but shied away from the Rolex worship. Each chunky diver or tool watch has since done its own thing — the Trekker at a smaller 40mm, the Venture at 42mm with pops of color, the Endeavor a 44mm classic and powered by the ubiquitous ETA 2824-2 automatic. Each is priced under $1,000.
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Scurfa
It’s a common refrain among divers who are also watch aficionados: We want to wear our watches in the water! Paul Scurfield, a saturation diver, started Scurfa with that goal in mind — and at least in origin story, says that his watches are made for people whose Rolex divers “exploded” in value, making them a little too precious to use in practice. His dive watches are a value proposition “tool watch” to the T: every piece, from its screw-down crown to its serious Super LumiNova, is aimed at making an affordable dive watch that can survive 500 meters in the deep.
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Unimatic
Made in Italy using Seiko movements, Unimatic’s watches are a minimalist, affordable response to the vintage timepiece trends. Its founders Giovanni Moro and Simone Nunziatom are industrial designers who’ve been been making (and selling out) watches in Italy since 2015. With a fundamentally tool-watch approach, the brand's deceptively simple-seeming formula has been applied to a number of collections with interesting variations, collaborations with other brands — and even some surprising models adorned with SpongeBob SquarePants motifs. Don’t ignore Unimatic'ss in-house cases, which are anti-magnetic and water-resistant to 300 meters, or its made-to-order options, which include engraved cases.
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Vortic
Why concentrate on the troubles of modern American watchmaking when you can re-use its beautiful past? It’s not so simple, of course. Vortic, based in Colorado, custom-designed its cases and a proprietary system to hold the antique pocket watch movements, dials and hands that are placed inside of them. The Railroad Edition, for example, uses only refurbished “railroad grade” watches made by American companies like Elgin, Waltham and Illinois.
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Weiss
What does a fully American-made watch look like? Weiss is a company that's long been pushing this question and attempting to answer it. The 42mm American Issue Field watch has a case, dial and sapphire crystal made in the US, and the Cal 1003 movement is mostly manufactured in the US, too. The 38mm Field Issue opened Weiss's classic design to those with smaller wrists, and the brand also branched out into more exotic materials like titanium and other interesting horological features.
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Zelos
A huge number of microbrands (and much larger luxury brands, too) make at least some watch parts in Asia. And yet, few brands smaller than Seiko, Orient and Seagull from the region had broken through in the microbrand scene until Zelos launched three consecutively successful watches on Kickstarter, starting in 2014. Its founder, Elshan Tang, is a former mechanical engineer. His fascination with watch movements and unique design translates to dive watches with movements ranging from Seiko to ETA and cases made using nontraditional case materials like bronze, carbon fiber and Damascus steel. He's particularly adept at packing features typically considered premium and reserved for higher-end watches into often shockingly affordable packages. Models often sell out quickly, but are replaced almost as quickly with new versions.
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