Do you value your micro-brand watches as high as established brands?

I like watches.

I am Groot as well. 🤏🏻

I love lamp.

It depends on the circumstances. But it's hard to look at something like my new Seiko Tuna, for example, made by an innovative company with 50-plus years in the dive game, to an original design, that looks amazing... and then look at some microbrand which has been around for a year or two and cobbled together a sub-Submariner with components from a Chinese parts bin, and spun some fairydust story about it. They're just not comparable 😕

Don’t care about the brand, but more the watch. Some brands just do what I like more than others. Have mostly heritage brands but have micros too.

of course you gotta find the right micro brand for you but in general, everyones gotta start somewhere and i think many of them deserve a chance because you can see and feel the passion 🤓

I think it's something people can flirt with, certainly. I've flirted with microbrands along my journey, too. Price is usually the driving factor. But eventually you reach a stage - at least I know I did - where you think, why am I paying half to three-quarters what an original watch, with real heritage, costs? Microbrands became less and less interesting to me, the further I went in watches. And in saying that, I know everyone's journey is different. But that's mine.

That's exactly my experience as well. At this point in collecting my interest in Microbrands is almost entirely determined by whether I find the brand owner pleasant or not. The watches are kind of beside the point, and these days in the rare instance I buy a micro it's to support a person I like not actually for the watch. There are Microbrands right now that don't make a single watch I like but I like the brand because the owner is a cool person.

It's funny you say that. I would still consider an Islander, for example, because I think Marc is a stand-up guy. And I emphasise consider because I still probably wouldn't buy.

There are "heritage" brands which have let their quality slip over time but demand you pay money for their name. Then, there are microbrands who have stepped up to the plate and offer so much more for less. That said watches should be judge by individuals quality, not by "heritage", branding, or name

I like all watches - but like history and heritage of products/brands - watches or otherwise, so I definitely prefer established brands. Can be titans or reborn brands - but the brand heritage matters to me.

I also read books on histories and culture of nation-states and research company histories to inform purchases (and brand loyalty) - so I'm a history and business geek. So it should be clear why this would track. 😜😁

Some people here have an unloved child in the attic 😂

Voted A, but it's more that I appreciate micros for what they are. Aesthetics aside, I lean towards big brands for actual collecting due to their higher liquidity. I know my tastes change over time, and I like knowing I can easily trade or sell pieces to adapt to those changes with minimal to no loss in value. It's tougher to get away with this style of collecting with micros.

The best heritage never stopped anyone from designing an ugly watch or boring watch and there are plenty of heritage watches that are ugly . That's why so many collectors have wives who think their watches are ugly and overrated.

Every watch is a good value at the right price. There are $1500 watches from microbrands that are better than $2500 watches from conglomerate brands. There are $1500 microbrands watches that simply are not good. It all depends.

Case in point, this Lorier Neptune SIII. And there are MANY other examples at this price too, this was just my choice.

At the $500 US price point you get:

Mid-Century classic looks

Outstanding lume

True no date, easily fixed Miyota movement

Blank caseback (cuz engravings rock)

No worry of "misalignment" (Seiko)

Support Lorenzo and Lauren, who are good people and watch enthusiasts themselves

And the best part: ACRYLIC, IFYKYK.

This price point is also Seiko's new ballpark for their base models it seems.

To me it's a no brainer.

Ya’ know, it all depends on the micro brand! 😁

To me "history and heritage" are marketing fluff. I care about the product that I am buying, not the fluff stories people tell about it.

I'm a history lover, but that doesn't mean I'll buy a product from a "heritage" brand just because they did something cool 50+ years ago.

There were Rolex and Smith's watches on Everest not because they made the best watches, but because people in their marketing departments thought it would be a cool marketing idea.

Eddie Bauer sent people on mountaineering expeditions not because Eddie Bauer makes the best adventure kit in the world, but because it was great marketing to show the world they were no longer just a "mall fashion" brand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvFt2Xcuois

Side note, in cold climates there are likely more people enjoying an Eddie Bauer invention than anything a watch company developed. Eddie Bauer invented the down jacket as we know it today.

I judge each watch on its own merit. There's a reason Microbrands exist. If the established watch companies were filling all the needs of the buyers they would not. Some of the established names and probably many of the Microbrands will not be around in 5, 10, or 20 years. There's a lot of competition which is great for the consumer. I like a lot of what others like but I like some watches that are not what everyone else has as well a little off the radar.

Heritage and history has some weight to my decision process but design and quality are top priority. My two favorite watches in my collection are my IWC Mark XX and Farer Resolute. The Farer gets way more wrist time than even my other IWC - it’s just so comfortable and perfect.

I just want a cool watch for a good price. I've got a couple microbrands, and they get plenty of wrist time. Of course, my AliExpress custom builds probably get the most.

If I were to lose my Studio Underd0g Lemonade, I would be sad. But if I lost my Speedmaster, I would be sadder lol

I do think about how long some companies have been around and how well they are. Established brands of course have this down, but i do a bit of extra homework on smaller brands