Micro / Independent Brand (sub-$5k) Corner

[JMO1995]

RevZMan123

Micros are sort of what kicked off my insanity

Farer Exmoor, SW200


Revelot, NH35s (white is full lume, green is CuSn8 bronze and meteorite)


Maranez Rawai


Dan Henry, 1962 mecha-quartz


Mint Evolutive Defender Kit ... came with 4 bezels, like 10 straps, and a bracelet


Vario Empire Tuxedo

That Farer looks lovely, I was listening to an episode of About Effing Time and I think they discussed Farer on the Bring Your Own Independent part.

They also mentioned Vertex and I think their MP45 Heritage looks great.

 

[akshayluc420]

janice&fred

This is the second time you have tortured me with that meteorite dialed beauty. Now all I gotta do is find the $950...

All gone, and when they do get listed it's quite a fair bit above their full price (launch price is cheaper, and pretty much all snapped up here). Flippin' flippers....

Agreed that (caller) GMT + Meterorite combo is a killer, however i find this one from Wise quite nice too; dressy and uses 904L steel, but a Miyota movement. I'm keeping my eye out on a meteorite + true GMT; cherry on the cake would be a divers bezel, don't need to track a 3rd time zone but do want to know when my egg is boiled!

 

[R3D9]

It finally arrived… the longest I’ve ever waited for a watch on order. I’d kind of moved past it emotionally given how long it was taking to get here and have plans to move it on to finance one of the new, manual-wind Speedy ‘57’s, but it’s so beautiful in the metal it has made that decision a bit more difficult than I expected.

The watch chimed at the top of the hour as I was wrestling with capturing a picture of it and it was probably the most delightful watch experience I’ve ever had.

The blue dial is ridiculously beautiful when you catch it in the right light… the metal components and the dial all sort of light up together when the light hits it just right… wow. Crazy, crazy timepiece.

 

[RevZMan123]

R3D9

It finally arrived… the longest I’ve ever waited for a watch on order. I’d kind of moved past it emotionally given how long it was taking to get here and have plans to move it on to finance one of the new, manual-wind Speedy ‘57’s, but it’s so beautiful in the metal it has made that decision a bit more difficult than I expected.

The watch chimed at the top of the hour as I was wrestling with capturing a picture of it and it was probably the most delightful watch experience I’ve ever had.

The blue dial is ridiculously beautiful when you catch it in the right light… the metal components and the dial all sort of light up together when the light hits it just right… wow. Crazy, crazy timepiece.

What is that glorious thing? Not a Grubel Forsey is it?

 

[akshayluc420]

@R3D9 , could you put up a vid with the chimes sounding please? 😀 We know how R2D2 sounds, let's hear that blue beaut!

 

[Spruce]

Finally got a Baltic three hands

 

[R3D9]

akshayluc420

@R3D9 , could you put up a vid with the chimes sounding please? 😀 We know how R2D2 sounds, let's hear that blue beaut!

The sun is down here, so apologies for the poor lighting, but here is a quick video of the watch chiming at the top of the hour:

https://imgur.com/a/zGUmTHZ

 

[R3D9]

RevZMan123

What is that glorious thing? Not a Grubel Forsey is it?

Close! Christopher Ward 😉

The model is the Bel Canto and evidently a number of suppliers for the dial components do actually act as suppliers to some of the hyper-watch crowd.

It’s a lot of watch for the money, for sure.

 

[Dsloan]

R3D9

Close! Christopher Ward 😉

The model is the Bel Canto and evidently a number of suppliers for the dial components do actually act as suppliers to some of the hyper-watch crowd.

It’s a lot of watch for the money, for sure.

Christopher Ward is stepping up their game! That thing looks awesome.

 

[RevZMan123]

R3D9

Close! Christopher Ward 😉

The model is the Bel Canto and evidently a number of suppliers for the dial components do actually act as suppliers to some of the hyper-watch crowd.

It’s a lot of watch for the money, for sure.

I have heard a lot about this one. Pretty cool.

 

[Dsloan]

I looked around the site and I'm having to cool myself down from impulse-buying the deposit for the next round of Bel Cantos... I've never been that impressed by Christopher Ward, previously - it may sound superficial, but I really disliked their old logo and felt it undermined some of the otherwise very nice designs. Everything about the Bel Canto looks great to me. I think the 'songbird' design of the hammer is very charming and clever.

 

[sxl2004]

SUF
Fantastic watch, quite thin, wears really well compared to beefier other watches.

 

[sxl2004]

Dekla with silver dial.

 

[Ludi]

Ludi

Soon to be mine 😀 (early jan)



already at home:

this post needed an update

Nivada Grenchen x Undone, for the kid from the 80’s inside me, funnily enough numbered 002/200 (I like the symmetry 😁 )



This Bulova brilliant re-edited USN prototype model has joined the stable recently, with a noticeable defect on the bottom left hand lug (I can live with it 😒) but the price was so low I couldn’t resist 😗



And the usual suspect are still with me, the Aquastar 2020 not so big compared to the FXD actually

Edited: May 4, 2023

 

[aakprrt]

Replying to an older post but I have a question —

I just bought a pre owned Yema LE bronze with the blue dial. About to post a mini review but I’m curious about how your crown and stem feel — mine is a little sticky and the crown wobbles fully extended. It’s not impacting functionality but it just feels sloppy.

timoss

Does Yema count as a microbrand? I would say so. I picked up the bronze with blue dial in the kickstarter days. Liked it at first but have not worn in quite some time. Maybe I should give it some wrist time again:


Also picked up two Unimatics, one NH35 driven and one Sellita powered (the GMT). I am really drawn to their industrial take on the diver:

 

[timoss]

Hi— mine does not exhibit those features, soon would say they are not normal.

 

[Joe_A]

In early June, I was heading for a tour of Europe that would go on for just shy of a month. What watch should I have brought? I brought one of my Sherpa Graphs, the albino Mark Id, but that would be for occasional use. (I ended up wearing it only one night at dinner and no photos taken.)

I did not yet own a GMT watch and I wanted to take a GMT watch with me as a daily wearer.

Remembering this thread, Larry's comments, and my own recollection of the beauty and presence of the Baltic GMT, this watch became my daily wearer:



Alas, the only watch photo taken on the entire trip, this from the sixth floor of the Hotel Gallery Art in Florence with just a little glimpse of the Arno and the Ponte Vecchio in the blurred distance. ;-)

A little before 9 AM in Florence; a little before 3 AM back home in New York

I've been really enjoying the Baltic GMT.

 

[DrmexicoII]

Fed from Federico Talks Watches / Delray Watch announced this beauty yesterday. Bit pricey ($3,399) but I really like the dial, Breguet hands and smaller diameter. Bit different to the usual microbrand stuff.

 

[rahbarin]

Larry S

the GMT was a gift to my son.

I like these

 

[seamasterlovemad]

I recently bought a watch from a new microbrand called Atomico watches. Seiko quartz movement, they offer the possibility to combine with rubber straps. thoughts?
www.atomicowatches.com