How do you classify a microbrand?

Microbrands usually always slap NH35 movements in Chinese cases with their logo on the dial. they do small runs because they can not afford the stock overhead. I could start a brand and get all that stuff drop shipped direct from China tomorrow. All you need is a website. Alibaba is the bulk supplier for that and is the parent company of Aliexpress.

Clearly there is a difference between a micro brand and independent.  While most all micro brands are also independent, not all independents could be considered to be a micro brand.  One could just label them all as independent and dispense with it, no need to spit hairs.

Is that Seiko movement cheaper than a Miyota? Most of the brands I look at go for the Citizen owned movement. 

Very long discussion on it here.  You will see lots of debate on the topic, but there is no one clear answer. Couple of groups as @roberto mentioned, but I will try to break some down as well.

• Independent watchmakers who carefully source/make their own supplies, perhaps make their movements or use high-end movements as bases. They are watchmakers at heart and perhaps This can run the range from brands like Atelier Wen, Dornbluth and Sohne, up to the likes of MB&F. Do independents count as micro? Much debated topic. 
• Private Label disguised as Micro - I do not know what else to call it, but these are brands that one person or a group of folks with money get together and decide they want to own a watch company. Sometimes they revive an old brand, but more often than not they start their own named brand. They enlist the help of a private label manufacturer (Walca, Xantia, and Roventa for example) who leverages existing vendors to build a watch. Most micro brands we know today fall in this realm. The challenge is, there are genuine enthusiast brands that start this way where the owners get further involved as they mature and perhaps take back part of the process. A more critical take is some of these brands could also be hedge fund bros looking to make a quick buck. They do very little but front the cash. There is a TON of grey in this space. 
• Crowdfunded brands - These are similar to the above, but they lack the funding or refuse to take the risk of self-funding. So they start a Kickstarter, or do a limited launch to raise capital and then seek out a private label manufacturer, or partner with an independent. Not all private labels are made equally and they made decide to use the lowest cost manufacturer to make the most, or they could use a higher quality Swiss PL to help. Sadly, most tend to use the same few Chinese companies. Other times, you may get higher-end players in this space as well, but they are the exception. 
• The veterans - Not sure what else to call this either. But these may be a former large brand or private label employee(s) who decide to start their own brand. They already have the connections, they know the best vendors, and perhaps even have their own watchmakers. They cut out the private label companies and manage everything in-house. In our hearts we all want to support brands like this. Some of these "micro brands" grow into some of the larger independent brands we know and love.  
• The homages - I personally do not consider any of these micro companies, be it Steinhart, Parnis, Pagani Designs, etc micro. They design nothing, or the vast majority of their watches are someone else's IP. They all likely use the same couple of Chinese companies to make their watches. Homage companies have their place, I am not bashing them, but they only exist to sell a "not quite replica" version of another product. 

As a result, many people will plant their flag in one or all of these types of companies as "true micro brands."  I have no issues with most of them and consider all of them micro, but to each their own definition-wise. 

Is that Seiko movement cheaper than a Miyota? Most of the brands I look at go for the Citizen owned movement. 

Depending on which Miyota movement used, I think.

Seiko only sells their lowest tier movement to others (their NH35 and variants) while Miyota have the 8000 series and the 9000 series. Which as I remembered the 8000s are kinda meh and the 9000s are ok if you don't mind a loud rotor or something like that?

They're all easily serviceable, easy to source and just keeps going imo.

Very long discussion on it here.  You will see lots of debate on the topic, but there is no one clear answer. Couple of groups as @roberto mentioned, but I will try to break some down as well.

• Independent watchmakers who carefully source/make their own supplies, perhaps make their movements or use high-end movements as bases. They are watchmakers at heart and perhaps This can run the range from brands like Atelier Wen, Dornbluth and Sohne, up to the likes of MB&F. Do independents count as micro? Much debated topic. 
• Private Label disguised as Micro - I do not know what else to call it, but these are brands that one person or a group of folks with money get together and decide they want to own a watch company. Sometimes they revive an old brand, but more often than not they start their own named brand. They enlist the help of a private label manufacturer (Walca, Xantia, and Roventa for example) who leverages existing vendors to build a watch. Most micro brands we know today fall in this realm. The challenge is, there are genuine enthusiast brands that start this way where the owners get further involved as they mature and perhaps take back part of the process. A more critical take is some of these brands could also be hedge fund bros looking to make a quick buck. They do very little but front the cash. There is a TON of grey in this space. 
• Crowdfunded brands - These are similar to the above, but they lack the funding or refuse to take the risk of self-funding. So they start a Kickstarter, or do a limited launch to raise capital and then seek out a private label manufacturer, or partner with an independent. Not all private labels are made equally and they made decide to use the lowest cost manufacturer to make the most, or they could use a higher quality Swiss PL to help. Sadly, most tend to use the same few Chinese companies. Other times, you may get higher-end players in this space as well, but they are the exception. 
• The veterans - Not sure what else to call this either. But these may be a former large brand or private label employee(s) who decide to start their own brand. They already have the connections, they know the best vendors, and perhaps even have their own watchmakers. They cut out the private label companies and manage everything in-house. In our hearts we all want to support brands like this. Some of these "micro brands" grow into some of the larger independent brands we know and love.  
• The homages - I personally do not consider any of these micro companies, be it Steinhart, Parnis, Pagani Designs, etc micro. They design nothing, or the vast majority of their watches are someone else's IP. They all likely use the same couple of Chinese companies to make their watches. Homage companies have their place, I am not bashing them, but they only exist to sell a "not quite replica" version of another product. 

As a result, many people will plant their flag in one or all of these types of companies as "true micro brands."  I have no issues with most of them and consider all of them micro, but to each their own definition-wise. 

To me, a watch brand sells watches. Can I buy a watch from you? Watch brand. Microbrands, on the other hand, sell a few watches for like a week. Can I buy a watch from you? No? Not until next year? Microbrand.

Small batches. Limited availability. Microbrand.

In other words, a microbrand is a watch company that can't always afford to sell watches.

Very long discussion on it here.  You will see lots of debate on the topic, but there is no one clear answer. Couple of groups as @roberto mentioned, but I will try to break some down as well.

• Independent watchmakers who carefully source/make their own supplies, perhaps make their movements or use high-end movements as bases. They are watchmakers at heart and perhaps This can run the range from brands like Atelier Wen, Dornbluth and Sohne, up to the likes of MB&F. Do independents count as micro? Much debated topic. 
• Private Label disguised as Micro - I do not know what else to call it, but these are brands that one person or a group of folks with money get together and decide they want to own a watch company. Sometimes they revive an old brand, but more often than not they start their own named brand. They enlist the help of a private label manufacturer (Walca, Xantia, and Roventa for example) who leverages existing vendors to build a watch. Most micro brands we know today fall in this realm. The challenge is, there are genuine enthusiast brands that start this way where the owners get further involved as they mature and perhaps take back part of the process. A more critical take is some of these brands could also be hedge fund bros looking to make a quick buck. They do very little but front the cash. There is a TON of grey in this space. 
• Crowdfunded brands - These are similar to the above, but they lack the funding or refuse to take the risk of self-funding. So they start a Kickstarter, or do a limited launch to raise capital and then seek out a private label manufacturer, or partner with an independent. Not all private labels are made equally and they made decide to use the lowest cost manufacturer to make the most, or they could use a higher quality Swiss PL to help. Sadly, most tend to use the same few Chinese companies. Other times, you may get higher-end players in this space as well, but they are the exception. 
• The veterans - Not sure what else to call this either. But these may be a former large brand or private label employee(s) who decide to start their own brand. They already have the connections, they know the best vendors, and perhaps even have their own watchmakers. They cut out the private label companies and manage everything in-house. In our hearts we all want to support brands like this. Some of these "micro brands" grow into some of the larger independent brands we know and love.  
• The homages - I personally do not consider any of these micro companies, be it Steinhart, Parnis, Pagani Designs, etc micro. They design nothing, or the vast majority of their watches are someone else's IP. They all likely use the same couple of Chinese companies to make their watches. Homage companies have their place, I am not bashing them, but they only exist to sell a "not quite replica" version of another product. 

As a result, many people will plant their flag in one or all of these types of companies as "true micro brands."  I have no issues with most of them and consider all of them micro, but to each their own definition-wise. 

I'd add a slight variation to the private label disguised as micro if I may.

You also get brands like Spinnaker/AVI8 etc that are created as brands by white label manufacturers and then marketed as 'microbrands' (despite making many tens of thousands of watches a year for home shopping networks etc) because we love a scrappy little little start up.

To me, a watch brand sells watches. Can I buy a watch from you? Watch brand. Microbrands, on the other hand, sell a few watches for like a week. Can I buy a watch from you? No? Not until next year? Microbrand.

Small batches. Limited availability. Microbrand.

In other words, a microbrand is a watch company that can't always afford to sell watches.

Is that Seiko movement cheaper than a Miyota? Most of the brands I look at go for the Citizen owned movement. 

I’ve heard complaints that a similar dollar value Miyota movement is noisier and grittier.