Microbrand watches have exploded recently, with new brands emerging almost daily. Granted, many fall to the wayside, but those that succeed shine brightly in the face of traditional watch brands. But what do they bring to the table that makes them more alluring than the household names?
For both the new and well-acclimated in the watch industry, microbrand watches are something that you may have come across. You’ve actively sought them out, as I have, or stumbled on an ad whilst doomscrolling through social media – again, as I have. I really should touch some grass.
Depressing life realisation aside, the watch industry is rife with microbrand watch companies. Some of them claim to be the embodiment of watchmaking perfection, offering incredible craftsmanship at a fraction of the cost, whilst others claim to break the mould with bold, outlandish designs too risky for traditional brands.
However, they all chase the same thing: to offer a new take on the art and science we love so dearly. While the household names have their strengths, for certain, there’s something about the allure of the microbrand. Somehow, it’s become more exciting to follow than the ‘known quantities’ that come with traditional brands.
But with new microbrands constantly coming into rotation, even the simplest of questions can be impossible to navigate. So, madman that I am, I have decided to try and navigate the daring innovations, distribution strategies, and communication methods of microbrands to figure out why they are just so damn fun to watch.
Defining a Microbrand
I often see two terms used to define smaller watch brands: ‘microbrand’ and ‘independent.’ What irks me is that sometimes the watch world uses them interchangeably, lumping them both together in ignorance of their fundamental differences.
From a surface level, Independents and microbrands do bear similarities: They’re often run by small teams; production numbers are relatively low; and their watches are generally harder to find out in the wild, adding an air of exclusivity and a unique charm.
However, their contributions to the industry couldn’t possibly be more different. Despite shared similarities, I wouldn’t find myself classifying Philippe Dufour or Akrivia as microbrands, for examples. These in my mind are independents, as their creative and production processes are kept largely under the same roof.
Microbrands do not have the resources that traditional or independent brands do. They typically find themselves outsourcing a major component of their creative or production processes to a more experienced third party – from the design of the watch, construction materials or even the engineering behind the watch’s movement. Additionally, microbrands tend to find themselves at a more accessible end of the market, whilst independents operate on a higher (read: more expensive) level.
My word isn’t exactly gospel, though. The line between independent and microbrand is incredibly murky, and there are brands that defy either classification. Ming, for example, uses calibres from La Joux-Perret and Sellita, yet I wouldn’t refer to them as ‘just a microbrand.’ LaVenture is another such example on the opposite side of the spectrum, using a custom movement calibre made by Jean-François Mojon’s Chronode team – which could hold them back in their classification as an independent.
Either way, I don’t see why I would diminish the talents of either class, or pigeonhole them into a niche that they don’t quite fit into – at least not just yet. For the purpose of this article (and my own sanity), I’ll keep to my own definitions – but if you have a definition that works better for you, let me know via my Instagram @chronomario
Freedom of Design & Innovation
Recently, there’s been a massive shift in the watch industry’s design language. As more enthusiasts have entered into the fray, brands have found themselves looking back into their archives to draw inspiration for their newest releases. Microbrands don’t have such archives, meaning the designer of a microbrand watch must rely on their ingenuity above all else. This has led to a myriad of abstract designs that often defy the norms of traditional brands.
Not to say that a traditional brand isn’t capable of breaking the mould and making something new – that’s not unheard of. However, this is usually offset by their need for brand equity and customer familiarity: the fear that change has the potential to scare their audience away. If TAG Heuer, for example, were to come out with a Monaco shaped like a triangle, people would lose their minds, regardless of how innovative the end product is!
Put simply, a microbrand is not beholden to legacy or familiarity, which means they have carte blanche to set themselves apart from the rest of the industry. Yes, there are microbrands out there that take heavy artistic influence from traditional timepieces – Lorier, for example, is reputable for doing just that – but the floor is open for microbrands to take significant artistic liberties.
This freedom to experiment has made the microbrand scene so much more exciting, unburdened by the weighty expectations of traditional brands:
The Horizon Nemo draws inspiration from Art Deco whilst still propagating the modern dive watch design;
Farer adds flavour to an otherwise minimalistic aesthetic;
And brands like Radcliffe, Oligo and Otsuka Lōtec completely forego traditional conventions with their unique aesthetics. These types of brands exemplify the agility and creativity that microbrand watchmaking brings to the industry – a property that most household names only hope to possess.
Freedom of Distribution & Entry
Another area where microbrand watches excel is in the freedom of distribution. Many traditional brands have to often worry about production on a massive, industrial scale. However, microbrands (and sometimes, even independents) possess the freedom to choose how many watches they wish to make, and how they want to make them. This gives that air of exclusivity to such brands, where the consumer is assured a timepiece that very few others will have.
While this can sometimes be infuriating – I hold heavy resentment towards the watch industry’s manipulation of FOMO – it is undoubtedly a good strategy that keeps microbrands in the media cycle. A business’ worst nightmare is to overproduce a product that there is simply no demand for, so limiting the production run of a collection can help generate the hype and demand the microbrand needs to survive.
Where the household names have an emphasis on traditional methods of distribution, microbrands have the unique opportunity to distribute on their own terms. This often comes up in the form of online retail stores and pop-up boutiques, taking more of a direct-to-consumer approach. Online retailers like Extropian, Watch Angels and The Microbrand Store often find themselves leading the charge in this regard, promoting and stimulating the growth of the brands they stock. If not through authorised retailers, microbrands are still able to set up similar independent means of distribution. This allows them to set their own pricing models and strategies, eliminating the often severe markups of traditional brands whilst promoting unique appeal and high quality.
Platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo have similarly elevated small startups to horological superstardom, permitting some brands to have a global outreach with minimal effort. Baltic and Furlan Marri, now two of the most commonly mentioned microbrands in the industry, both got their start from crowdfunding – Though with how red-hot they are currently, you wouldn’t exactly know it at a glance.
Finally, despite its many detriments, the COVID-19 pandemic holds a lot of responsibility for getting more people into microbrands. I’m sure the explosion of the watch market during this time has been drawn out to death, but its effects were felt in the microbrand space. The ‘support small businesses’ mentality hit a lot of people while cramped up in their homes, which gave fledgling brands an opportunity to establish themselves in the market. Furthermore, it even inspired enterprising enthusiasts to start up their own ventures in the watch industry.
Look no further than Richard Benc, who in a few short years had propelled himself and Studio Underd0g to the top of the microbrand food chain, having now been nominated for a GPHG award and have just come off of a never-before-seen collaboration with the legendary H. Moser & Cie. Closer to home, Sydney’s Susan Galvin has found a similar level of success with Galvin Watch company, which she founded while facing redundancy on maternal leave. Now, the freedom of distribution and market entry in the microbrand space is incredibly high. With more brands entering the arena almost every single day, it’s going to get cramped – forcing only the very best to the top.
Freedom of Interaction & Communication
Often guaranteed with the cultivation of a microbrand is the cultivation of a micro audience. While not as big as what household names like Omega or Seiko attract, the followers of a microbrand are often those most dedicated to seeing it succeed. As a result, microbrand watches often find themselves frequently interacting on a personal level with their consumers.
The internet is littered with stories about a watch enthusiast’s interaction with members of a microbrand, be they the producers, designers, or even the owners themselves. Having this level of interactivity with a watch brand is almost entirely unheard of in the industry – at least outside of spending an obscene amount of money to become a VIP of an established brand.
One of the main instigating platforms for such is YouTube, where microbrands are able to freely share their work and progress with a worldwide online community. Jody Musgrove, one half of Australia’s Erebus Watches, found his beginnings in horology by founding the ever-popular YouTube channel Just One More Watch. Starting initially as a watch reviewer, he now also utilises his platform to help promote his own watch brand to his over 312,000 subscribers. Other social media sites, such as Instagram, Facebook, and even the burgeoning WatchCrunch have seen similar success in the promotion of microbrands, the latter of which is utilised by Mӧels & Co. and Formex among others.
The result of this open-ended communication is that microbrands develop an unparalleled level of transparency between themselves and their community. While established brands are still able to recognise and address this, they do so at a fault. The main weakness is their size, which may never permit them to create one watch that appeals to their entire fanbase.
Microbrands typically don’t have this issue. Direct interaction with their fanbase has built up trust within the watch community, and makes the consumer feel like they have a say in the development of the microbrand. The newsletters provided by Traska, for example, are one of the greatest examples of such that I’ve come across. Often informative and introspective, owner Jon Mack’s irregular appearances into my inbox is something I oddly look forward to, even if I haven’t gotten around to buying a Traska for myself. YouTube is practically geared towards this, too: brands like Jack Mason and Oliver Gallaugher’s O.G. Watches keep the viewer informed of what part of the development process has commenced, and what is soon to come.
Though this somewhat coincides with freedom of design, the ability to customise the appearance of your watch is something often reserved for the most important clients of a traditional watch brand. However, if the conditions are right, one can find bespoke services readily available in the microbrand space.
British brands Christopher Ward and Beaucroft are known for their bespoke offerings, with the latter even working on a timepiece for the venerable Lionel Ritchie. The aptly named Bespoke Watch Projects in America also takes a particular interest in the art of customisation, with a dedicated watch builder on their website that permits a spectacular array of customisation options. This level of interactivity and creative freedom, once again, is unprecedented in the watch industry, and offers two of the least common benefits to the consumer: Input into the creation of their next timepiece, and insight into the driving forces behind the creative processes of the watch industry.
The Challenges of a Microbrand
While the capabilities of a microbrand sounds all very sunshine and rainbows, you can’t forget the fact that running a business is, as Carmy from The Bear puts it, “100 hours on, 2 hours off.” Making any type of small business come together is always a massive undertaking. While plenty of resources exist to make it happen, the scope of a microbrand’s resources is always going to be slim.
I’m not even just talking about money, either. Microbrands often find themselves outgunned in every department imaginable. For example, the inability to access movements from high-quality third party manufacturers may limit the quality of the final product, should they resort to lower standards. This lowers the degree of freedom in design, and can restrict the microbrand’s ability to innovate in a surprisingly fast-paced market.
Brand recognition is yet another major challenge they could face. Recalling my article on ‘fashion watches,’ microbrands face a similar problem in that they are not yet known for their work in the industry. As much as it pains me to say it, brand identity does matter, and consumer scepticism can be hard to shake for a microbrand – especially if they are contending with a reputable traditional brand.
My belief, however, is that the microbrand’s biggest strength is also its biggest weakness: Variety. As stated before, new brands are being introduced almost every day, and the arena is positively cramped with high level competition, even for the niche that is microbrand watchmaking. While this is beneficial in allowing the best of the best to rise up to the occasion, it is indicative of how the industry is as accessible as it is extremely volatile. One can never know if they are at the height of their success, about to fall sharply off a cliff, or are to have their spotlight stolen by the next big name.
An enterprising microbrand always has the agility to adapt quickly to change. However, many others are simply not well-equipped enough to keep up with the constant balancing act. As one challenge leaves, another always approaches, where the worse case scenario is more often than not the complete disestablishment of the brand. It’s vital that anyone looking to explore the microbrand space is aware of all the potential threats they will face. Thus, to truly put the effort into a microbrand is to first assess if one is able to understand and prepare well for the challenges that lie ahead.
Final Thoughts
In the end, the ‘rise of the microbrand’ has turned out to be one of the most compelling tales in the modern watch industry. With the watch world buzzing in a capacity unseen for years, the propensity for inspired watch enthusiasts to be a part of a worldwide horological phenomenon has gone to an all-time high. It really makes me wonder exactly how many microbrands have been set up in the last ten years, compared to the ten years before then.
Microbrands possess a level of freedom and agency not commonly seen in such a traditional, by-the-book industry. This has helped fuel the flames of intrigue in horology, and has kept watchmaking both interesting and entertaining to participate in. I find myself often waiting in anticipation for what’s next, constantly trolling the internet to find whatever odd and wacky creations can spring from the minds of watch lovers the world over. But the freedom to break the rules of traditional watchmaking can also leave them vulnerable to the volatility of the market. It’s important for all microbrand owners and members to take commensurate risk with how they interact with the surrounding industry.
In saying that, there are still plenty of reasons why microbrands are such an awesome and entertaining choice. As long as the team behind a microbrand is able to maintain their freedoms of design, distribution, and connectivity with the customers, then there’s no reason for a microbrand watch to be the next timepiece in your collection!
