Microbrands aren’t so micro anymore: they are the new tastemakers now.
The established brands always have a bevy of caviar, champagne, and a selection of their watches (some they say are not for sale), and these events are swell and dignified. However, the real electricity is conducted at the “micro brand” events. Whether it’s a homegrown Collective Horology showcase, or a visit to the hidden workshop of J.N. Shapiro, the decibel meter of conversation, laughter, and amazement swings passed eleven.
Now, don’t get me wrong. A black ceramic bezel Daytona still gets my gears going (and yes, I’m on 3 lists for that), but are any of them making forged titanium cases? How about a tantalum bracelet? Even better, are any of them offering a sonerie for less than an Omega Seamaster?
“Microbrands” are doing the thing these old all-stars used to do: explore and change the game. They are pushing the envelope for what’s possible with watchmaking. They are inventing new ways to delight us, to be silly in a lot of ways (yes Ōtsuka Lōtec), and to force us to accept what can be done in horology.
“Microbrands” are doing the thing these old all-stars used to do: explore and change the game. They are pushing the envelope for what’s possible with watchmaking. They are inventing new ways to delight us, to be silly in a lot of ways (yes Ōtsuka Lōtec), and to force us to accept what can be done in horology.
This movement in watchmaking was forged principally by 3 things. Firstly, it’s the democratization of technology. 3D printing, high-end/low-cost manufacturing in China, and freemium software have made the early and experimental stages of watchmaking easily accessible to everyone. If you want to add an extra barrel to your watch, you can now 3D print your experiment in a matter of minutes and make your life overly complicated. Now imagine if you went to a watchmaking school in Switzerland, worked at AP, and had the knack to fundraise.
The second is stagnation. Watches have more or less been relatively the same since Abraham-Louis Breguet. More importantly, after the quartz crisis, the big brands doubled down on their staple pieces, which is great for long-term brand stability. However, it sacrificed its hunger for research and development. The thesis of growing current market share became the priority, not invention. An innovation gap in the market became well exposed.
Thirdly, collectors are bored. There’s only so many Submariners you can own. The number of vintage Pateks is dwindling. The list for that special Royal Oak could keep you on the ropes for 8 years or more. For the person that has everything, where do you go?
The second is stagnation. Watches have more or less been relatively the same since Abraham-Louis Breguet. More importantly, after the quartz crisis, the big brands doubled down on their staple pieces, which is great for long-term brand stability. However, it sacrificed its hunger for research and development. The thesis of growing current market share became the priority, not invention. An innovation gap in the market became well exposed.
Thirdly, collectors are bored. There’s only so many Submariners you can own. The number of vintage Pateks is dwindling. The list for that special Royal Oak could keep you on the ropes for 8 years or more. For the person that has everything, where do you go?
You go to the team that’s doing things no one else wants to do, or dares to do, with a budget. I’m talking about the West Coast Customs or the Singer of the watch world (with good taste, of course). Shapiro, Czapek, Atelier Wen- they are doing just that. They’re making bespoke pieces with a narrative that Richemont, LVMH, and SWATCH would ignore otherwise.
Take Atelier Wen. Yes, I know two French men founded the brand, and it has a Chinese character in its name (I’m Taiwanese/Chinese American to set some context).
However, they collaborate with craftspeople across China to showcase thousands of years of collective artistry in the Forbidden Kingdom, whether it’s making dials from pietersite or Chinese enamel from the famed Kong Lingjun workshop. And yes, we unabashedly sell all of these watches on our site here.
During a local excursion, I visited the folks at JN Shapiro a while back. In their unassuming corporate park, like many others in the Southern California suburb, was housed a collection of high-precision CNC machines, restored rose engines, and a dozen craftspeople. They were building full tantalum timepieces and guilloche dials that rival historiques from the big three. (Yes, we sell those too; buy here)
The term “microbrand” needs a reckoning. Although the term describes its overall market vs. established brands, it pales in the reality of its quality, polish, and specialties. These watches are incredible.
Me trying to engine turn at J.N. Shapiro’s secret headquarters in Southern California. It’s a lot harder than it looks.
I move to motion that we call them boutique brands. I mean, that’s what Breguet and Zenith were called before they folded into the SWATCH Group and LVMH (respectively). What they are doing isn't just running a small shop for a niche audience. These independent watchmakers are fashioning some of the most detailed and exquisitely forged pieces of our time. They should be looked at like Singer, RUF, or a suit tailored on Savile Row. They are the new icons of what humans can achieve in horology.
During a local excursion, I visited the folks at JN Shapiro a while back. In their unassuming corporate park, like many others in the Southern California suburb, was housed a collection of high-precision CNC machines, restored rose engines, and a dozen craftspeople. They were building full tantalum timepieces and guilloche dials that rival historiques from the big three. (Yes, we sell those too; buy here)
The term “microbrand” needs a reckoning. Although the term describes its overall market vs. established brands, it pales in the reality of its quality, polish, and specialties. These watches are incredible.
I move to motion that we call them boutique brands. I mean, that’s what Breguet and Zenith were called before they folded into the SWATCH Group and LVMH (respectively). What they are doing isn't just running a small shop for a niche audience. These independent watchmakers are fashioning some of the most detailed and exquisitely forged pieces of our time. They should be looked at like Singer, RUF, or a suit tailored on Savile Row. They are the new icons of what humans can achieve in horology.
—George Ko
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