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Top 12 New Micro Watch Brands You Need to Check Out
As a watch enthusiast, are you tired of seeing the same style of watches everywhere you turn? Do you want to stand out from the crowd with a unique and awesome timepiece? Look no further – we’ve compiled a list of the top 12 new and newish micro watch brands that you probably have never heard of.
1. Anicorn
Starting off the list is Anicorn, a genuine Hong Kong-based watchmaker founded by Joe Kwan and Chris Tsai in 2014. They set up a Kickstarter page to fund the project, and within 24 hours, they had met their target. They’ve been featured in many worldwide publications, such as Fast Company, Hypebeast, High Snobiety, GQ, and Design Milk. They have a nice selection of futuristic style watches in the range, with the series K.452 that drew us in being the Fight to Space Automatic. The watch has a unique means of telling the time, which the company likes to think of as having your own little solar system on your wrist. It uses the Miyota 9015 movement, which is good for 24 jobs and 28,800 beats per hour. The watch is water-resistant up to 50 meters and uses unique AR and sapphire coated convex hard Plexiglas. The watch can be bought directly from the watch manufacturer at $540.
2. AVI-8
Next up is AVI-8, a UK brand created in 2012 by Dartmouth Brands Ltd. Their varied range of watches is manufactured in China, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. The AVI-8 line of watches is based upon a series of iconic British one or two fighter jets and bombers. Among their line of seriously cool watches, the Lancaster Bomber stands out the most. The design of the watch is based upon the airplanes’ cockpit, with the 44 millimeter case being modern with a classic style crown position between 1 and 2. It’s powered by an interesting Japanese quartz multi-eye movement with 24-hour day and date indices. It has mineral crystal glass and is water-resistant up to 50 meters. The watch can be picked up from the manufacturer’s website for only £150.
3. Briston
The third brand on our list is Briston, another British brand founded in 2014 by Steve Johnson and William Body. The name is an anagram of their first names and surnames, just in case you were wondering. Currently, they have two styles of watch in the collection, with one on pre-order, and the one we quite like is currently available for £179.99. It’s a pretty smart, not-too-fussy bullhead chronograph watch that uses a genuine Swiss quartz chronograph movement. It can go to depths of 100 meters and sports sapphire crystal glass. It’s an extremely impressive watch for the money, especially when you think Swiss watches with the same specifications would cost you at least three times the price for essentially the same thing.
4. Code 41
Code 41 is the fourth brand on our list – founded in San, Switzerland, in 2015 by the designer Claudio d’Amore and his team of six. Collectively, they have worked with many interesting brands such as TAG Heuer, Hublot, and Montblanc. Code 41 currently has two different styles of watches, and the first of the two, the Anomaly One, is what grabbed our attention. The watch uses the Miyota 82S7, an extremely interesting automatic movement used in many other brands such as the likes of Seven Friday. It has two center dials, one on the left which indicates the 24 hours in the day and the one on the right the seconds. The intriguingly sophisticated design, a case measuring 42 millimeters in diameter, has a glass that’s AR coated sapphire crystal, and there are a number of different beautifully made straps and clasps to choose from. These are limited to batches of 4,500 per style of watch. The watch comes in at €689.
5. Dan Henry Vintage
Dan Henry Vintage Watches is next on our list. As you can imagine by the name, they’re based upon vintage classics. The founder, Dan Henry, who founded the brand in New York back in 2015, had spent 30 years acquiring in excess of 1,500 vintage watches for his own personal collection. Many moons ago, Dan set up an Instagram account, adding each and every one of the watches as they arrived to share with the world. His fan base grew, and many of those who followed him loved but couldn’t afford to purchase such timepieces. He decided to introduce a classic and more modern classic range of affordable timepieces. The watch in his collection that stood out to us was the 1968 Autavia Chrono. It’s a simple but unique design chronograph with a single dial. It uses a Miyota 26S20 quartz movement that runs a smooth second hand and has AR coated sapphire-covered double domed glass. It’s 50 meters water-resistant and measures 41 millimeters in diameter. This watch is limited to exactly 1968 and costs $200.
6. Done Watches
The sixth brand on our list is Done Watches, founded in Switzerland by engineering micro-technologies and self-proclaimed watch addict Terry Forsey in 2015. There is one style of watch in the collection, which comes in many different guises, as well as a super cool skeleton version, which is a fair bit more in price, but we do suggest you check it out. The Mechanica Classic Range that we are taking a look at is an incredibly stylish-looking timepiece that goes as well with a suit wallower smart leather strap as it does casually worn with a T-shirt and shorts or a NATO or rubber strap. The watch measures 43.8mm in diameter and is powered by the awesome manual-winding ETA 6497 movement and has AR coated sapphire crystal on both the front and back. It can be taken to depths of 100 meters and costs CHF 659.
7. Yonger & Bresson
The seventh brand on our list is Yonger & Bresson. Founded by MIT graduate Haysoo Tam in 2012, this is a super cool watch from a super cool person who had a super cool plan. Made in France, Yonger & Bresson watches are fashionable, stylish, classic, and affordable. The fascinating design of the White Sea watch we are looking at is inspired by the icy landscapes of the far north and the intense blue of the glacial waters. The diving watch is designed to withstand the most challenging aquatic environments. It has a solid stainless steel round case, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, a rotating bezel with a screwed crown, and is water-resistant up to a depth of 300m. With outstanding precision, the watch has a Swiss-made automatic movement, ETA 2824-2, with a power reserve of 38 hours. The watch is available for €399, which is a bargain for a timepiece of this caliber.
8. Erroyl
Up next is Erroyl, an Australian-based watchmaker. Erroyl is a premium automatic watch brand founded by Wes Knight in 2014. The Regent is the first watch made by Erroyl. It is available in three different versions. The watch’s case is polished and made from 316L stainless steel, the maximum water-resistant depth is 50m, and the glass is sapphire crystal. The Regent has a Japanese Miyota movement with a power reserve of more than 42 hours. The watch comes with an interchangeable leather strap in brown or black. The watch costs AUD $450, which is roughly US $325 or €285.
9. BOLDR
Number nine on our list is BOLDR, a Singapore-based micro watch brand that designs watches with the Explorer in mind. The company makes watches for modern-day adventurers and explorers. The Venture Blackout is a unique timepiece from BOLDR that combines elegance and ruggedness. Its black PVD-coated case is made of 316L stainless steel and has an anti-reflective mineral glass crystal. Its black NATO strap can be easily interchanged with other straps. It is powered by a Swiss Ronda 515 quartz movement with a battery life of up to 45 months. The watch is water-resistant up to 200m and costs $249.
10. Ochs & Junior
Number ten on our list is Ochs & Junior, which is an elite Swiss watch brand founded in 2006 by Ludwig Oechslin and Beat Weinmann. Oechslin and Weinmann have worked with some of the biggest names in horology, including Ulysse Nardin and Jaeger-LeCoultre. Each Ochs & Junior watch is customized according to the owner’s preferences – the owner can choose the dial and strap material, as well as the watch’s size and movement. The watch’s minimalist design is what sets it apart. The annual calendar watch, known as the Anno, is a standout piece from the collection. The watch has interchangeable red gold hands, a titanium case, and a black leather strap. The watch costs CHF 6,800 or approximately US $7,200.
11. Rossling & Co
Number eleven on our list is Rossling & Co, a Canadian micro watch brand founded in 2013 by Christian Mygh and Dane Stevens. The company began with the idea of creating a minimalist and elegant watch that anyone could afford. The company now offers a range of affordable watches that are stylish and understated. The Metropolitan is a standout piece from the collection. The watch’s 40mm stainless steel case is just 7mm thick, making it a dressy but discreet piece. The watch has a Japanese Miyota 2025 movement, a scratch-resistant mineral crystal, and a leather strap. The watch is available for approximately US $99.
12. Lew & Huey
Last but not least is Lew & Huey, a microbrand launched in Tampa, Florida, in 2013 by Chris Vail. The brand aims to offer affordable, high-quality watches that are unique and eye-catching. The brand’s first watch, the Riccardo, was a huge success. The brand has recently launched an updated version of the watch called the Riccardo Mark II. The watch has a 316L stainless steel case that is water-resistant up to 100m. Its Japanese Miyota 9015 movement has a power reserve of 42 hours. The watch has a sapphire crystal, ion-plated bezel with a ceramic insert, and is available with a range of dial colors and straps. The watch costs $599.
In conclusion, these 12 micro watch brands offer a range of unique and affordable watches that are sure to make an impression. Whether you’re looking for a minimalist design or something more eye-catching, there’s a watch on this list that will suit your style and budget. We hope you enjoyed our list and found a new microbrand to add to your collection!
