Results for Microbrand Watches

MICRO MONDAYS: AUDRIC SeaBorne 500 M is a proper spec MONSTER for the money

It seems like every week, another Kickstarter microbrand comes forward with its own take on a diving watch. Some of these are more successful than others, but the one certainty is that in order to stand out, companies have to increasingly  think outside the box. AUDRIC Watches have done so with the home-run combination of … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: AUDRIC SeaBorne 500 M is a proper spec MONSTER for the money appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

HANDS-ON: Is the Undone Vintage Killy actually good? How could it be for under $500?

Undone are reaching a point of ubiquity in the microbrand world where it is probably prudent to have tried one on the wrist. With, of course, one prevailing question in mind – how could these watches deliver on their looks? We ordered a couple in. Because, somehow Undone seem able to keep up a huge … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Is the Undone Vintage Killy actually good? How could it be for under $500? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

MICRO MONDAYS: The Boldr Venture Sandstorm might be the best value titanium watch on the market

Yes, it’s a very bold opening line. In fact, this is no boldr (sorry!) than a simple statement of the facts, should you sum up the parts, starting with a titanium watch with 200m water resistance for under $300 USD including shipping. Boldr Supply Co. is an established microbrand with five watch lines, and a … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Boldr Venture Sandstorm might be the best value titanium watch on the market appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

MICRO MONDAYS: Meet the LIV P-51, a high-specced titanium pilot’s watch at a competitive price

LIV is a brand that cuts to the chase. Bold, chunky watches with action in mind, and the rare ability to come up with distinctly different designs while keeping its own unique identity consistent across its range. While their microbrand-standard Kickstarter business model may be quite common, their collections of watches and value propositions are … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: Meet the LIV P-51, a high-specced titanium pilot’s watch at a competitive price appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

IN-DEPTH: The DOXA SUB 200

DOXA’s revival is something easily missed if you’re not paying close attention. Vintage-inspired or re-issued dive watches aren’t exactly selling for double the retail price due to lack of supply, but this DOXA SUB 200 isn’t just another trendy microbrand with an aesthetic and a good marketing team. When determining the legacy of a watchmaker, … ContinuedThe post IN-DEPTH: The DOXA SUB 200 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

INTRODUCING: The Batavi Kosmopoliet GMT

Amsterdam microbrand Batavi pays homage to the famous tool watches of yesteryear, with the modern Kosmopoliet GMT.The post INTRODUCING: The Batavi Kosmopoliet GMT appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Humism Introduces the Philosophies and Helios

After a successful launch of its debut collection in 2018, Singapore-based microbrand Humism has just debuted its next line-up, the Philosophies (II) and Helios collection, once again on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. The watches are a sure thing: at the time of writing, the watches have been fully funded, with the amount raised more than eights times its fundraising goal. As with its first range of watches, the latest timepieces from Humism feature the same lyrical time display, with both the hours, minutes, and seconds indicated by overlapping wheels that create an unfolding pattern as the time passes. Black and yellow The limited edition Helios takes two watches from last year’s line-up – the Dasein and the Eudaimonia – and dresses them in black and yellow. According to Humism, the largest number of backers last year chose this colour combination, out of nearly 50 choices. While the livery has changed, the time-telling mechanics stay the same. At the very top, the seconds wheel is in constant movement, providing the primary animation of the dial. Helios Dasein Helios Eudaimonia The hours and minutes are indicated by spheres on the edge of the dial, each attached to another wheel. The quicker rotation of the seconds wheel, superimposed on the slower minutes creates an optical illusion reminiscent of a kaleidoscope. Both have steel cases coated in black diamond-like carbon (DLC). The Helios Dasein is limited to 290 pieces, while the Helios E...

HANDS-ON: The Nodus Avalon - it may be green but this Nodus is ripe for the picking

“Living the dream” is how I’d best describe the two co-founders of microbrand watch company Nodus. The pair may be relative new recruits to the micro-watchmaking game, but Cullen Chen and Wesley Kwok have turned their passion for watches into their dream business, releasing their debut model, the Nodus Trieste, in 2017, taking its inspiration … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Nodus Avalon – it may be green but this Nodus is ripe for the picking appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

HANDS ON: An affordable, colourful two-timer -  the Farer Lander GMT Automatic

Having previously reviewed the Farer Aqua Compressor Hecla, I thought it was time to explore some more of the British microbrand’s offerings. Enter the Farer Lander GMT Automatic, one of three pieces within Farer’s GMT Automatic range. As I unboxed the Lander, the first thing that grabbed my attention was the dial. Farer describes the … ContinuedThe post HANDS ON: An affordable, colourful two-timer – the Farer Lander GMT Automatic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Ep. 79 - Watch Lust 2018

This week the guys take some time to candidly share the watches they're actually considering as purchases for 2018. The wrist check is also a fun one, as both of the snobs share some old time favorites and a very particular watch that hasn't been on the show for some time. Also, a microbrand offering a 7750 chronograph for under €1,000? Yeah, you bet your ass that made it's way into the discussion.

HANDS-ON: The Martenero Kerrison

Since 2014, New York-based Martenero have been quietly making a name for themselves amongst the enthusiasts of the microbrand watch community. Their formula is of simple dials with bright pops of colour, paired with a twisted lug case – with the exception of their straight-edged Edgemere – brought to life by a desire to create … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Martenero Kerrison appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

News: a new player on the movement market - the Calibre EX001

TNT watches, a microbrand watch company from Germany, will release a new in-house designed and developed movement, the EX001 using modern technologies.

Introducing: Alpina Catches Rays And Light With New Startimer Pilot Solarmetre And Alpiner Extreme Solarmetre X Route Du Rhum

What We Know Alpina, the value-driven, adventure and outdoor Swiss watch brand, is chasing the sun (and artificial light) with some of its new releases. The brand is now, across more models, utilizing solar quartz movements manufactured by La Joux-Perret, the Swiss movement maker majority-owned by Japan's Citizen Group, which also controls Frederique Constant and Alpina.  Solarmetre quartz movements are now available in both the updated Startimer Pilot and Alpiner Extreme models. Solar quartz is a natural fit for Alpina, bringing more reliability, accuracy, convenience, thinness, and value to its lineup. Both Solarmetre quartz models are priced at $1,495, offering an aggressively priced entry point into the brand with a movement also found in LVMH-owned watch brands, including TAG Heuer.  The AL-140 caliber, solar quartz by La Joux-Perret, runs for up to 10 months in total darkness after a full charge, boosting the grab-and-go appeal.  The shift to solar quartz (both model lines remain available in mechanical automatic versions as well) makes these pieces more practical while shaving millimeters from the case measurements and significant dollars from the price.  Let's start with the solar Pilot Startimer. The new look for the pilot watch model was unveiled at Watches and Wonders this year, and now, amid the slew of releases for Geneva Watch Days, Alpina is giving us the Startimer Pilot Solarmetre. Available in three versions: two steel-cased models and one in sand-colo...

One of Our Favorite Microbrands Just Gave Its GMT Watch a Serious Upgrade

Baltic just made its cult-favorite Aquascaphe GMT a more capable travel watch with a flyer GMT, tougher case, and one unexpected change.

One of the Best Affordable Microbrands Just Refreshed Their Entire Watch Collection

The Lorier relaunch brings back the Neptune diver, Astra dress watch, Falcon field watch, and Hyperion GMT. Pre-orders July 27.

Small Brands with Big Futures: Microbrands & Independents on the Rise

Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.

A Look At Miyota’s 8-Series Movements For Microbrands

Last year, Thomas gave an introduction to Citizen’s Miyota operation, with a focus on the Miyota 9-series movements and their use in many microbrands we are familiar with. The consensus is that this popular family of automatic calibers offers plenty in terms of specifications, variety, customization, and value. Today, I’m looking at the 8-series movements, […] Visit A Look At Miyota’s 8-Series Movements For Microbrands to read the full article.

Power List: The Microbrands

Tími/Tid/Aika: No matter how it’s said, these five Scandinavian microbrands are showing us a good time

Inside The Design: Graphic Designer David Carson Is Very Into Swatches

An interview with the design icon, who wears a Kiwi throughout his new MasterClass video.

Buying, Selling, & Collecting: The Story Of My Life In Three Swatches

Ever since boyhood, this brand has seen me through my milestones.

The Rise and Rise of Microbrands

Independent boutique brands are making punters sit up and take notice. Here are five to watch.

We watched every minute of the GPHG 2020 so you don’t have to. And you owe us a beer, it wasn’t amazing…

The 20th annual GPHG was streamed and broadcast live, with digital spectators tuning in around the world to see who would win what some refer to as “the Oscars” of watchmaking. Each year, an academy of industry experts, journalists and influencers is assembled to determine the nominees for these prestigious awards – with 30 of … ContinuedThe post We watched every minute of the GPHG 2020 so you don’t have to. And you owe us a beer, it wasn’t amazing… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Ep. #49 - Watch Adventures, Microbrands, and Horological Eggplants

Huge shout out and a thank you to our two most recent community guest contributors" Alexander Van Slyke and Fred Nicolaus! The Two Broke Watch Snobs sincerely thank you from the bottom of our snobbish hears for sharing your awesome stories with the site. In relation, serious - what's cassava, guys? Someone has a produce related meltdown pretty early in the show...

Fratello Talks: Recent Shifts In The Watch Industry

The watch industry is constantly changing, whether through new product launches, shifting ownership structures, or brands reassessing their place in the market. Some developments have implications that go well beyond a single release. They can influence a brand’s direction, its identity, and the watches it chooses to make. In this episode of Fratello Talks, Jorg, […] Visit Fratello Talks: Recent Shifts In The Watch Industry to read the full article.

Moser Introduces a Pair of Limited Editions in their Heritage Collection

If you’re anything like me, when you think of H. Moser the watches that come to mind are colorful, skew toward the avant-garde, and very much in the category of “contemporary.” It’s easy to forget sometimes that Moser traces its origins back to 1828, and there’s been a lot of watchmaking history that has passed through the many references issued under the Moser banner. The sometimes neglected Heritage collection within the Moser catalog just received a pair of updates, and it’s a good reminder that Moser does more than Streamliners and shoe collabs (but we love the shoe collabs). First, let’s look at the Heritage Chronograph White Fumé. Moser tells us this reference was inspired by Moser chronographs from the middle part of the 20th century. It has a classic two register layout with subdials at 9:00 and 3:00, and a tachymeter scale around the dial’s perimeter. The white fumé dial is accented with blue graduations, subdials, and hands, creating great contrast and making the watch feel just a little more at home in 2026, or later (a watch like this would have almost certainly had black printing in the mid 20th century).   The case is 42mm in stainless steel, and the watch is powered by Moser’s HMC 220 caliber, which has been outfitted with a chronograph module in this execution. Moser does make their own chronograph caliber (the HMC 907), so it’s noteworthy that they’ve used their workhorse automatic with a module for this release. It’s likely bor...

A Guide to Watch Finishing with Roland Murphy

What transforms a mechanical watch into a work of art? Guided by American master watchmaker Roland Murphy, discover the true meaning behind terms like Geneva stripes and perlage and to see how engine-turned guilloché dials are really made. By the end of this original film, you’ll be an expert on the lesser-known traditional finishing techniques that separate good watches from some of the highest-grade watches in the entire industry.More

Photo Report: Milan Watch Week 2026

Geneva won't want to hear me say this, but it's starting to feel like Milan is becoming the unofficial capital of watches lately. Firstly, Rolex chose the city to announce the wildly unexpected Perpetual Padellone in September of this year. Patek Philippe also just concluded the next installment of their two-week-long Watch Art Grand Exhibition held in Palazzo delle Scintille, and Hublot selected Milan to host the launch of their latest release and slight re-issue, Classic Fusion Tributo. Amid all these activations, the city saw even more watch-obsessed people descend for what may be the most buzzy happening of all: Milan Watch Week. Now, let me clear something up before I proceed: there are a lot of domestic watch weeks around the world lately. Off the top of my head, we have New York, London, Dubai, Geneva (some people have started to call the week of Watches & Wonders this), Milan, India, and, more recently, Istanbul. And while the increased presence of shows like these may signal something else happening in our industry, the picture it doesn't fully paint is how different each of these weeks is. Let's take Dubai and Milan. Dubai Watch Week, the first and original Watch Week, is a retail-backed organization run by the Seddiq family and takes two years of planning by a huge team with major brand involvement. Milan Watch Week 2026, held in Palazzo Mezzanotte. Milan Watch Week (MWW) was created by the team behind Italian Watch Spotter, an Italian-based online media company...

Introducing - Orient Star Launches Flagship Model for its 75th Anniversary, the Skeleton RE-BR0001N

While most of us picture the Bambino or Mako collections when we think of Orient watches, the Japanese brand owned by Seiko Epson Corporation can make much more advanced and refined watches, especially under the Orient Star umbrella. We’ve seen this especially this year, as the brand celebrates its 75th anniversary, with models such as the M34 F8 Skeleton Hand Winding or […]

Happenings: The 2026 GPHG Is Almost Here - Tune In On November 7 For The Winners

On Saturday, November 7, the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève will return to Geneva for its 26th edition, bringing together 84 nominated watches competing across 19 prize categories, including the coveted Aiguille d’Or Grand Prix (known as the “Best in Show” prize). This year’s ceremony marks an important first for the GPHG: It will be conducted entirely in English, reflecting its growing global audience and a shift toward increased accessibility to the public. The winning watches will be announced at Geneva’s Bâtiment des Forces Motrices beginning at 6:30pm CET (12:30pm ET) — and you can watch the livestream here at Hodinkee or on gphg.org. The 84 finalists have already made stops in Mumbai and Bangkok before arriving in Geneva for the final stage of the competition. Following the awards, Watches of Switzerland will have the privilege of presenting them in another exhibition at its Knightsbridge showroom in London. An invite-only preview will take place on November 18, and the exhibit will be open to the public November 19-23. The 26th edition also introduces a new approach to the award categories. Rather than separating watches into men’s and women’s categories, the GPHG has reorganized the competition around the characteristics and types of the watches themselves. These changes are part of a broader evolution of the awards as the GPHG continues to reflect the diversity of contemporary watchmaking. Hodinkee’s very own Senior Editor, Mark Kauzlarich...