Results for Microbrand Watches

Inside the Czapek manufacture: how to make 1000 watches a year

We visited the Czapek manufacture in La Chaux-du-Fonds and was taken on a guided tour of the facilities by the CEO Xavier de Rouquemaurel.

Buying Guide – Suiting Up for the Festive Season, With a Selection of Dress Watches

It’s almost upon us, the most festive time of the year. Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa and plenty of others all kick off this month. And with it, there will be plenty of parties, dinners, social gatherings and other events filling up our agendas and keeping us occupied. To keep track of time in the most pleasurable […]

Micro-Brand Digest: New Watches from Japan, Australia, Singapore, and More!

Welcome to the Worn & Wound Micro-Brand Digest, a semi-monthly roundup of new micro-brand news we’re following. This includes promising concepts, Kickstarter launches, restocks, and everything in between. Worn & Wound was founded over 10 years ago to support small independent companies and affordable micro-brands, and our passion for these brands remains strong. Here’s what has caught our attention this month. If you come across a project that qualifies for our roundup, please email us at info@wornandwound.com to be included. Houtman Watch Jason Liddell grew up in Western Australia and has always deeply appreciated the great outdoors. He is particularly fond of the iconic regions and landmarks in Western Australia, including the Murchison River and the Pilbara. Houtman Watches is named after the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, charted by the Dutch sailor Frederick de Houtman in 1619. The Houtman Abrolhos is the southernmost true coral reef system in the Indian Ocean and comprises a stunning chain of 122 islands along with their associated reefs. The first two series have been named after the rivers mentioned earlier, and their most recent collection is called the Murchison. This series showcases four dial and hand configurations, which include two field/dress watches, one field/sport watch, and one pilot watch. All these watches have a stainless steel case with a diameter of 40mm, a thickness of 11.5mm, and a length of 48mm from lug tip to lug tip. The interior width measure...

Realistically Aspirational: Four New Watches in the “Micro-Indie” Space

There’s a bit of dialogue toward the end of Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory from 1971 that goes: Wonka: but Charlie… Don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he wanted. Charlie: What happened? Wonka: He lived happily ever after. An inversion of the typical “be careful what you wish for” sentiment that puts a rosy tint on the morbid but wonderful film, I can’t help but hear it play in my head when I look at the current state of independent watches. Once, there was a dearth of brands and originality, and now, there is almost too much. Well, not almost; there is. We went from a time when unique options were few and far between, making any that popped up all the more rare and exciting, to now, when they are almost common. I’M PRETTY SURE WE’RE CHARLIE IN THIS STORY What an absurd state of affairs! Am I actually complaining about there being too much originality? Well, no, but yes (mainly for this article and humor). You see, I used to be easily seduced by these new and unique pieces, but now, I have decision paralysis. Oh, the horror! In reality, this is remarkable. We’ve wondered for years what brands would do when the vintage craze ran its course and a need for originality returned. Rather than purely wild watches that depart from tradition entirely (though there are many), we’ve seen smaller brands invest in research, development, and craft to create watches that, at least, I would not have thought possible a handful of yea...

House Of Craft: Independent Watchmaker Simon Brette On His Journey To Watches, And What The Future Holds

In the third installment of our House of Craft video series, we sit down with one of today's most renowned young independent watchmakers.

House Of Craft: NBA Great Carmelo Anthony On Watches, Collecting, And Life After Basketball

Our House of Craft NYC video series kicks off with none other than the former Knicks star and NBA legend.

In-Depth: The Incredible Watches (And Cars) Of Briggs Cunningham

One of the countless reasons why any given person may have an interest in timepieces is that these little machines, bound to the wrists of their owners, may in fact be witness to greatness.

Understated For The Road And Your Wrist – 10 Great Car-Themed Watches

Subtle influence from the world of automotive enthusiasm.

5 Watches That Have Stood The Test of Time Starring Rolex, Patek Philippe, Omega, and Cartier

Why is it that watch brands celebrate watch anniversaries so enthusiastically? The answer isn't as complicated as you might think . . . here we illustrate the answer with some major brands like Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier, Chanel, and Omega.

The Fight Between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul Was Lame – But At Least The Watches Weren’t

Universal Genève Unveils Trio Of Polerouter Tribute Watches Ahead Of 2026 Relaunch

Using the past as a hint for what is yet to come, Universal Genève previews the brand's new direction.

Ferdinand Berthoud Celebrates Sincere Fine Watches’ 70th Anniversary with the Chronomètre FB 1RES.3 Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition

GPHG 2024: Here’s What We Think Of All The Winning Watches Of The Year

Hands-On: The Watches Of David Candaux

A trio of tourbillons: the DC1, DC6, and DC7.

Industry News – Richemont Reports Stable Sales for the First Semester 2024, Results Down for Watches

Switzerland-based luxury conglomerate Richemont Group has just issued its trading update for the six months ended 30 September 2024. The Group delivered an overall stable performance with flat sales at constant exchange rates and -1% at actual rates, at EUR 10.1 billion. At EUR 2.2 billion, profit is down 12% at constant rates and down 17% […]

Jaeger-LeCoultre Watches: Why Are They Not More Popular?

Jaeger-LeCoultre's competition i.e., Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet have surged in recent years. They are now all well-recognized brands in broader society, whereas the love for JLC is reserved for true enthusiasts. Raman Kalra explains why.

Sincere Fine Watches 70th Anniversary: The Exclusive CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition

Wind, Water and Watches: Panerai at the 37th America’s Cup

Zenith and Porter-Yoshida Pilot Watches in Green Ceramic

Porter, a Japanese cult brand famous for its functional nylon bags, has lent its signature colours to Zenith to create the Pilot Central Automatic Porter and the Pilot Big Date Flyback Chronograph Porter. The new Pilot duo retain the familiar aviation-inspired design, but in green with orange accents, including for the first time a case in khaki green ceramic. Both models are delivered with two straps: a conventional Cordura-effect rubber strap and a green nylon strap made by Porter. Initial thoughts While the Pilot Porter isn’t an iconic classic like Zenith’s El Primero, it is a unique take on the traditional aviator’s watch that is different but still functional, not unlike Porter bags that are popular for their no-frills quality. The green and orange livery is appealing and avoids the usual pilot’s watch look, but remains entirely legible and utilitarian. Priced at US$11,300 for the time-only variant and US$15,500 for the chronograph, the Pilot Porter is priced comparably to the equivalent regular-production Pilot models. Though both are more expensive than Zenith’s offerings in steel, they are priced reasonably enough considering the material and movement, as well as the competition. Khaki green Porter is the most famous label owned by Yoshida & Co., a Japanese maker of luggage and bags. Usually in dark-coloured nylon with contrast-colour lining, Porter bags are multi-pocketed and useful (and also quite pricey for nylon bags). The Pilot Porter models adopt th...

In-Depth: Alfred Helwig’s Flying Tourbillon in Wrist- and Pocket Watches

The flying tourbillon marks the beginning of my career as a watch dealer and collector. In the mid-1970s, I met a former fellow pupil of mine, Richard Miklosch, in a little antique shop in my hometown of Aachen. At the time, I was unaware that Miklosch (1939-2014), originally a technical schoolteacher, had become a highly sought-after watchmaker specialising in pocket watch tourbillons (Fig. 1) – to his great credit being entirely self-taught in the field [1, p. 198][1, pp. 374-377][2, p. 140][3, p. 40]. That is how Theodor Beyer, who ran Chronometrie Beyer and Beyer Uhrenmuseum in Zürich, came to have a Miklosch tourbillon, as well as a George Daniels tourbillon, in his collection. I told him about my growing fascination for watches and my plans to start organising auctions specialised in this field. Miklosch looked at me sympathetically, and, pulling a watch out of his pocket he said: “This is one of the best precision timepieces ever made”. Although I had only rudimentary knowledge of the subject at the time, I was immediately struck by the visual aesthetics of the movement. It was one of the flying tourbillons from the famous Glashütte School; to be precise the 1930-1931 tourbillon made by Max Hahn marked “School no. 3673” and “Special no. 21”. That was my eureka moment and one that ultimately marked the beginning of my watch career. Some of these iconic watches were to pass through my hands in the following 50 years, or even to find a place in my colle...

Awake Gives Us a Lesson in Creating Watches for Future Generations

The concept of a “mid-life crisis” has long had a negative connotation thanks to the word “crisis” implying a moment of difficulty, but I’d suggest we rethink this as a mid-life turning point. For Lilian Thibault, founder of Awake, this moment came when he reached a certain age and his kids began to grow. He took the opportunity to turn a mid-life crisis into a mid-life reinvention. After years of investing in other successful businesses, he decided to invest in himself and his own passions. Lilian had been an avid watch collector for more than two decades, and in 2018 he set out to create his own brand-Awake was born. “As my kids are growing older, I’ve started to think more and more about the legacy that will be left behind for them,” Lilian told me. “I decided I wanted to bring my own brand to market that reflects the vision I would like to see in the world for the next generation. This is, in fact, why I chose the name ‘Awake,’ I have a mission to awaken people’s attention to beauty and what really matters in life.” Lilian Thibault To bring his vision to life, Lilian launched a Kickstarter to raise funds for production in 2018. The campaign was originally planned to run for a month, but the brand reached its goal of $30,000 within an hour and ended up raising $400,000-Lilian was clearly onto something, and his vision was resonating. A year later, the brand unveiled its first collection aptly named “Origins.” In the spirit of thinking a...

Heinrich Introduces New Watches Featuring Carbon Dials with Integrated Lume

Germany is the home of many prominent timepiece manufacturers. The most notable city known for watchmaking is Glashütte; however, another city, Pforzheim,, located roughly 560 kilometers away, has its own proud watchmaking history. Brands calling Pforzheim home include Circula, Laco, Limes, Stowa, and others, along with the famous case maker Ickler, whose work supplies numerous watch brands worldwide. Heinrich is a watch brand located in Stuttgart, less than an hour from Pforzheim. This proximity allows brand founder Wolfgang Heinrich to collaborate with skilled watchmakers to develop new sport and dive watches that take inspiration from the 1970s while incorporating a unique twist. Twist barely describes their latest creation, the Taucher Infused Forged Carbon V2. If that sounds like a mouthful, it is, but it is also an eyeful. These watches feature dials and bezel inserts made from colored forged carbon combined with SuperLuminova BGW9. We are not only referring to the indices, minute track, and bezel markings being lumed; instead, we mean that the dial and bezel material itself is integrated with lume. The fusion of materials in each watch is unique, ensuring no two are alike.  The 41mm stainless steel case measures 13.6mm to the top of the boxed sapphire crystal, and due to the very short lugs, it has a compact length of 47.8mm from lug tip to lug tip. This watch should fit nearly everyone comfortably. Although it has a 1970s throwback style, this case is 200 meters ...

The Best Chronograph Watches for Beginners Under $1,000

When time really counts - whether you’re speeding around a race track, plotting a navigational course, or timing the beats of a patient’s heart - you need a stopwatch. At one point, the function of a stopwatch was completely separate from that of a wristwatch. Enter the chronograph. Adding a stopwatch compilation - that is, a feature beyond telling the time - to a traditional watch was revolutionary when it was invented in the nineteenth century.    Today, they are one of the most popular types of watches amongst enthusiasts for their storied heritage and visual appeal. (As Omega will have you know, they’ve even been to the moon.) But for many enthusiasts, they can feel out of reach - mechanically complex, they require significantly greater purchase and service costs. Luckily, there’s an alternative: quartz. Quartz chronograph movements circumvent those two major shortfalls, allowing for greater reliability and reduced cost. With that, here are some of our favorite affordable chronographs for beginners.    Should you see anything you like, the Windup Watch Team is available via consultation to answer any questions you have. In addition, all of these products are eligible for free domestic shipping across the US. When time really counts - whether you’re speeding around a race track, plotting a navigational course, or timing the beats of a patient’s heart - you need a stopwatch. At one point, the function of a stopwatch was completely separate f...

Sincere Fine Watches’ 70th Anniversary: Zenith Presents The Defy Skyline Big Date Flyback Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition

Grail Watches: The Holy Trinity – Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin – And What is a ‘Grail Watch’ Anyway?

“The Holy Trinity,” as any watch nerd knows, refers to the triumvirate of Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin. Colin Smith takes a look at what we mean – or think we mean - when we describe PP, AP, and VC as the “Holy Trinity” of watchmaking and when we describe a timepiece as our “grail watch.”

IAMWATCH 2024: New Watches And Everything That’s Happening So Far

Photo Report: The Wonderful Watches Of UBS House Of Craft NYC

You won't believe your eyes.

Buy Vintage Watches with Confidence: Timepiece Grading Specialists With Fred Savage

Energy Management in Mechanical Watches: The Pulse of Precision

The ticking of a mechanical watch is more than just a sound; it is the heartbeat of time itself. Beneath the watch’s dial lies a world of intricate mechanics driven by energy.

The Hodinkee Acquisition: Watches of Switzerland’s Bold Move Signals a New Era for Watch Media