Microbrand Watches - What are they & how do they fit into collecting?

In this video I discuss Microbrand Watches. This is driven from a comment I received on my STOC 2019 video. I’m not complaining or trying to argue the viewers point. I am using it as a conversation starter to talk about microbrand. How do we decide if a watch maker is a microbrand? And do we even care. Feel free to join into this watch discussion about our watch hobby in the comments below; and how microbrands fit into your watch collection.

BTW, is it Microbrands or Micro Brands?

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Video by Long Island Watch: “Introducing the Islander Brand of Watches – Everything the watch guys want”

[briancarpenter]

Great video. I have 5 watches in my collection at the moment and out of the 5, 4 are microbrands and the one is a Hamilton Khaki mechanical. I think there are a lot of Microbrands that pack a lot of value for the price, and beside I buy the watch for 2 reasons. First is that I can afford it. I don't mean cheep but good value for the price. The second and more important is that I like it and I enjoy it when it is in my wrist because it doesn't matter how little or how much a watch cost if you don't like it and won't wear it. Thanks and keep up the good work. Brian.

[martyinoregon]

Great into and great arguments. Well done.

[jeffrx]

I like microbrands. Like you, I have purchased Zelos watches (3 of them now). I'm very satisfied with them and feel they add great variety to my collection. Plus, I don't stress about damaging then of having them stolen like I do about more expensive watches. There are so many compelling options out there that it's tough to decide what to get. After all, we can only wear do many watches.

[jamesarthur]

Bob as you know I have been a watch collector now for 24 years, a few years ago I developed a passion, some would say an addiction for Microbrands & have since purchased several hundred of them...now I have moved onto investing in Microbrand watch companies, developing platforms & market places as I believe that they will be a disruptor in 2020 & belong. Microbrands often become Microbrands as in the case in your collection. The fact that Microbrands use movements such as Selita SW200 like many swiss branded watches makes it even more interesting. Recently I have referred several Microbrands to your channel for review you may of received messages from them Kind Regards James

[alxjcaboose]

My current collection is 11 watches, and 4 of them are micro brands, and i love them. My favourite thing about micro brands are the fact you can get some truly unique pieces. I very much doubt that i will ever bump into someone in the wild wearing the same micro brand watch as me.
My micro brand watches are
Balticus - Stardust
Cincinnati Watch Company - P40 Mechanical
E.C.Andersson - Calypso Denise
NTH - Nacken Renagade

[chasfoster]

Over the last 2 years I’ve sold 5 micros for a nice profit on each. The low production runs make this possible. My strategy is to study reviews and the comments for kick-starter and early bird deals. Remember there are good written reviews out there so don’t just use videos. I do find it hard to part with some of them, but they fund other “have to haves”. Insightful video, thanks!

[quehorassao]

i have many different watches in my humble collection, i start my collection two months ago and i already have 5 so i am not complaining, i don't give much importance to brands but to storyteller watches, of course, you have luxury watches like the Rolex submariner who has also a story but they are many other affordable that you can buy and have a nice collection. Great video as always

[j.j.h.atemycereal]

I agree. Micro brands have their place, especially when it comes to new designs (when the big boys seem stuck in a rut). I’m a big fan of Monta. I bought a second generation OceanKing but sold it when I was made an offer I couldn’t refuse. I almost immediately regretted it and am planning to buy another. I’m also impressed with MKII watches out of Philadelphia. They are probably technically an “homage’ brand, but unlike some they produce modern versions of historic pieces. Their Cruxible model is reminiscent of the US military-issued A-11, but with a larger case and automatic movement. I own one and I enjoy it as much as my Black Bay and my Seamaster 300. I think the main drawback of micro brands is that they don’t retain much of their value so don’t buy one as an investment (which one could say of any watch). Buy it because you like it. Another great video, Bob. Thanks.

[RobinsWatchJourney]

I am waiting for my Traska Summiteer to arrive. It has a somewhat Explorer-like design which I like and it is 38 mm which will fit me well.

[johandebondt]

Micros are interesting. Nothing but good experiences really (only bad ones came with Hamilton and Glycine, go figure). Sometimes I buy 'em just to know a "the real thing" would feel, e.g. a Phoibos p007 (this thing is really as good as a Subby) or a Neymar. Other times, for their unbeatable yet affordable specs, like the meteorite Swordfish or the Hamtun Kraken (my wife won't give me my Dan Henry chrono back, so I won't mention it lol).
Great additions for a "more than one watch" collection. Best regards from Belgium.

[edteachr]

A watch collection should be whatever the owner wants. I cannot see how anyone could be so arrogant as to criticise another watch lover’s choice of watches. If requested, constructive feedback could be with regard to balancing out a collection, possible future trends and acquisitions, et cetera.

As I had said before on one of your earlier videos Bob, I am not a huge fan of micro brands, especially those over $300 as I cannot see support over the long term being feasible. I am not a flipper and buy watches for the long haul. I think the Islander is an exception... Marc at Long Island Watch carries a sizable inventory. There are also a number of well-established ‘micro brands’ that are set to be around for the long haul, such as Christopher Ward. The C65 Trident GMT is top of my wish list at the moment, even though it is so similar in appearance to my Seiko 6139. I have a number of micro brands in my collection and like them, but don’t see the micros as long term propositions and tend to use them as daily watches. I also own a fair number of vintage Hamiltons, Seiko and Heuer chronographs and I am always impressed that my watchmaker is able to source original parts in order to maintain these beloved key pieces in my collection. That allows me to wear them regularly, as any watch should.

I love your collection, Bob; and I look forward to seeing it grow.

[chrisgreen]

Hi bob good video I’ve got a boldr expedition Everest as my beta watch in the construction trade I’m a joiner over in U.K. and have to say it’s really well made and I’m yet to damage it it’s prob best I’ve had to date try one out bob 👍

[markphillips]

Helped fund 2 watches last year in April after 8 months I did receive one of the watches with the wrong name on it 😖 wrong hands and the movement didn't work and I'm still waiting on the other. So I'm in the process of sending the one watch back along with 90 % of the others that bought the watch to be corrected so atleast he's taking responsibility for the screw up cause I really like the watch. The other watch will hopefully arrive soon. But I've talk to a guy on the Micro brand forum on Facebook and he's been waiting 2 years for a watch he help fund . So if your ordering a watch on Kickstarter just know nothing guaranteed and you maybe waiting awhile for your watch .

[Jayteeef]

I agree that microbrands have their place to be sure and have purchased a couple of them in the past as I built my collection. I'm reasonably new to the watch collecting world and admit freely I still have lots to learn. However, I have ended up regretting or at least questioning my decision to invest in the microbrands that I have, as I kept thinking to myself that I could have used that money collectively to buy something with more of a horological history behind it. I guess I'm saying that with limited resources for watch collecting (if I want to stay married), the opportunity cost/lost of buying a number of more seemingly affordable microbrands to build a collection is the inability to buy a watch that I really covet and want to keep and hopefully pass onto my son. With so many choices and so much history, I'm not sure microbrands are where I would put my money in the future, even if they're well-made and/or inexpensive compared to more established brands, of which I'm sure there are many examples. Does this make sense??

[Hayden]

I think of them as trashy based on my bad experience. Purchased a Hemel with a mecha-quartz movement that the second hand broke on within a couple months. The chrono hands were also poorly aligned at zero. For the same money, I’ll go with a watch of reliable quality from a reputable manufacturer for the foreseeable future.

[SecondHourWatches]

Buy the seller, you're going to get a good watch with good service if you stick to that policy

[ianmedium]

I only own one micro brand watch and unless I buy another from that brand I doubt if I will buy another.

Small production brands for me have a valid place in the market if they truly offer something of depth in their design. I really have no interest in brands that simply copy the looks of established brands watches without including the details.

For every twenty micro brands simply copying to a degree the designs of other well established brands there is one that actually either offers a truly unique design be in technical or appearance and thus validates a deeper reason to buy rather than simply have a watch that generally copies a more expensive brands ethos or vintage looks.

The brand I chose as it offered a favourite but unattainable to my budget aesthetic with all the details of the original faithfully reproduced and with similar levels of build quality both in movement and the rest of the watch is my Timefactors Speedbird III which is a faithful reproduction of the 1960’s IWC Pilots Watch supplied to BOAC ( now British Airways) pilots and and a design IWC make a variation of today.
What sets this watch apart from other homages of similar watches though is that Eddie at Timefactors has faithfully reproduced down to the smallest detail the original watch and added some other high quality additions.

My version has a case and bracelet ( a beauty replication of a later IWC version which came on a bracelet) made to extremely high quality by Fricker in Germany who have made cases for Sinn amongst others. The dial is a 1.2mm thick soft iron dial which along with an inner caseback give the watch a 1000 Gauss antimagnetic protection. Faithfully engraved on the case back as was the case with many German pilots watches are engraved the watches specifications. The screw down crown tube is also screwed into the case as in Rolex’s rather than press fit on cheaper watches. It has a top grade ETA movement which gives Chronometer accuracy.

The whole thing exudes the same feel one gets with the IWC version at a fraction of the cost ( around $600).

It also, in spite of its obvious design cues stands on its own merits and does not feel like I’m wearing an homage watch and I think that really is down to the incredible lengths Timefactors have gone to to make this watch feel whole rather than simply a cosmetic replica using cheap finishing or lacking the depth of details.

The rest to me except the ones that truly offer something unique do not appeal. The ones that replicate vintage watches as well made as they are, the likes of Dan Henry I would pass on, save a few more bucks and get an original vintage example of what they are based on!