Dear Jody, Thank you so much for mentioning my small brand among this great group of Micros! As you said, I think we all pour our heart and soul into creating something unique, hoping our passion resonates with someone out there who will enjoy our creations as much as we do. Thank you once again for supporting us Micros. Sergio
Sergio, I eyed buying a DRZ-04 Mondial for literally *years* after watching Jody's review of it and being mesmerized by the bowled dial and overall stunning design. I finally was able to pick one up second-hand, and it has remained the only watch that I've kept through a lot of ups and downs in life, because I just know that literally nothing could ever replace it. Thank you for bringing such stunning-yet-clean and consistent watch designs to the market at an affordable (for Swiss!) price.
Agreed, I recommend these over Uncle, bit better pricing and loyalty. Have bought two of your jube bracelets for Orient and Citizen BN Eco-Drive, makes the watches much more premium and what they should be. Keep up the good work!!
Well deserved Marc. Congratulations! Marc knows exactly what the customers want. Nobody can be disappointed with his vision, accomplishments, and the quality of his performance. With the best price/performance ratio.
Grabbed the LumeShot x Islander a couple years back (along with some big brand watches from Island) and I couldn’t be happier with it. Planning another Islander soon
Thanks for the shout out Jody. Stoked to be included on your top 25 microbrands. Can't wait for you to see what we've been working on lately. Exciting creations launching soon.
Surprised Wise wasn't mentioned, They make a bunch of different styles and you can semi custom order certain models. Have the Hitman 66 SE and it's a nice watch.
The most important qualifier was he had to have reviewed a model from the brand before, has he reviewed a Wise before? If not, it explains leaving it off. I genuinely don't know if he has, just know that's a reason a lot of favorites could have been left out.
I've own some rather nice watches, and I bought a Vaer recently and have been extremely impressed; numerous friends and watch nerds have asked to have a look.
Not the first here to say Lorier deserves a look at on the channel, but I’m loving my Hyperion GMT with the traveler’s Miyota 9075. All my other watches have been gathering dust in the cupboard-I can’t stop wearing the Lorier!
My falcon III is on my wrist the most in the year I've had it. Just picked up the Astra when it restocked. Really does feel like a new 1960's sports watch.
Very nice watches, If the diver Gin Clear MkII would be a tad bigger like 42 mm or 43 I would gladly buy one Tomorrow. I do understand the production methods. Keep it up you doing a good work on the design and quality.
Love my Baltic Aquascaphe gmt, wearing as I type this! The Soprod C125 keeps plus 1 second a day or flat zero!!! Have worn it a week straight and it was so hard to notice a 2-3 second difference! Glad Xeric made it as the Halograph was very fun and really easy to read!!
Jody, I am so happy you are re- focusing on Microbrands… it seems that lately most watch reviewers are constantly reviewing AliExpress brands and endless sales. From an audience perspective, they are starting to all blend in and quite honestly, it is becoming highly repetitive. More microbrands content means focusing on brands that are bringing creativity to the industry (instead of endless clomages!?) . Keep the flame alive!👍
Agreed - I'm rather tired of many of the other watch TH-camrs posting AliExpress 'top tens' etc, not just occasionally (which is absolutely fine), but every day of the week (sale or no sale) and twice on Tuesdays!
@@NicholasSadlier one of the appeal of Microbrands is rarity/excusivity/small production runs… AliExpress brands are overexposed and keep pumping out versions after versions. While some of the stuff maybe appealing, after awhile you feel like it’s being pushed and mass marketed!?!
I love this video. A lot of creators talk microbrands, but seeing them compiled this way is brilliant. And don't downplay the Erebus. They are stunning.
Great list! Lorier is a microbrand that deserves representation on it. I realize that you haven't yet reviewed one, Jody, but once you do, I think you'll agree that it belongs. Thanks for all the good work!
Hi Jody! A micro from Germany that should have been mentioned is Damasko. My friend bought one from Mark at LIW about a month ago. Case made of scratch resistant Submarine Steel with a Swiss movement. If you want a bracelet, you have to buy it separately. That has to be the most difficult changeover I’ve ever done. The bracelet and clasp are very unique. It almost completely invisible when on wrist. It is put together with very tiny torx head screws that are anti magnetic. If you drop one, it’s gone forever. I would highly suggest to put the bracelet in a box or plastic bag before removing any screws. I covered a very large area of my floor with duct tape after trying other methods to find it. No luck. Awesome watch!
@@jayck6736 I've never ever heard anyone mention the brand in anything that has to do with microbrands anyway. I don't know why they should belong on a list like this. I completely agree with you.
The Namica Okami is a fantastic looking watch. I hadn't heard of them before this, so I've missed out on getting the Kanji version, but I've just ordered the non-Kanji version. Thanks for the recommendation Jody!
Jody, this was a great service to your viewers! Both interesting and useful. I’m sure we all appreciate the time and effort you must have put into preparing it. Two additional microbrands I would like to have seen mentioned are Alkin in the UK and Trafford in Texas.
As a massive microbrand fan, I did mis a certain number of my favorites. In no particular order: - Phoibos - Venezianico - Mr. Jones - Holthinrichs (though that's more of an independent than a microbrand) - Studio Underd0g - anOrdain (is that still a micro?) - Circula - Bausele - Elka - Bamford And I could continue like that for a while. This is no criticism of course- as you said, this list could have easily contained double the number of brands- but I just wanted to mention them anyway. And yes, I'm well aware that some of these fall (far) outside the usual price range for the channel ;-)
Great video Jody, very informative. Only since you asked, my favorite micro not mentioned is Wise. I like that they don't seem content to put out the usual fare, and they make a lot of thoughtful design choices. Looks like there is abundant support for this brand below. Cheers!
Zelos, WISE, MAEN, and Nodus are my absolute favorites. These brands all make fantastic watches that punch way above their price range. How did WISE not make the list?!?! The AD7 is incredible!
Amazing video Jody! A lot of brands I’ve never heard of! Loved Brew Watches, perfect size for my small wrist and the case shape is different in a good way. This video says a lot about who you are Jody. You have your own micro brand, yet you’re promoting watches from other “rival” brands. That means there’s camaraderie and respect among this community. Well done!! 👍🏻
Great selection here Jody but you've missed out the kiwi brand Magrette. I've got two of their hand wound chronographs, one of which is 500M Waterproof. They do an excellent GMT as well as divers. Cheers
Thanks. That was really interesting. KEY TAKEAWAYS: 1). The dive watch market is saturated. 2). There's a shortage of good dress watches. 3). Vintage art deco style watches are currently winning.
Héron. Although they only have a pair of watches in their catalog as a young microbrand, they knocked the Marinor out of the park and quality speaks for itself. (Especially when compared to other divers from notable microbrands with similar specs and price point).
@@DanGaskell To be honest, I’m still in a honeymoon phase with the bracelet. But I would imagine it would wear fine on rubber. I’m partial to tropic. I’ve just not ever gotten into NATO, though I prefer a Zulu.
Hello and a huge thank you for this video. Direnzo, Second Hour, Vario, Zelos, Farer, Marloe, Unimatic, Yema, Baltic, Zeric of course. But, imho, you forgot Wise, Serica, Lip, Dan Henry, Mu:n (and Atowak and an0rdain).
Hey Jody great vid as always, would've loved to see WISE in there, they look like they're punching waaaaay above their price tags, with all those incredible finishing and lume, fingers crossed they make your TOP 30 or 50 microbrands vid in a couple of months, cheers
Thanks for another great and different video Jody. Another brand I think worthy of mention is Escudo which are of Portugese origin. Also I'm surprised there was no mention of Phoibos.
One of the greatest episodes ever made here - THANK YOU for this very interesting cruise around variety of Micros, one better / more interesting than other. Explorative, informative, and funny - as ever. Keep it up, Jody!
Brew happened to have some of the Metric with the Retro dial in stock when I was watching. They were out the last time I looked. Thanks for reminding me so I could grab one!
I could toss out a few un-mentioned brands out there too....but it was made clear that an exhaustive list would take at least twice the time! But I wanted to say that despite not TRYING to be a micro focused buyer, I somehow became one. There really is much more interesting variety in the micro world than in the established brands!
This is very true! If I were thinking of starting up a TH-cam watch-related channel, micro brands would provide a much richer vein to tap for content than the big traditional brands which hardly ever seem to do anything particularly innovative or daring. I'm constantly finding new and exciting watches in the micro brand arena - Jody's excellent video is testament to that!
I do like me a microbrand. In fact, it was a microbrand watch that got me started with this whole TH-cam thing. I have a few from the brands mentioned in this video, including not one, but two Second Hour Mandalas. As I love the design so much. There are almost two levels of microbrands really, possibly even three. You've got brands like Christopher Ward , Phoibos etc. That you could argue aren't even microbrands anymore. Then there's the like of Zelos, Vario etc. Then you have the really small ones such as Relio, MAS etc.
Love the established micros but there are tonnes of "micro" micro brands that I personally prefer and who will never get on your radar for perhaps being too small such as Lesablier, Golby, Alato, MMI, Pedral, Benjamin James, VEJRHØJ, Satori to name but a few.
Greetings from St George Utah ,25 Microbands some few to mention Dan Henry's & Loreir, I have 2 ,the compressor and the Falcon ,what fantastic piece...great content as always my friend until next time awesome choices, yup easily could go all way to 50 so many out there...
I own three of these brands, and have handled a lot of the others. Microbrands certainly offer a unique twist on the hobby, oftentimes with insane value. I've met a lot of the owners of these brands at various watch shows, and they're all very passionate about their craft.
Great vid, I've two Unimatics, the bracelet is available from the website as an assesory......its a bit chunky😂 I also have a Helm & I blame you for that....
Some of my favorites are Signum (dive), Spinnaker (dive), Bertucci (field), Marathon (military), Lum-Tec (military and field), and AVI-8 (pilot) . Each have their own style and won’t break the bank.
I purchased the original Islander about 3 years ago.. I wear it on a nato strap.. great watch Marc!... I recently purchased a Zelos Mako GMT.. really enjoying it thus far
Wow, great video, thank you for putting this together! I recently purchased the AVI-8 Islander collaboration watch and it’s a great piece. Marc was a pleasure to do business with as well.
Jody, once again great video on microbrands. A microbrand to take look at is Hemel. They offer field, vintage-pilot, and dive inspired watches. As of late they have started to branch out to other types of models. The owner Marvin is active on social media and as I know first hand in tune with what his customers are asking for. So, if you have a chance take a look at them.
I've been watching your videos for years, and more recently I've watched several other prominent watch TH-camrs' videos on Microbrands, and something I want to point out that's often missed or only barely touched on in the videos themselves: the amount of support for one-another among these brands! I sense genuine support and appreciation among the owners of these companies, which feels unique for any consumer-driven industry, but especially where things feel so elitist at the top end.
Love this list! I've owned and loved watches from ~10 of these brands. Monta, Formex, and Farer are kind of my "holy trinity," with Traska and Lorier (not shown) in the next tier.
12:35 Glad to see it get some appreciation as the Swordfish Titanium Forged Carbon was both my first Zelos and the second most frequently worn watch in my collection. Fantastic watch
Just got a new watch in yesterday and you release this? Why do you hate my wallet! Must say I've enjoyed my Zelos, Islanders, and finally my Helm arrived and it's a chunky beast. Excited to check out Nodus as they are local and their clasps looks awesome. Keep up the good vids
Another vote for Wise, both their diver and GMT models. Jack Mason is also a favorite. They were one of the first to introduce the Myota 9515 and it's been flawless. I did like the Seagul 1963, but it mysteriously stopped running last year. Bummer.
Nicely done Jody. I would have one recommendation, the TUSENÖ brand was not mentioned. The Gothenberg Sweden company is putting out some fantastic watches. I have one on pre-order and I do like the other models they offer as well.
thanks Jody, thanks a lot. I'm going to need another watchbox to add to the 5 12er's I already have .. sigh... seriosuly some stellar watches there! I am also wearing my Direnzo DRZ-02R burnt orange as I write this and looking forward to the purple ascent
Great video. I agree with the comments below that Dan Henry and Phoibos seem to deserve a place here but I didn't see anyone mention Visitor Watches. I adore my Visitor Duneshore with the curvy caseback, sandwich dial, beautiful signed rotor, and fountain pen nib hands. It also came with the coolest bracelet I own, which they have stopped making sadly. Visitor has done some brilliant inventive case designs which many of these microbrands seem to avoid.
I don't know how many times I've watched this, but Jody, you rock! Not only did I grab a watch from Erebus (Origin 41), I ordered a Monro Ocean Adventure (Arctic since I live in Alaska), rolled the dice on a mystery auto from Xeric, snagged a Port Jeff from LIW, purchased a GMT from Phoibos, and finally a diver from Zelos. What can I say, Christmas came early for me this year. Shame on PayPal approving me for Pay in 4... Can't decide if I'm buying 4x the watches I normally do, or buying a watch 4x more expensive than I usually do. Decisions, decisions.☺
Jody, All of your videos are great, now having said that, I think this one might be my favorite, I have watched it like 3 times already digging for more info in some of the brands mentioned. I wanted to ask you what is your take on Spinnaker and Christopher Ward ? would you include them in the top 50 , or do you consider them a little bit over a micro brand and they are now out of that sweet spot heading into mini or small brands ( that's my personal take on both ). Microbrands keep the romanticism in the industry, they do go for profit, but their profit has to be based on extreme quality control , and daring takes on design , must be out of the ordinary ( most of the brands you show in the video are )due to a saturated market that is constantly pouring big brands models, therefore I truly believe the best and most beautiful watch designs are in microbrands ( take a look at Ulysses Nardin watches, the Bel Canto from CW or your own brand the Erebus Ascend, It is just exquisite). Always a joy to watch your videos, with a glass of wine to relax and take note for the next purchases. cheers
Great picks Jodie some very interesting designs, although list could have been much bigger, but I did expect studio underdog and lorier, maybe you haven’t reviewed them.
Scurfa Watches should've made that list. High quality divers (mostly) made by an actual commercial diver. They include both automatic and quartz movements, plus some titanium models in their lineup. Mine is a daily wear.
Just scratching the surface there Jody. Some great choices in amongst them, but I’d also add my favourite microbrand Lorier! Notable other favourites Phoibos, Autodromo, Nezumi, Hanhart, and Nivada Grenchen. And one from Northern Ireland, Nomadic!
Speaking of Yema, they recently released a beautiful 40 mm stainless steel Flygraph Bi-compax chronograph equipped with Seiko's VK61 meca-quartz caliber and hesalite glass. As it was made in collaboration with the French Air Force, the watch contains field and flieger watch DNA and, in my opinion, looks incredible for the price of €429 at which it is being sold. Interestingly, no one has reviewed it yet, so there's an opportunity for Jody to rectify this situation.
Some great micro's there. Nice job! I'd also say that Autodromo is a niche, unique micro with very specific racing design inspiration, but you did include a micro with a similar "flavor". Thanks!
Thanks, please do a similar video on the topic of the movements used in the microbrands you reviewed. Pros and cons and considerations beyond the appearance and sizing of these brands.
Nice list Jodie. A couple of thoughts on others missed, maybe Lorier and Studio Underdog could have made it, although you may feel S.O. is now too big. Have a Lorier GMT diver if you want to review.
Probably your best video yet. ( Much better than the Ali express nonsense) Great coverage of as you said ...amazing micro brands. UK brands my favourites.
Dear Jody, Thank you so much for mentioning my small brand among this great group of Micros! As you said, I think we all pour our heart and soul into creating something unique, hoping our passion resonates with someone out there who will enjoy our creations as much as we do. Thank you once again for supporting us Micros. Sergio
that green wandering star is on my list!
It surely resonate with me at least. Keep up the good work and try to stock more watches 😂
Sergio, I eyed buying a DRZ-04 Mondial for literally *years* after watching Jody's review of it and being mesmerized by the bowled dial and overall stunning design. I finally was able to pick one up second-hand, and it has remained the only watch that I've kept through a lot of ups and downs in life, because I just know that literally nothing could ever replace it. Thank you for bringing such stunning-yet-clean and consistent watch designs to the market at an affordable (for Swiss!) price.
@@K1ngfunK that’s very kind of you! Thank you for sharing your experience and glad to know you are enjoying it 😃
Fantastic video, Jody! Appreciate the effort for keeping the watch community alive.
Holy smokes!!!!! Thanks so much, Jody!
Agreed, I recommend these over Uncle, bit better pricing and loyalty. Have bought two of your jube bracelets for Orient and Citizen BN Eco-Drive, makes the watches much more premium and what they should be. Keep up the good work!!
Well deserved Marc. Congratulations! Marc knows exactly what the customers want. Nobody can be disappointed with his vision, accomplishments, and the quality of his performance. With the best price/performance ratio.
Grabbed the LumeShot x Islander a couple years back (along with some big brand watches from Island) and I couldn’t be happier with it. Planning another Islander soon
Hi Marc
Id like to see both of you catching up at wind up in New York 🎉
Thanks for the shout out Jody. Stoked to be included on your top 25 microbrands. Can't wait for you to see what we've been working on lately. Exciting creations launching soon.
Surprised Wise wasn't mentioned, They make a bunch of different styles and you can semi custom order certain models. Have the Hitman 66 SE and it's a nice watch.
I second that. I was disappointed in the miss on Wise. They have some creative designs and build quality pieces.
The new name of my band Lizard man and the Nepo babies
I agree, My Wise Adamascus is on my wrist the most. Love it and I will be getting more.
I went back and skimmed it to see must be bad blood because they are top 10 easy
The most important qualifier was he had to have reviewed a model from the brand before, has he reviewed a Wise before? If not, it explains leaving it off. I genuinely don't know if he has, just know that's a reason a lot of favorites could have been left out.
Vaer is making some really nice pieces at great prices. The american quartz movement used in some of their watches is fantastic.
I love my DS4. Vaer should be on the list for sure.
Solar divers aren't produced enough. Vaer makes a very nice version.
I've own some rather nice watches, and I bought a Vaer recently and have been extremely impressed; numerous friends and watch nerds have asked to have a look.
Not the first here to say Lorier deserves a look at on the channel, but I’m loving my Hyperion GMT with the traveler’s Miyota 9075. All my other watches have been gathering dust in the cupboard-I can’t stop wearing the Lorier!
Loving the Hydra S3!
My falcon III is on my wrist the most in the year I've had it. Just picked up the Astra when it restocked. Really does feel like a new 1960's sports watch.
The Neptune does it for me.
Really enjoy my Zephyr! They call it a dress watch, but I put mine on a mesh bracelet and it works well for daily wear.
I have the Skyward II with the C125 and loooove it.
Thank you for the mention, Jody. We're thrilled to be included ❤
Very nice watches, If the diver Gin Clear MkII would be a tad bigger like 42 mm or 43 I would gladly buy one Tomorrow. I do understand the production methods. Keep it up you doing a good work on the design and quality.
Love my Baltic Aquascaphe gmt, wearing as I type this! The Soprod C125 keeps plus 1 second a day or flat zero!!! Have worn it a week straight and it was so hard to notice a 2-3 second difference!
Glad Xeric made it as the Halograph was very fun and really easy to read!!
Jody, I am so happy you are re- focusing on Microbrands… it seems that lately most watch reviewers are constantly reviewing AliExpress brands and endless sales. From an audience perspective, they are starting to all blend in and quite honestly, it is becoming highly repetitive. More microbrands content means focusing on brands that are bringing creativity to the industry (instead of endless clomages!?) . Keep the flame alive!👍
Those people have an addiction to Ali express, its stupid with their hauls, time for another watch, cough cough..😂
Preach!
Agreed - I'm rather tired of many of the other watch TH-camrs posting AliExpress 'top tens' etc, not just occasionally (which is absolutely fine), but every day of the week (sale or no sale) and twice on Tuesdays!
@@NicholasSadlier one of the appeal of Microbrands is rarity/excusivity/small production runs… AliExpress brands are overexposed and keep pumping out versions after versions. While some of the stuff maybe appealing, after awhile you feel like it’s being pushed and mass marketed!?!
I love this video. A lot of creators talk microbrands, but seeing them compiled this way is brilliant. And don't downplay the Erebus. They are stunning.
Great list! Lorier is a microbrand that deserves representation on it. I realize that you haven't yet reviewed one, Jody, but once you do, I think you'll agree that it belongs. Thanks for all the good work!
Yes! Otherwise Lorier definitely worthy of a place. Cheers!
I am so glad you mentioned Islander! They are great watches from a great owner
Islander is definitely top 3 microbrand for me. I have two of Mark's pieces and my wife has 1... absolute banger worth the money.
Hi Jody! A micro from Germany that should have been mentioned is Damasko. My friend bought one from Mark at LIW about a month ago. Case made of scratch resistant Submarine Steel with a Swiss movement. If you want a bracelet, you have to buy it separately. That has to be the most difficult changeover I’ve ever done. The bracelet and clasp are very unique. It almost completely invisible when on wrist. It is put together with very tiny torx head screws that are anti magnetic. If you drop one, it’s gone forever. I would highly suggest to put the bracelet in a box or plastic bag before removing any screws. I covered a very large area of my floor with duct tape after trying other methods to find it. No luck. Awesome watch!
Love Damasko but I don't think they are considered as a Microbrand?!
@@jayck6736 I've never ever heard anyone mention the brand in anything that has to do with microbrands anyway. I don't know why they should belong on a list like this. I completely agree with you.
The Namica Okami is a fantastic looking watch. I hadn't heard of them before this, so I've missed out on getting the Kanji version, but I've just ordered the non-Kanji version. Thanks for the recommendation Jody!
Jody, this was a great service to your viewers! Both interesting and useful. I’m sure we all appreciate the time and effort you must have put into preparing it.
Two additional microbrands I would like to have seen mentioned are Alkin in the UK and Trafford in Texas.
Lorier? Specific design language and been at it a while. Nice and interesting list otherwise. A few I’d not heard of!
As a massive microbrand fan, I did mis a certain number of my favorites. In no particular order:
- Phoibos
- Venezianico
- Mr. Jones
- Holthinrichs (though that's more of an independent than a microbrand)
- Studio Underd0g
- anOrdain (is that still a micro?)
- Circula
- Bausele
- Elka
- Bamford
And I could continue like that for a while. This is no criticism of course- as you said, this list could have easily contained double the number of brands- but I just wanted to mention them anyway. And yes, I'm well aware that some of these fall (far) outside the usual price range for the channel ;-)
Love my Khuraburi! Was on the wait-list for 2 years, and it was worth it! As soon as it came in, I jumped on the list for the Vanuatu Titanium!
Vanuatu Titanium was well worth the wait!
@@willfjeld1907 it almost has a bit of Sinn flavor to it, and I'm all about it!
Enjoyed this video a lot. The Micro space is the most exciting space for me in watch making right now. Lots of great highlights.
Great video Jody, very informative. Only since you asked, my favorite micro not mentioned is Wise. I like that they don't seem content to put out the usual fare, and they make a lot of thoughtful design choices. Looks like there is abundant support for this brand below. Cheers!
Things I've learned from the comments: 1) Every microbrand watch belongs in the top 25.
Exactly. There are what, a quadrillian different micro's out there but each and every one of them should be included in a list of 25. SMH.
Zelos, WISE, MAEN, and Nodus are my absolute favorites. These brands all make fantastic watches that punch way above their price range. How did WISE not make the list?!?! The AD7 is incredible!
How did Lorier not make it? Hahaha
@@timefliesby-jleo474 a great qu! Maybe Jody's never reviewed one?
Exactly. The Wise Ad7 is too notch.
Thanks you so much for the mention!
Amazing video Jody! A lot of brands I’ve never heard of! Loved Brew Watches, perfect size for my small wrist and the case shape is different in a good way. This video says a lot about who you are Jody. You have your own micro brand, yet you’re promoting watches from other “rival” brands. That means there’s camaraderie and respect among this community. Well done!! 👍🏻
Great selection here Jody but you've missed out the kiwi brand Magrette. I've got two of their hand wound chronographs, one of which is 500M Waterproof. They do an excellent GMT as well as divers. Cheers
Just ordered a Meraud Bonaire - Moss Green , stunning watch.
Thanks. That was really interesting. KEY TAKEAWAYS: 1). The dive watch market is saturated. 2). There's a shortage of good dress watches. 3). Vintage art deco style watches are currently winning.
For dress watches Beaucroft is one that stands out to me.
There needs to be a part two of these!! I’m discovering so much right now. Thanks Jody!
Héron. Although they only have a pair of watches in their catalog as a young microbrand, they knocked the Marinor out of the park and quality speaks for itself. (Especially when compared to other divers from notable microbrands with similar specs and price point).
I genuinely wish I had kickstarted a Marinor. It looks amazing.
Waited 4 years for the Helm Komodo since watching Jody's review and it's finally on it's way!
Another micro that needs attention is Henry Archer.
Agreed...considering my 2nd
Yes, love my HA. I got the glacier blue and it absolutely glows in the light. Unlike any of my more staid watches and summer perfect.
@@robertnorth1681 How is it on alternative straps?
@@DanGaskell To be honest, I’m still in a honeymoon phase with the bracelet. But I would imagine it would wear fine on rubber. I’m partial to tropic. I’ve just not ever gotten into NATO, though I prefer a Zulu.
I like HA, also Dan Henry is a nice retro collection.
Hello and a huge thank you for this video. Direnzo, Second Hour, Vario, Zelos, Farer, Marloe, Unimatic, Yema, Baltic, Zeric of course. But, imho, you forgot Wise, Serica, Lip, Dan Henry, Mu:n (and Atowak and an0rdain).
He didn't forget them. They just weren't in the top 25
Hey Jody great vid as always, would've loved to see WISE in there, they look like they're punching waaaaay above their price tags, with all those incredible finishing and lume, fingers crossed they make your TOP 30 or 50 microbrands vid in a couple of months, cheers
Thanks for another great and different video Jody. Another brand I think worthy of mention is Escudo which are of Portugese origin. Also I'm surprised there was no mention of Phoibos.
One of the greatest episodes ever made here - THANK YOU for this very interesting cruise around variety of Micros, one better / more interesting than other. Explorative, informative, and funny - as ever. Keep it up, Jody!
Brew happened to have some of the Metric with the Retro dial in stock when I was watching. They were out the last time I looked. Thanks for reminding me so I could grab one!
I would suggest you check out Lorier watches for a retro vibe.
A great list! I also love Heinrich, Beaufort, Nivada Grenchen and Phoibos.
Thank you 😇💯
The helicoprion will be a classic for years to come!
@@griggsbuild really appreciate 👍🙏
I could toss out a few un-mentioned brands out there too....but it was made clear that an exhaustive list would take at least twice the time!
But I wanted to say that despite not TRYING to be a micro focused buyer, I somehow became one. There really is much more interesting variety in the micro world than in the established brands!
This is very true! If I were thinking of starting up a TH-cam watch-related channel, micro brands would provide a much richer vein to tap for content than the big traditional brands which hardly ever seem to do anything particularly innovative or daring. I'm constantly finding new and exciting watches in the micro brand arena - Jody's excellent video is testament to that!
I have a Xeric Halograph III. Happy to see them included!
Same here!
Fantastic list. Thanks for putting this together Jody. That Marloe Astro 🤩🤩🔥🔥
I do like me a microbrand. In fact, it was a microbrand watch that got me started with this whole TH-cam thing. I have a few from the brands mentioned in this video, including not one, but two Second Hour Mandalas. As I love the design so much.
There are almost two levels of microbrands really, possibly even three. You've got brands like Christopher Ward , Phoibos etc. That you could argue aren't even microbrands anymore. Then there's the like of Zelos, Vario etc. Then you have the really small ones such as Relio, MAS etc.
Love the established micros but there are tonnes of "micro" micro brands that I personally prefer and who will never get on your radar for perhaps being too small such as Lesablier, Golby, Alato, MMI, Pedral, Benjamin James, VEJRHØJ, Satori to name but a few.
Greetings from St George Utah ,25 Microbands some few to mention Dan Henry's & Loreir, I have 2 ,the compressor and the Falcon ,what fantastic piece...great content as always my friend until next time awesome choices, yup easily could go all way to 50 so many out there...
Awesome! Was not expecting to be included, a very nice surprise. Thanks Jody!!
I own three of these brands, and have handled a lot of the others. Microbrands certainly offer a unique twist on the hobby, oftentimes with insane value. I've met a lot of the owners of these brands at various watch shows, and they're all very passionate about their craft.
Great list Jody. My favorites not mentioned here are;
Feynman
Visitor
Behrens
Oak & Oscar
Albert Villa
Corniche
I missed Tusenö! Their Shellback v2 i astounding though (of course) out of stock.
Great vid, I've two Unimatics, the bracelet is available from the website as an assesory......its a bit chunky😂 I also have a Helm & I blame you for that....
Dan Henry
Boldr
Phoibos
Agree with those saying Wise was missed too
Is Christopher Ward still considered Micro-brand?
Thanks for mentioning Halios. I have been lucky enough to get a brand new Fairwind and I'm loving it.
Some of my favorites are Signum (dive), Spinnaker (dive), Bertucci (field), Marathon (military), Lum-Tec (military and field), and AVI-8 (pilot)
. Each have their own style and won’t break the bank.
Some of these are not microbrands.
Most are not micro
"I'm surprised [insert favourite obscure brand] wasn't included"
Dude youre so cool and above it all
I have a Raven custom shop model. It`s an excellent watch, and Steve is a great guy to work with.
Agree, I have a Raven Solitude; the build quality, looks and support from Steve are second to none. I want another!
I purchased the original Islander about 3 years ago.. I wear it on a nato strap.. great watch Marc!... I recently purchased a Zelos Mako GMT.. really enjoying it thus far
That Vario Versa is one of the coolest watches I've seen for a while. What a fun idea for a dual time watch
I really like Hemel. I own three and happen to be wearing my Hydrodurance today
Really good informative video Jody, without the self indulgent over production of some I could mention 😮 very much appreciated!
Wow, great video, thank you for putting this together! I recently purchased the AVI-8 Islander collaboration watch and it’s a great piece. Marc was a pleasure to do business with as well.
Thanks for the information, many other brands worth mentioning as well like Serica, Naoya Hida, Otsuka...etc.
Farer are great watches. Very well made and even better looking in person. My DW is a Farer GMT.
Jody, once again great video on microbrands. A microbrand to take look at is Hemel. They offer field, vintage-pilot, and dive inspired watches. As of late they have started to branch out to other types of models. The owner Marvin is active on social media and as I know first hand in tune with what his customers are asking for. So, if you have a chance take a look at them.
I've been watching your videos for years, and more recently I've watched several other prominent watch TH-camrs' videos on Microbrands, and something I want to point out that's often missed or only barely touched on in the videos themselves: the amount of support for one-another among these brands! I sense genuine support and appreciation among the owners of these companies, which feels unique for any consumer-driven industry, but especially where things feel so elitist at the top end.
I picked up a Hemel Sea Dart used recently and have been very pleased with everything but the straight from the parts bin clasp
Great choices. I recommend all check out your video on the Xeric NASA watches. I have one and LOVE it!!!
Love this list! I've owned and loved watches from ~10 of these brands. Monta, Formex, and Farer are kind of my "holy trinity," with Traska and Lorier (not shown) in the next tier.
12:35 Glad to see it get some appreciation as the Swordfish Titanium Forged Carbon was both my first Zelos and the second most frequently worn watch in my collection. Fantastic watch
Just got a new watch in yesterday and you release this? Why do you hate my wallet! Must say I've enjoyed my Zelos, Islanders, and finally my Helm arrived and it's a chunky beast. Excited to check out Nodus as they are local and their clasps looks awesome. Keep up the good vids
Another vote for Wise, both their diver and GMT models. Jack Mason is also a favorite. They were one of the first to introduce the Myota 9515 and it's been flawless. I did like the Seagul 1963, but it mysteriously stopped running last year. Bummer.
Really surprised Phoibos wasn't mentioned. They make excellent super high quality watches.
Great divers for the money. And very well finished!
Agreed. Was actually expecting a mention as it was Jody's review that convinced me to buy one.
Phoibos is great. But not a microbrand anymore
Great list Jody..
I would have included Brellum in this list. They are on par price wise with Monta. Do you know this Microbrand..
Nicely done Jody. I would have one recommendation, the TUSENÖ brand was not mentioned. The Gothenberg Sweden company is putting out some fantastic watches. I have one on pre-order and I do like the other models they offer as well.
Phoibus and Wise for me. Unmentioned, but my favourites
I agree with Phoibus. Great divers for the money!!
Oh man , I have got a soft spot for pillowcase microbrand watches . those old Seiko vibes fascinate me
Great video as always! How about another brand from the states, Jack Mason and thier Strat-O-Timer?
thanks Jody, thanks a lot. I'm going to need another watchbox to add to the 5 12er's I already have .. sigh... seriosuly some stellar watches there! I am also wearing my Direnzo DRZ-02R burnt orange as I write this and looking forward to the purple ascent
What about Tuseno, Dufrane, Marathon, and Tufino?
Marathon isn't worth mention anymore
Definitely need a Part 2
Great video Jody!
Have you ever seen a WT Author watch? Great quality British micro brand. Their motorsport inspired watches are my favourite.
Jody,I waited for your review of WISE watch brand based in Thailand. I'll be ordering an Ascent from EREBUS soon!
Big fan of Traska and Lorier here. The finishing on my Traska is quite good and the hardness coating is awesome.
Nice list, Jody. I would also include Vaer, Hemel, and Praesidus, especially if you’re interested in military-style tool watches.
Great video. I agree with the comments below that Dan Henry and Phoibos seem to deserve a place here but I didn't see anyone mention Visitor Watches. I adore my Visitor Duneshore with the curvy caseback, sandwich dial, beautiful signed rotor, and fountain pen nib hands. It also came with the coolest bracelet I own, which they have stopped making sadly. Visitor has done some brilliant inventive case designs which many of these microbrands seem to avoid.
I don't know how many times I've watched this, but Jody, you rock! Not only did I grab a watch from Erebus (Origin 41), I ordered a Monro Ocean Adventure (Arctic since I live in Alaska), rolled the dice on a mystery auto from Xeric, snagged a Port Jeff from LIW, purchased a GMT from Phoibos, and finally a diver from Zelos. What can I say, Christmas came early for me this year.
Shame on PayPal approving me for Pay in 4... Can't decide if I'm buying 4x the watches I normally do, or buying a watch 4x more expensive than I usually do. Decisions, decisions.☺
Jody, All of your videos are great, now having said that, I think this one might be my favorite, I have watched it like 3 times already digging for more info in some of the brands mentioned.
I wanted to ask you what is your take on Spinnaker and Christopher Ward ? would you include them in the top 50 , or do you consider them a little bit over a micro brand and they are now out of that sweet spot heading into mini or small brands ( that's my personal take on both ).
Microbrands keep the romanticism in the industry, they do go for profit, but their profit has to be based on extreme quality control , and daring takes on design , must be out of the ordinary ( most of the brands you show in the video are )due to a saturated market that is constantly pouring big brands models, therefore I truly believe the best and most beautiful watch designs are in microbrands ( take a look at Ulysses Nardin watches, the Bel Canto from CW or your own brand the Erebus Ascend, It is just exquisite).
Always a joy to watch your videos, with a glass of wine to relax and take note for the next purchases. cheers
Great picks Jodie some very interesting designs, although list could have been much bigger, but I did expect studio underdog and lorier, maybe you haven’t reviewed them.
Scurfa Watches should've made that list. High quality divers (mostly) made by an actual commercial diver. They include both automatic and quartz movements, plus some titanium models in their lineup. Mine is a daily wear.
100% agree. I've had my orange Treasure Seeker for a year now and it easily gets the most wrist time. Absolutely love it.
Just scratching the surface there Jody. Some great choices in amongst them, but I’d also add my favourite microbrand Lorier! Notable other favourites Phoibos, Autodromo, Nezumi, Hanhart, and Nivada Grenchen. And one from Northern Ireland, Nomadic!
Speaking of Yema, they recently released a beautiful 40 mm stainless steel Flygraph Bi-compax chronograph equipped with Seiko's VK61 meca-quartz caliber and hesalite glass. As it was made in collaboration with the French Air Force, the watch contains field and flieger watch DNA and, in my opinion, looks incredible for the price of €429 at which it is being sold. Interestingly, no one has reviewed it yet, so there's an opportunity for Jody to rectify this situation.
That sounds right up my street, I’ll check it out. Thank you.
Some great micro's there. Nice job! I'd also say that Autodromo is a niche, unique micro with very specific racing design inspiration, but you did include a micro with a similar "flavor". Thanks!
Hi Jody, Spinnaker are worth a look. I have one (Hull) and its a well specked and made timepiece.
Great video with good tips! Would have a small brand: Heinrich from Germany, 1A quality, super processed retro watches at very good prices!
many thanks Mario 🙏🙌💯
Thanks, please do a similar video on the topic of the movements used in the microbrands you reviewed. Pros and cons and considerations beyond the appearance and sizing of these brands.
This is one of my favorite videos of yours so far! Thanks for showing us these great brands, Jody!
Nice list Jodie. A couple of thoughts on others missed, maybe Lorier and Studio Underdog could have made it, although you may feel S.O. is now too big. Have a Lorier GMT diver if you want to review.
Was expecting Kuoe as a Japanese brand.
Love this video! Just bought vario’s trench watch. Love it so much.
This is what I was hoping to see Jody!
Good stuff! Enjoy and thanks for watching!
Probably your best video yet. ( Much better than the Ali express nonsense) Great coverage of as you said ...amazing micro brands. UK brands my favourites.