Deluge of Microbrands
Back in the 1980s, the UK saw the introduction of the kit car; usually fibreglass replicas based on the chassis and engine of a mainstream donor car. Rover 3.5l, Ford 2.8i, even VW Beetles were the most common. On a meagre budget, you could build a Cobra, Daytona, GT40, Lotus 7 or a badly proportioned Porsche 356
Then it all went pop, leaving a small number of higher end reproductions with better design and finish, at a price.
In my opinion, the huge influx of micro brands, using brand in it's loosest term, may well go the same way. The watches are all looking the same, the reference points are all too similar, usually badly proportioned and designed, accompanied by and powered by the same movements that everyone now know cost peanuts.
The internet hasn't helped, as ever. The availability of cheap bits has fuelled it, and more and more chancers thinking they know about watch design can't last much longer. Can it?
Or will the major brands' continual price hikes help develop a bright future for cheaper units?
I only own one microbrand, it's got a Seiko NH34 GMT movement in it, is cheaper than the equivalent Seiko GMTs, double the water resistance (200m), sapphire crystal, beautiful textured dial and it does look like nothing else equivalent. If that's what continues to happen, bring it on IMHO.
@shorehamwatches please carry on doing your worst!
I reckon microbrands are here to stay and every so often one rises and becomes a player. CW is a great example.
Unless something drastic happens, there will always be a place for microbrands, homages, & yes, even fakes.
The big brands have deserted the lower end of the market and with vintage/secondhand being the minefield it is (navigable, but a minefield nonetheless), micros fill that affordable spot well.
Unless something drastic happens, there will always be a place for microbrands, homages, & yes, even fakes.
The big brands have deserted the lower end of the market and with vintage/secondhand being the minefield it is (navigable, but a minefield nonetheless), micros fill that affordable spot well.
Not only that, but why mess with restoring vintage for a daily wear, when you can have modern reliability with a vintage case?
Don't get me wrong, love the Elgin, Wolbrook, and Seiko vintage watches I own, but getting them running reliabily AND keeping them running reliabily is at times annoying.
I could and do just go with any of these.
Well, my main gripe with the micros is the , as you say, deluge of dive/vintage dive watches. There are just so many now, there are some stand outs but then its just one after another , an endless conveyer belt of multi coloured dive watches with a case design from Seiko, hands from Rolex and numerals from Breguet and the case back engraved with some kind of sea creature. Dont get me wrong ,I like micros , but come on, a bit of inspiration or originality.
In the late 80s I built a kit car based on a 2 litre MK2 cortina,it was a copy of the wrangler jeep,I can honestly say it's quality wasn't great, however the quality of these micro brands,only speaking about the ones I own are very good and at great prices, every company has to start somewhere
Well, my main gripe with the micros is the , as you say, deluge of dive/vintage dive watches. There are just so many now, there are some stand outs but then its just one after another , an endless conveyer belt of multi coloured dive watches with a case design from Seiko, hands from Rolex and numerals from Breguet and the case back engraved with some kind of sea creature. Dont get me wrong ,I like micros , but come on, a bit of inspiration or originality.
I've no particular dislike of any micro brand, though I do find those two at Lorier a bit annoying, but the lack of originality is the one thing that stands out.
In the late 80s I built a kit car based on a 2 litre MK2 cortina,it was a copy of the wrangler jeep,I can honestly say it's quality wasn't great, however the quality of these micro brands,only speaking about the ones I own are very good and at great prices, every company has to start somewhere
Was it a Jago? It's not just the quality, it's how sustainable it can be for some when there's no real originality in an increasing pool of the same. Or a cheap engine in a lookalike case for a not inconsiderable amount of money.
It wasn't the jago ,it was a little bigger full fibre glass body ,it was the Eagle jeep.the micro brands I have scurfa and sterling are small micro brands built by active people who wear there watches for the purpose they were designed for.As with cars don't all modern cars look the same bit with different quality parts
I always loved the quirkyness of the British kit car industry. Unfortunately, most of it seems to have gone the way of the dodo. Well, the majority of models were (or looked like) sports cars and everybody drives SUVs now. Besides, regulations on equipment for new cars have become stricter over the years and I doubt that the Brexiteers will reverse that - it's too much of a niche topic. Even serious car manufacturers that used to offer kit car level quality and sportiness have upped the ante (Lotus Emira) and are bound to go the EV route. I love your kit car/microbrand analogy as it explains my love for microbrands, but I doubt the reasons for the kit car industry's decline apply to microbrand watches. The electric SUV of watches is already there (Apple watch), but nobody will regulate the hand wound or automatic watch to death. After all, they are much more ecological both in production and propulsion than smartwatches.
It wasn't the jago ,it was a little bigger full fibre glass body ,it was the Eagle jeep.the micro brands I have scurfa and sterling are small micro brands built by active people who wear there watches for the purpose they were designed for.As with cars don't all modern cars look the same bit with different quality parts
More they all look slightly different but use the same parts.
Micro brands will live longer than you think.
De Beers diamonds is a good example of the scheme Rolex and other luxury brands use. Control demand creates inflated prices. So diamonds get way to expensive and along comes lab grown diamonds. They now create lab diamonds that you can't tell the difference between the two. Their half the cost as natural diamonds. They actually use laser etch certification on natural diamonds to certify them. So in that sense comes along Micro brands for the same reasons.
I prefer micro brands any day over luxury brands. Just my opinion.
Enjoy the watch!
Cheers
I have no problems with microbrands as long as they are transparent with material. There are some I wouldn't buy due to them being overpriced IMO but there are decent ones out there
I think the kit car comparison is pretty far off the mark. Most microbrands aren't making big brand watches worse by making them look like something else. That's the modding scene... Though even then, they usually make the big brand watches better.
Micro brands are offering customers the choice, which means the customer is likely to get closer to exactly what they want than with the big brands. They also often offer better quality than the big brands at similar prices. You can get micro brand watches with sapphire, and ceramic for less than a Seiko with similar specs. Add in Ali Express brands (which aren't really "traditional" microbrands) and things get even more wild...
I think a certain type of collector/enthusiast really cares about originality, and places a huge amount of value in it. They also generally fail to understand that not everybody views watches the same way, and lots of people don't care about originality at all, or value it significantly less.
Who cares that there are 40,000 variations of dive watch available from microbrands? Pick the one or two you like and ignore the rest... The other 39,998 designs will have people that prefer them over the ones you like.
I think the kit car comparison is pretty far off the mark. Most microbrands aren't making big brand watches worse by making them look like something else. That's the modding scene... Though even then, they usually make the big brand watches better.
Micro brands are offering customers the choice, which means the customer is likely to get closer to exactly what they want than with the big brands. They also often offer better quality than the big brands at similar prices. You can get micro brand watches with sapphire, and ceramic for less than a Seiko with similar specs. Add in Ali Express brands (which aren't really "traditional" microbrands) and things get even more wild...
I think a certain type of collector/enthusiast really cares about originality, and places a huge amount of value in it. They also generally fail to understand that not everybody views watches the same way, and lots of people don't care about originality at all, or value it significantly less.
Who cares that there are 40,000 variations of dive watch available from microbrands? Pick the one or two you like and ignore the rest... The other 39,998 designs will have people that prefer them over the ones you like.
Call it what they will, be it microbrand, homage etc. if it's well designed and functions in line with its claims, then there's value. But a unique example is hard to find. Can't agree that modded watches are usually an improvement though. Though a real estate agent in Dubai with a tiny dog and ill-fitting suit may have a different view.