The watch world has never been more crowded – or more interesting. While the established maisons continue to dominate the headlines, a new generation of independent makers is offering collectors something rather different: original design, serious mechanical credentials and a far more personal approach to watchmaking.
The best microbrands are no longer simply affordable alternatives to the industry’s big hitters. They’re developing proprietary technology, reviving traditional crafts, experimenting with unusual materials and building passionate communities around their watches. Some take inspiration from the golden age of horology; others are determined to drag it somewhere entirely new.
And while the term ‘microbrand’ remains rather loosely defined, the following names all demonstrate why looking beyond the usual suspects can be so rewarding. (In alphabetical order – in the interests of impartiality…)
Abinger Watches
Born in South West England, Abinger Watches makes mechanical timepieces for people who rarely stay in one place for long. Its watches are designed around travel, exploration and everyday versatility – equally at home on a red-eye, a country weekend or a Monday morning in the City. The Nimrod [pictured] captures that spirit: compact, robust and aviation-inspired, with 200m water resistance. As the team at Abinger told us, “a watch should work as hard as the person wearing it.”
See more at abingerwatches.com
anOrdain
Glasgow-based anOrdain has carved out a distinctive identity through one of watchmaking’s most demanding crafts: enamel dialmaking. Founded in 2016, the Scottish brand produces its dials by hand in its Glasgow studio, embracing the tiny variations that make each one unique. This painstaking approach inevitably limits production, and demand is considerable. It’s an appealing combination of traditional craftsmanship, contemporary design and a distinctly Scottish character.
See more at anordain.com
Arken Watch Company
Arken Watch Company has built its reputation on tough, practical tool watches designed for everyday wear – with titanium its material of choice. Founded in Kent, the microbrand aims to challenge expectations of just how much quality and specification you can get for your money. But there’s more to Arken than hardware. Its growing community is central to the proposition, with direct communication between founder and owners helping create the kind of personal connection only a microbrand can really offer.
See more at arken.uk
Baltic
Founded in 2017 by Frenchman Etienne Malec, Baltic has become one of the poster children for the modern microbrand movement. Its watches lean heavily on vintage inspiration, combining good looks with accessible pricing. The range now spans everything from the dressy MR Classic to its latest release, the Hermétique The Rift, created to mark its role as Official Timekeeper of Iceland’s brutal gravel race, with volcanic-inspired colours, full lume dial and new 34mm option.
See more at baltic-watches.com
BAUSELE
Christophe Hoppé spent a decade in Swiss watchmaking and finance before moving to Sydney and founding Bausele in 2011. Today, Bausele is the official watchmaker of the Australian Air Force and the Australian Army, has collaborated with the Sydney Opera House, and exhibits at Geneva Watch Days as well as Watches & Wonders. All Bausele watches are made to order. Our favourite is the Long Weekend dive watch with its unique textured sand pattern dial and real Australian sand inside the crown.
See more at bausele.com
Edward Christopher
Edward Christopher is named after two men who each saved a child’s life, so every watch sold triggers a £35 children’s charity donation chosen by buyers. The brand’s Manta dive watch won a top international design award shortly after launch and was worn (unpaid) to the Oscars. The new Ripple range [pictured] sold out its first 25-piece special edition in 72 hours. Customers span Australia to Austria to America, and include financiers, television presenters and senior members of the military.
See more at edwardchristopher.com
Farer
Launched in 2015, Farer has made colour something of a calling card ever since. The British-designed, Swiss-made brand combines bold palettes with an obvious affection for the golden age of watchmaking. Its catalogue now stretches from GMTs and chronographs to field watches and elegant hand-wound models, often distinguished by plenty of small details to reward a closer look. Beneath the colourful exterior there’s substance, too, with mechanical movements from Sellita and La Joux-Perret.
See more at farer.com
Formex
Based in Biel/Bienne, independent Swiss watchmaker Formex combines innovative design with deep manufacturing expertise. Drawing on decades of experience developing and producing precision components for renowned watch brands, Formex brings impressive technical know-how to every timepiece – including patented case-suspension systems and ingenious bracelet adjustments. This is distinctive Swiss mechanical watchmaking that fuses comfort, precision and everyday versatility.
See more at formexwatch.com
Furlan Marri
Furlan Marri arrived with a bang in 2021, when founders Andrea Furlan and Hamad Al Marri launched their first vintage-inspired chronographs through Kickstarter. Based in Geneva, the brand looks to the elegant watches of the 1940s and 1950s for inspiration, obsessing over details such as case proportions, typography and finishing while keeping prices approachable. Just months after launching, it won the Horological Revelation Prize at the 2021 GPH. Its following has grown ever since.
See more at furlanmarri.com
ProTek
ProTek takes the ‘tool’ part of tool watch very seriously. Founded by former US Marine Barry Cohen, the American brand builds watches designed to withstand the sort of punishment most of us are unlikely to encounter on the morning commute. Its military credentials are genuine, too: ProTek is an official watch brand of the US Marine Corps. Rugged cases, serious water resistance and self-powered tritium illumination feature heavily across the range, ensuring round-the-clock legibility.
See more at protekwatch.com
Studio Underd0g
Founded by British designer Richard Benc in 2020, Studio Underd0g made its name with colourful, irreverent chronographs inspired by everything from watermelons to mint choc chip – and quickly developed a cult following. Its watches are assembled and tested in Britain, while recent models have included movements developed with Swiss specialist Sellita. This year, it brought assembly in-house with Underd0g Manufacture and opened The D0ghouse, where enthusiasts can watch the build process.
See more at underd0g.com
