One of my favorite microbrands is VanBanner. Original and sometimes quirky designs, but never over the top or garish. Great specs for value, and always strong luminescence!
Fantastic video! Five great points and I completely agree with everyone of them. In my opinion, there has never been a better time to be a budget watch collector. I buy what I like and I can care less about resale value or what other people think. There are so many great affordable watches to be had out there.
Might be worthwhile to list a few that are worth taking a look at, like Christopher Ward (though more mid-level in size at this point), Serica, Nivada Grenchen, Aquastar, Stowa, Farer... If your comfort zone lies in resale value, impressing strangers, or just being a lemming -- avoid micros at all costs.
I love my RAVEN Airfield watch. Steve is based in Kansas, offers Chinese made cases/bracelets with Japanese movements. I love it and wear it every day. Another brand I like is KUOE, they are based in Japan and, according to them, everything is made in Japan incl. case and crystal. Absolutely worth it, despite the low to no resale value.
Great, great video. I recently purchased a Boldr Venture and yes, the micro brands offer great value for money...however...I think overall the attention to detail is the difference with the big names. It's not all about materials and good specifications. In the end, I have the feeling that many microbrands are simply companies that bring together different suppliers of good materials at low cost and assemble everything without adding more value. Others do that but provide significant design work, and few are actually responsible for even adjusting the movements. Don't get me wrong, that's a lot more than several big brands do. I think you have to do a lot of research to be sure, because there are many new names that are worth having a piece of.
I have really just gotten into collecting watches this year. I had several watches before but this year I started researching and buying a variety of watches. I love dive watches and even have built 4 now from ordering my parts to really customize the looks. Needless to say I’m hooked.
Same here. It's pretty alarming how it can escalate from getting my first automatic watch to modding and building my own custom builds in just 3 months. :P
Love this vid . Truthbombs !!!!!!!!! Horage, Tuseno, Helson, Zelos, Axios, NTH, Zero West, Vertex, Helm, Steinhart, San Martin, Islander and a few others.
I wore my Zelos Hammerhead 3 Bronze today at an interview! Nice watch they said! Damn Right! Also like my Phoibos Wavemaster Black with Black Rubber. Vario Harry Tweed Straps soon coming this way, Purple and Dark Blue!
Favourite microbrand is Lorier. I have a Neptune and a Gemini, diver and chronograph respectively. I like a lot of their designs so expect to be adding more to the collection.
Helm is my favourite microbrand, have 8 of them now. Followed by Aragon, who are starting to create smaller sized cases, they have a few 40mm offerings now.
One factor I use in assessing a micro or small brand is to look at the discount outlets and on Ebay. If there are lot out there at high discount I buy that way. I find that the really good ones do not show up on the used market and these I will buy new. ' Also brands may have several models, I do not care as much about whether the movement is in house as much as whether it has interesting features.
My first microbrand watch was a classic Boldr Venture, which I bought as a bday gift to myself in 2021 after watching your review. And I still think it's a fantastic watch and an insane value for money. So, you are the person that inspired my interest in microbrands, thank you for that :) Some other microbrands I find interesting are Christopher Ward, Nivada, Doxa, and some others. But the brand that I absolutely love is Farer, and I hope to own a Farer one day, but they're expensive...
I recently bought a Spinnaker on a whim while it was discounted. And while it is the least expensive beater in my collection, I enjoy wearing it more than most of the others.
The Micros clearly learned their "limited edition" approach from Seiko and numerous Swiss brands which regularly churn out models in the thousands, all proudly sold to the suckers as LEs.
Last spring I got my Helm Komodo, and it´s awesome. Last week I got my Signum Sollus chrono and it too is awesome. Some microbrands have great watches and interesting design ideas. Yeah, the resale value isn´t there, but I buy watches to wear, not to sell.
Another important point is to recognise that a lot of microbrand watches are passion projects from people that don't always have a lot of experience around what works and what doesn't work in a practical sense. A good example is Serica...I'm a big fan and I love the designs but both watches I've purchased have been shipped back within a month for repair. I've also ditched the bracelet on my 5303 because it simply doesn't work...it's just not secure on the wrist because the clasp is poorly designed. Anyway the concise summary is...don't expect perfection!
Big fan of Direnzo. My new thought on micros is I won’t spend over $500 on them. There is no real resale upside so I keep what I buy. Have 12 currently. Added a glamourous Glennis for $320. Thanks Mark at Long Island Watches.
I had a couple of Heimdallrs which were very good value for the money. Few weeks ago I got my first Helm and it blew my mind. It was second hand, but almost as good as new and only 200 euros. Insane.
Zelos probably my favourite microbrand, picked up a titanium swordfish and think it’s an awesome watch, would like to get a helm someday, also rate Christopher ward but would you still class them as a microbrand !?
I've got a munro adventure watch coming to me, and i can't wait one thing i loved is the fixed pins/lugs something you don't see enough of especially for the money you're paying and the fact nato straps have come a long way in design
I would recommend the norwegian brand Radium. Built in Norway from norwegian aluminum with ETA movement. I also love Bragdur. Also a norwegian brand, but totaly different DNA than Radium.
I have over 100 watches 9.99 to 50k and I buy micros but always tend to sell them after a few months. I made $300 on the very Helm you show after wearing it for an entire Summer. They generally never make a permanent spot in the box because they don't sell that well and they lose their luster quickly as newer ones arrive. However, I do tend keep my Dan Henry's.
One thing you didn't mention is a negative, at times you might not get easy support from a microbrand. However, having said that, no microbrand is using a difficult to service obscure movement. So perhaps it doesn't usually matter unless you need something like a crown or crystal.
Before buying a watch, especially from a microbrand, check its movement type to ensure it's easily serviceable. This is crucial as the brand itself might not exist in the future, and you'd still want to keep and use the watch
I love micro brands from a bang per buck point of vue. You can find great finishing, great movements, interesting designs and unique dials for significantly less than name brands. The only thing to be aware of is that when it comes time to sell it on you will probably struggle to get back even half of what you paid. Also these company's might not be around in 5 years time should you ever need to replace a non-standard part.
You asked about our favorite microbrands...?? I will say my Lorier Neptune is among my favorite watches and second only amongst my divers to my Rolex Sub. And the Baltic Aquascaphe is very nice as well ( I own both ).
It’s generally not a problem. A lot of microbrands use Seiko movements which are pretty solid. Miyota are another popular movement and higher price micro’s might go to Sellita Swiss movements. Any of these can be fixed and have parts replaced by a good watchmaker.
I understand what you’re saying about micro brands never gaining value like any other sought after brands, but I don’t think that’s entirely true. Everyone was a microbrand at one point. Great video blessed holidayz man.
I like Marloe Watch Company for original design, quality watches and they provide interesting insights into their design process through UA-cam videos. Great customer service too 😊
Loss of value is subjective, if you buy a micro brand for £700 and lose 50%, it’s only £350, compared to say buying a brand at £3k which loses “only” 33% it’s £1000, so resale value is definitely subjective…..
Is “made in Asia” a euphemism for Made in China? I guess it is. I personally i do not want to give my business to a dictatorship. So I will skip those watches.
I love Zelos. They have very good quality and have the best customer service in the industry. Because of that, I have way too many and plan to get them their own box soon
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
One of my favorite microbrands is VanBanner. Original and sometimes quirky designs, but never over the top or garish. Great specs for value, and always strong luminescence!
I love Zelos. Picked up a Mako V3 Titanium Frost earlier this year, paid a little over MSRP, but super happy with it.
Fantastic video! Five great points and I completely agree with everyone of them. In my opinion, there has never been a better time to be a budget watch collector. I buy what I like and I can care less about resale value or what other people think. There are so many great affordable watches to be had out there.
Might be worthwhile to list a few that are worth taking a look at, like Christopher Ward (though more mid-level in size at this point), Serica, Nivada Grenchen, Aquastar, Stowa, Farer... If your comfort zone lies in resale value, impressing strangers, or just being a lemming -- avoid micros at all costs.
Zelos watches seem to hold their value, for whatever reason.
I would steer clear of Serica unfortunately.
I love my RAVEN Airfield watch. Steve is based in Kansas, offers Chinese made cases/bracelets with Japanese movements. I love it and wear it every day. Another brand I like is KUOE, they are based in Japan and, according to them, everything is made in Japan incl. case and crystal. Absolutely worth it, despite the low to no resale value.
Same love my airfield
Great, great video. I recently purchased a Boldr Venture and yes, the micro brands offer great value for money...however...I think overall the attention to detail is the difference with the big names. It's not all about materials and good specifications. In the end, I have the feeling that many microbrands are simply companies that bring together different suppliers of good materials at low cost and assemble everything without adding more value. Others do that but provide significant design work, and few are actually responsible for even adjusting the movements. Don't get me wrong, that's a lot more than several big brands do. I think you have to do a lot of research to be sure, because there are many new names that are worth having a piece of.
Zelos and Boldr are two of my favourite micro brands. Both offer very good quality and thier response to questions and warranty issues are excellent.
“Big box brands, they don’t want to give you value anymore”
Speaking the truth T3!
I’m down with Zelos, Phoibos, Traska, and Direnzo to name a few 👌
I own all but a Traska.
@@derbagger22 imagine being gifted a “trashka”
Ah, no clickbait, no hot takes, no exaggerations. Quality video. 👌
I have really just gotten into collecting watches this year. I had several watches before but this year I started researching and buying a variety of watches. I love dive watches and even have built 4 now from ordering my parts to really customize the looks. Needless to say I’m hooked.
Same here. It's pretty alarming how it can escalate from getting my first automatic watch to modding and building my own custom builds in just 3 months. :P
Well said. Plus excellent use of rubbish instead of trash or garbage.
Love this vid . Truthbombs !!!!!!!!! Horage, Tuseno, Helson, Zelos, Axios, NTH, Zero West, Vertex, Helm, Steinhart, San Martin, Islander and a few others.
I wore my Zelos Hammerhead 3 Bronze today at an interview! Nice watch they said! Damn Right! Also like my Phoibos Wavemaster Black with Black Rubber. Vario Harry Tweed Straps soon coming this way, Purple and Dark Blue!
Favourite microbrand is Lorier. I have a Neptune and a Gemini, diver and chronograph respectively. I like a lot of their designs so expect to be adding more to the collection.
My favorite micro brand of the several I have is definitely the Zelos Blacktip Teal
Helm is my favourite microbrand, have 8 of them now. Followed by Aragon, who are starting to create smaller sized cases, they have a few 40mm offerings now.
One factor I use in assessing a micro or small brand is to look at the discount outlets and on Ebay. If there are lot out there at high discount I buy that way. I find that the really good ones do not show up on the used market and these I will buy new. '
Also brands may have several models, I do not care as much about whether the movement is in house as much as whether it has interesting features.
Lots of great micros out there! I personally own and love watches from Lorier, Traska, Monta, Farer, and Formex.
My first microbrand watch was a classic Boldr Venture, which I bought as a bday gift to myself in 2021 after watching your review. And I still think it's a fantastic watch and an insane value for money. So, you are the person that inspired my interest in microbrands, thank you for that :)
Some other microbrands I find interesting are Christopher Ward, Nivada, Doxa, and some others. But the brand that I absolutely love is Farer, and I hope to own a Farer one day, but they're expensive...
I recently bought a Spinnaker on a whim while it was discounted. And while it is the least expensive beater in my collection, I enjoy wearing it more than most of the others.
The Micros clearly learned their "limited edition" approach from Seiko and numerous Swiss brands which regularly churn out models in the thousands, all proudly sold to the suckers as LEs.
Last spring I got my Helm Komodo, and it´s awesome. Last week I got my Signum Sollus chrono and it too is awesome. Some microbrands have great watches and interesting design ideas. Yeah, the resale value isn´t there, but I buy watches to wear, not to sell.
Another important point is to recognise that a lot of microbrand watches are passion projects from people that don't always have a lot of experience around what works and what doesn't work in a practical sense. A good example is Serica...I'm a big fan and I love the designs but both watches I've purchased have been shipped back within a month for repair. I've also ditched the bracelet on my 5303 because it simply doesn't work...it's just not secure on the wrist because the clasp is poorly designed. Anyway the concise summary is...don't expect perfection!
Big fan of Direnzo. My new thought on micros is I won’t spend over $500 on them. There is no real resale upside so I keep what I buy. Have 12 currently. Added a glamourous Glennis for $320. Thanks Mark at Long Island Watches.
I had a couple of Heimdallrs which were very good value for the money. Few weeks ago I got my first Helm and it blew my mind. It was second hand, but almost as good as new and only 200 euros. Insane.
Zelos probably my favourite microbrand, picked up a titanium swordfish and think it’s an awesome watch, would like to get a helm someday, also rate Christopher ward but would you still class them as a microbrand !?
I've got a munro adventure watch coming to me, and i can't wait one thing i loved is the fixed pins/lugs something you don't see enough of especially for the money you're paying and the fact nato straps have come a long way in design
I would recommend the norwegian brand Radium. Built in Norway from norwegian aluminum with ETA movement. I also love Bragdur. Also a norwegian brand, but totaly different DNA than Radium.
Baltic, Traska, and Studi0 Underd0g are my favorites.
I have over 100 watches 9.99 to 50k and I buy micros but always tend to sell them after a few months. I made $300 on the very Helm you show after wearing it for an entire Summer. They generally never make a permanent spot in the box because they don't sell that well and they lose their luster quickly as newer ones arrive. However, I do tend keep my Dan Henry's.
My top 5?… (in no particular order)
Zelos, Nodus, Lorier, Traska and Brew
One thing you didn't mention is a negative, at times you might not get easy support from a microbrand. However, having said that, no microbrand is using a difficult to service obscure movement. So perhaps it doesn't usually matter unless you need something like a crown or crystal.
Before buying a watch, especially from a microbrand, check its movement type to ensure it's easily serviceable. This is crucial as the brand itself might not exist in the future, and you'd still want to keep and use the watch
Most of the microbrand watch movements are servicable due to they dont do inhouse stuff. They put off the shelf movements in their watches
Wow. Getting right to it. Rare on YT these days.
Just happened to be wearing my titanium Helm Vanuatu today. Yay micro brands 🎉
Hey Jory, great video! It'll be worth watching your review on Marathon GSAR.
I love micro brands from a bang per buck point of vue. You can find great finishing, great movements, interesting designs and unique dials for significantly less than name brands. The only thing to be aware of is that when it comes time to sell it on you will probably struggle to get back even half of what you paid. Also these company's might not be around in 5 years time should you ever need to replace a non-standard part.
You asked about our favorite microbrands...?? I will say my Lorier Neptune is among my favorite watches and second only amongst my divers to my Rolex Sub. And the Baltic Aquascaphe is very nice as well ( I own both ).
How about servicing costs for microbrands? Is that usually not a problem if they e.g. use a wellknown ETA movement?
It’s generally not a problem. A lot of microbrands use Seiko movements which are pretty solid. Miyota are another popular movement and higher price micro’s might go to Sellita Swiss movements. Any of these can be fixed and have parts replaced by a good watchmaker.
@@peakrider4886Thanks a lot for this info.
I understand what you’re saying about micro brands never gaining value like any other sought after brands, but I don’t think that’s entirely true. Everyone was a microbrand at one point. Great video blessed holidayz man.
I like Marloe Watch Company for original design, quality watches and they provide interesting insights into their design process through UA-cam videos. Great customer service too 😊
yup
Serica and Boldr put out some of the best designed watches for under $1k imho
'watch enthusiasts...snobs'. Love ya!
Loss of value is subjective, if you buy a micro brand for £700 and lose 50%, it’s only £350, compared to say buying a brand at £3k which loses “only” 33% it’s £1000, so resale value is definitely subjective…..
I think wise has done a good job of thumbing their nose at the big boys
I'm always ready to be let down by a new micro keeps me alive
AnOrdain
The thing I wish I knew is micro brands have shite resale value
Is “made in Asia” a euphemism for Made in China? I guess it is.
I personally i do not want to give my business to a dictatorship. So I will skip those watches.
Nope. I meant “made in Asian.” Many, MANY micros are made throughout Singapore and Malaysia.
Every watch ever made is limited.
I love Zelos. They have very good quality and have the best customer service in the industry. Because of that, I have way too many and plan to get them their own box soon