Over the past few years, a sleuth of microbrand watches have been popping up all over the world. The word ‘microbrands’ can be confusing but the main thing that’s micro about these small independent watch brands is the watch components, as they often take advantage of global supply chains to obtain parts, thus skipping retail channels to sell directly to customers.
Although many are anxiously watching to see what kind of impact Trump’s tariffs will have on these supply chains, 2025 still seems to be the year of microbrand watches. The hype around British Watchmakers’ Day, London’s biggest watch fair, is a good example of this trend because the majority of the brands taking part in this annual event were young, British independent brands.
The micro-ness of these brands that’s hitting the spot is you often get playful or unique designs you’d rarely get from the big boys – unusual materials or unexpected collaborations. And it’s often also the case that microbrands are run by serious watch enthusiasts who are keen to make watches for fellow enthusiasts.
“Delving into microbrands is like watching evolution,” says Bill Adler, a writer and watch collector in Tokyo. “Change is sometimes slow with big brands, but for some microbrands, shepherding horology in new directions is the main mission.”
Here are some of the best independent brands and their microbrand watches, picked by our experts, to suit all budgets.
Dennison
Founded in 1874, the brand spent nearly a century making cases for Rolex, Omega, and Jaeger-LeCoultre before stepping out of the spotlight. Its recent revival, with cushion cases designed by Emmanuel Gueit (the man behind the Royal Oak Offshore), has been one of the watch world’s more exciting second acts. The Oblique Enigma is the latest statement of intent: an asymmetric dial in blue sunburst and rich green, with a diamond-cut metallic border that shifts the visual balance of the whole watch. Playful, a little mysterious, and just £602. At dennisonwatch.com
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