The 10 Best Microbrand Watches in 2023

[@wristenthusiast]

What are some of your favorite microbrands?

[@prredo]

Zelos

[@rafaelmtoledo]

Zelos is my favorite microbrand hands down.

[@chrisenchemin7183]

It's so difficult to answer this question ... Perhaps Ming, founded in 2015 in Malaysia ...

[@pychoncy]

Furlan Marri

[@HerrSommerjunge]

Traska, Nodus and of course Marnaut

[@Vic-sz4wx]

Nice content, but one can clearly notice that you're reading from a prompter and that feels a bit unnatural...

[@BoozewithNick]

Boldr and Helm, for sure. Love the jacket/sweater.

[@mtmatt6111]

Thank you for this video - some really unique offerings. I'm really enjoying my Monta Triumph, which I just received.

[@wristenthusiast]

Really like and respect Monta. They make sure great priced and high quality pieces

[@Mr_Paw_revised]

Some good brands there. To add some: Balticus from Poland, Duckworth Prestex and Christopher Ward from UK, Circula from Germany.

[@DJTripleBypass]

You should check out Out Of Order from Italy, Malm from Swede, Horpa from India, and S.U.F. from Finland

[@phildupuis1084]

All great choices. I'm particularly fond of the AnOrdain and Baltic brands. I own a Baltic MR01 and hope one day to add an AnOrdain to my wrist. One other impressive microbrand I would include is Maen. They make some great quality watches for very reasonable prices.

[@RandomChessTalk]

My man, I was surprised how good selection you did here. I pick Brew as my favourite. Keep it up!

[@wristenthusiast]

Thank you! Which is your favorite Brew model?

[@miguelflores9151]

Straight to the point! Really nice video

[@rtb7992]

Kurono Tokyo is another one with INCREDIBLE dials

[@wristenthusiast]

Which Kurono Tokyo is your favorite? We included the Classic Series Seiji in our Best Turquoise Watches video.

[@khfoo2898]

My favourite is the Grand Mori.

[@mikemorenilla7444]

It seems as if their entire product line is sold out.

[@rtb7992]

@@mikemorenilla7444 unsurprising

[@rolltrollroll]

How about some quartz options?

[@RSJ_Jan2025]

Where can I buy that sweater?

[@wristenthusiast]

It’s a brand called The Jack based out of Florence. I bought it last month when I was in Italy.

[@cosmodoc]

You’ve presented some of my favourite micro brands, although Yema is not a micro brand! I really like Direnzo and Zelos, too! Subscribed!

[@wristenthusiast]

I’ve always thought of YEMA as a micro. But sometimes it’s kinda hard to determine whether a brand is a micro or not. Agreed on Direnzo and Zelos. Both great brands. I particularly like the Direnzo DRZ 04 Mondial. Thanks for subscribing!

[@Wanking_wanker]

Personally my favorite micro brand is vario, they are mainly known for there ww1 field watch but they also got a cool art deco one

[@wristenthusiast]

Which models are your favorite? I’m familiar with Vario but will take a look!

[@RagnarHoff]

-Undone. They make a little bit of everything from serious looking divers to fun cartoon designs. A very fun brand to check out. -Lum-Tec. Just serious looking tool watches that has their own identity.

[@wristenthusiast]

Which Undone and Lum-Tec would you recommend?

[@vitocorleone8437]

Zelos, Steinhart, Dievas and Boldr to name a few

[@110Tiburon]

I just bought the Steinhart Pepsi GMT. I also like Jack Mason

[@kevinjohnbourne]

I would add the Elliot Brown Holton. It has a pedigree of use, versus just one of association.

[@keithireland6627]

Excellent thankyou 🍀🍀🍀

[@davidgiles5503]

I love Marloe watches for their design, ability to tell a story and value for money. I feel they should get an honourable mention.

[@wristenthusiast]

Any model in particular I should check out?

[@davidgiles5503]

@@wristenthusiast of their current line up (there have been some great models no longer made) the Coniston is a great casual dress watch and i think an iconic design within the Marloe fanbase, they have two really nice GMTs with the 9075, the Pacifics are really nice quality pieces and for something a bit out there the Astro models. Really its best to check them out! There quite a few vids on youtube from Gordon the designer about how they go about things and notably the fanbase is pretty dedicated and its not unusual for someone to have ten Marloes. Though i have seen some collections that number in the dozens!

[@zillsburyy1]

ALKIN, SOVERN, merkur, helm, zelos

[@dexterbt1]

good brand selections here. feedback: the video chapters/sections have typos and at times don't line up with what you're presenting, some brands are also missing

[@wristenthusiast]

Interesting, it’s autogenerated by KZbin so I’ll definitely have to go back and edit them. Thanks for the feedback!

[@nicogerard1]

Great video, and a strong list. Halios and Serica are a couple of other big favorites for me!

[@studio.underd0g]

Great lineup!

[@wristenthusiast]

Had to include your Chronograph 🍉

[@zionkid420]

Having one of these list and not including CW feels like it should be a bit impossible at this point.

[@wristenthusiast]

I would make the argument that Christopher Ward is too large to be considered a microbrand.

[@110Tiburon]

@@wristenthusiast Agree -- CW looks and acts like the big boys. Love their watches though!

[@med-3000]

Great list, the Straum is beautiful.

[@HerrSommerjunge]

... sure, but sold out.

[@sage9743]

I also like Maen

[@wristenthusiast]

Mean is a great brand. Which model is your favorite?

[@sage9743]

@@wristenthusiast I will have a Manhattan 37 in August. I like what I’m seeing/reading so hopefully the real thing confirms.

[@wristenthusiast]

We included the Manhattan 37 in our written article on our 62 Favorite Microbrand Watches. Obviously we couldn’t include them all in this video. It would have been way too long 🤣

[@mickeymichaels1298]

​​@@wristenthusiastsame. I ordered a Maen Manhattan 37 in May. It's going to be shipped this month--August 2023. I'm really looking forward to receiving it. No other watch I've seen recently has had that immediate "here, take my money" effect. 😂 I ordered the no date, salmon dial. But their other models don't really do it for me. PS I just discovered your channel and subscribed. Great content!

[@wristenthusiast]

@@mickeymichaels1298 The Manhattan is really nice. Love the mix of retro/modern vibes. Enjoy the watch when it comes! And thank you for the subscribe! I really appreciate it.

[@elihollingsworth6852]

Formex and Monta trounces all of these when it comes to finishing and bracelet quality

[@snodir]

I would add zelos and traska

[@jibranm5310]

Great video!! I would Definitely add MING.

[@wristenthusiast]

I do really like Ming. Which model would be your choice?

[@jibranm5310]

@@wristenthusiast With respect to this video any of their entry level watches to compete in the same price point.

[@ricklett1688]

Definitely add Wren Watches, a new micro.

[@mikes1929]

Farer Universal and Brew are my two favorites.

[@wristenthusiast]

I really love the new Farer titanium chronographs. Which is your favorite model?

[@mikes1929]

@@wristenthusiast That is a tough question! If pressured, I’d most likely choose the Swann. Their moonphase is stunning as well.

[@wristenthusiast]

@@mikes1929 The moonphase is very nice. I like a large moon (like Arnold & Son).

[@mikes1929]

@@wristenthusiast I wasn’t familiar with that one, thanks for the tip! I gotta ask then, how do you feel about the Christopher Ward moonphase?

[@wristenthusiast]

@@mikes1929 I absolute love the C1 Moonglow. Unfortunately, haven't been able to see one in person yet. I am trying to get one in for a review. So stay tuned if that happens!

[@nikkimiddlekillsday5161]

Kind of annoying how some of these microbrands are starting off with $1000+

[@RobMyself]

Yes and tired of the big brand videos too 😊

[@morgan97475]

Glad I found your channel. A suggestion if I may - Relax. Your presentation style makes me think you might be a bit nervous & in dire need of a Crown & Coke. Nice jacket btw.

[@wristenthusiast]

Thanks for the feedback! Still getting comfortable in front of the camera 😅 I think it’s getting better though!

[@MM-wd6ud]

The Straum watch you reviewed has been discontinued. If you want to buy a watch from the brand you’ll have to shell out 1600 euros.

[@seavee2190]

Helm Watches

[@chrisenchemin7183]

Even if it's a pleasure to see 2 brands from France, Yema is not a micro brand. Founded in 1948, it has been a big brand, before quartz crisis.

[@MrAlcmj]

is yema a microbrand?

[@joestojanovic6613]

It is OK, he is still learning

[@DJTripleBypass]

Depancel from France is also great

[@frankmastromauro5630]

Good video

[@rtb7992]

How can you do a top 10 microbrand video without including Ming?!

[@JimmieJohn]

Love my silent Service from Ginault

[@petter5721]

Malm is nice 👍🏻

[@hitchhicker92]

anOrdain is not even taking people on to their waitlist...

[@davidhunternyc1]

I do have a soft spot for anOrdain but I have a different opinion about the microbrands you featured here. First the positive. Microbrands are proliferating around the world. This is great news for the future of horology. Microbrands won't topple the big boys anytime soon but the Swiss and Germans are being chased. Competition is good. It may take 20 years but there might come a day when Rolex loses its swag. "Time will tell." Now for the critique. None of these watches are persuasive to me. Brands that rely on the same tropes, like diving, racing, and aviation shows a lack of imagination and only reinforces established forbearers. How many more Submariner clones must we see? Microbrands must carve out a unique niche. A few innovative and singular microbrands are Ming, Ressence, and MIH. Microbrands must either innovate or if they choose the traditional route, their work must compare favorably with the great classics, like the Submariner, Patek Ref 96, or Cartier Tank Louis, an almost impossible undertaking. Few microbrands both engineer brilliant movements and design beautiful timeless dials. There's a reason why Kikuchi Nakagawa is focused on perfecting what's already perfect, slow and steady, the Japanese way.

[@SG-dg6oi]

never heard of any of these micros

[@maarteneh]

"Founder of wrist enthusiast". Sounds like founder of Shell or Apple, but more important.

[@wristenthusiast]

Definitely more important 😂

[@iliasnitsas3968]

Charlie Paris and Wolbrook are nice brands!

[@spyknife]

Kurono Tokyo and Ming

[@stephenhendricks6790]

Good list, and the more extensive article with links to the 62 brands was very useful. I'd add a couple of my favorite microbrands. Dekla is a small German brand with a variety of traditional and modern pilot watches as well as several other models. The watches are highly configurable in terms of looks and features and each watch is built to order. Priced at less than $1000. I love the brand and my "Type A' flieger in bronze. The Cincinnati Watch Company is an American brand that uses Swiss movements. I own a pilot watch, the P-40M with a design based on the mechanical clock in a WWII fighter and a "Centurion," a field watch watch. Each watch is assembled in Ohio and regulated by the brand's in-house watchmaker. I own both a P-40M and a Centurion, each of which averages less than 2 seconds deviation from "true" time (based on satellite reference.)

[@wristenthusiast]

I’m not that familiar with Dekla and Cincinnati Watch Company so I’ll definitely check them out. A bronze flieger under $1000 definitely sounds enticing!

[@stephenhendricks6790]

@@wristenthusiast You did a great job highlighting a wide range of microbrands. It's quite a challenge. Both Dekla and the Cincinnati Watch Company are definitely under the radar and (imo) deserve much more attention than they typically receive. It's always a risk to invest in a microbrand, especially one without a longstanding track record. I've been fortunate in purchasing watches from each of these brands . In my case each watch has been worth every penny and more.

[@raymott6933]

When you talk about micro brands you have to talk about some of the Chinese options as well. To be fair, I think they give as much, if not better value, dollar for dollar. And that last one you mentioned topped out at over $5k. Really? They can’t really think of themselves as a micro brand starting at those prices.

[@128626364z]

Wise Damascus

[@haroldduu4471]

How many of these watches do YOU actually buy with YOUR OWN money?

[@alexmusic1391]

Yema micro brand ? Affordable price? 1000euro/ + / Are you lost your mind? SHАМЕ Yema is the biggest French watch manufacturer ! They started 1948 ! You don't become a hot dog seller, either ! 😢

[@kylesterling670]

Baltic #2? No way. Especially not for diving. Maybe for floating.I had a Baltic for 2 years and it could not keep time. Sent it back to France three times to be fixed and they couldn’t fix it. Nor would they replace it. Not a good idea to advocate diving with one.

[@wristenthusiast]

I’m sorry that happened to you. But these rankings aren’t in any particular order. I haven’t had bad experiences with Baltic so far

[@SunbriteInstall]

CHRISTOPHER WARD ????

[@Fred-rg5vw]

Whats cool about being sble to connect to the blockchain? Sounds like a gimmick with no functionality..but happy to be corrected.

[@markloubser2433]

Peren..

[@kk-mx1ge]

WISE HITMAN

[@thetruthhurts7500]

Just like Melissa McCarthy and Margot Robbie are both women...There is a major difference between the two....Same thing goes for watches...Stick with the big brands.

[@110Tiburon]

Too limiting. Microbrands are more accessible (price wise), they experiment and they are fun. The big brands are too serious!