Summer is here, and the watch debuts keep on coming. Microbrands just happen to provide some of the best offerings for your money because they don’t spend as much on marketing and advertising. Microbrand watches run the gamut from affordable to premium, but ounce for ounce they provide more bang for your buck, making new releases all the more exciting.
Here are the defining characteristics of microbrand watch companies:
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Their workforce is typically small compared to mainstream watch brands
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They outsource much of the production including dials, cases, bracelets/straps
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They utilize popular movements that are not created in-house
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They conduct the majority of their sales online
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Their watch designs bear some or significant originality and typically do not copy more popular designs
RZE Fortitude GMT
Singaporean brand RZE specializes in titanium watches that fall under the $700 mark, but you’d never guess based on theiexcellent construction and modern styling. This time around, the brand adds a second time zone to its Fortitude. The pilot-style timepiece uses a Miyota 9075 automatic GMT movement beneath a texturized and sandwich-style dial. The titanium case and bracelet have been hardened via a proprietary process, reducing the likelihood of scratching that plagues standard titanium watches. Other premium features include AR sapphire glass, an embossed crown, Swiss SuperLumiNova lume, and Viton gaskets. The Fortitude GMT comes in three dial colors.
Buy: $699
Direnzo DRZ 02R Aerolite 2024
Swiss microbrand Direnzo blends modern and vintage with the smaller diameter Aerolite. The “elliptical elevation” stainless steel case was inspired by vintage Bugatti automobiles and is hardened for scratch resistance. The beautiful sandwich dial comes in eight colors with either matte or fume finishing, and some of the brighter hues are perfect for summer. Timekeeping duties are performed by a Swiss Sellita SW-200-1 Elaboré automatic movement with an incabloc shock protection system. It’s all topped off by flat sapphire glass with AR coating. The price tag is almost too hard to believe with all of this design originality, excellent materials, and a bonafide Swiss movement.
Buy: $983
Astor + Banks Fortitude Pro Viva Magenta
Astor + Banks out of Chicago flies under the radar, but the brand is worth your attention because of the understated style and the excellent construction. The new Fortitude Pro has been updated with a fresh profile, and the watch has been hardened to HV1200 for impressive protection from scratches and dings. The Miyota movement provides 42 hours of power reserve and can be manually wound. The 38.5mm diameter means it's better for those with smaller wrists. It comes in four colors, but our favorite for the summer season is the popping Viva Magenta.
Buy: $675
Farer Monopusher GMTs
Farer keeps delivering the goods, and its new Monopusher GMT is the latest. It uses the brand’s monopusher models (Cobb and Segrave) and adds a GMT complication for world-traveler timekeeping. Each model gets its own special dial finish and color with different sundial positioning. Perhaps even more interesting than the high-character dials is the finishing of the 41mm steel case with knurling on the sides of the case that juxtaposes the polished finishes. Farer uses different manually-wound movements, and you can view them through the transparent caseback. Both calibres are elaboré-grade have a 62-hour power reserve when fully wound.
Buy: $2195
Nodus Sector Deep Flare Destro The Sector
Deep is one of the brand’s most successful models, and now it comes in an array of colors including Deep Flare yellow. I own the black Destro model, and it’s easily worth more than the asking price. This brightly-colored version of the 500-meter dive-ready timepiece is perfect for summer. The DLC-coated 60-minute/12-hour dual-function bezel measures 42mm on top of the smaller 38mm case for great comfort and solid wrist presence. Other dive-friendly details include an AR-coated flat sapphire crystal, SuperLumiNova lume, screw-down crown, and a sweet on-the-fly adjustable clasp. The movement is the ever-reliable Seiko TMI NH35 with 41 hours of power reserve.
Buy: $599
Cherkas Module One
New microbrand Cherkas comes right out of the heart of fine watchmaking, Switzerland. The Module One is about as fresh as a design can be with its tank-style Grade 5 titanium case, integrated lugs, and top-mounted crown. Even the satin-finished Apogee-shaped hands are pretty unique in the industry. Added depth is provided by a convex sapphire glass crystal and a Swiss SuperLuminova lumed sandwich dial. Time is kept by a Swiss Sellita SW300-1 automatic movement with 42 hours of power reserve. The single-pass strap gets titanium hardware to match the case. You can also choose your dial with or without the Cherkas logo.
Buy: $2742
Unimatic x Exquisite Timepieces GMT Limited Edition U1S-T-GMT-ET
Italy’s Unimatic teamed up with Florida watch retailer Exquisite Timepieces to deliver a GMT tool watch ready for summer. The Modello Uno ref. U1S-T-GMT-ET is lightweight thanks to titanium, and the bead blasting treatment renders it a tad more subtle than standard 316L stainless steel. The matte black engraved aluminium professional diver insert also showcases an orange pip at 12 that matches the orange-lumed second hand. The watch is powered by a Swiss ETA 2893-2 automatic GMT movement. It also comes with a 2-piece orange TPU strap with branded titanium hardware and a heavy-duty black Nato strap. Only 150 will be made.
Buy: $1489
Formex Reef 39.5 “Bahama Blue”
Formex’s addition of a smaller Reef was huge news last year for those lacking girthy wrists. Now, the brand has added a super-fresh “Bahama Blue” just in time for summer. The dial gets seven coats of lacquer for sheen. The matching ceramic bezel expands that color field to the outer edges of the watch. You can flair it up or down by swapping the bezel with four other colors (not included). The watch’s movement is a COSC-certified Sellita SW300-1 with 56 hours of power reserve. Of course, it’s more than just a pretty face thanks to 300 meters of water resistance. The Reef 39.5 comes with a fine-adjust bracelet for those occasions when your wrist swells from the heat or the excessive barbequed meat consumption.
Buy: $1960
Praesidus C-47 D-Day Olive Green
Every guy should have a great military field-watch in his colleciton, and the new C-47 D-Day line from microbrand Praesidus offers heritage and style in doses. Named after the famous troop transport aircraft in WWII, the C-47 D-Day uses a 38mm stainless steel case, a deep green dial with white WWII-era Arabic numerals lumed with Swiss SuperLumiNova, doubled-domed sapphire glass, and a Miyota automatic movement. You can even choose a vintage low-wear dial texture or a deeply textured high-wear version. Either way, you get one of the best-looking field watches around for not much coin.
Buy: $550
Retter Mistral
The second watch from New Yorker Deep Ghosh is for those who want something unique but still classic. The Mistral is dressy, refined, and multi-faceted in design. The first thing you notice is the beautifully complex layered dial that includes a wonderfully simple small seconds sundial. The separately machined and beautifully sculpted Corne de Vache-style lugs. The Mistral comes in three colors including green, silver, and gold versions, all very unique in their own right. The movement is the brand’s calibre 2105. Each version comes with a leather strap from Maison Jean Rousseau.
Buy: $1595
