Thanks to the exponentially large digital marketplace, a new breed of watch companies has developed in the United States and abroad over the past decade. Often comprised of a group of real-life enthusiast friends, these brands are able to develop their own voice through social media and have the ability to offer any other watch on the market. This nimble approach cuts the retailer, and their margin, out of the equation, leaving accessible timepieces that don’t bow to any specific market or trend.
While this is a global phenomenon that appears in countless consumer-product industries, the merit is particularly high for American watch consumers, as these brands are able to source Swiss or Japanese movements and materials. This is the best of both worlds because you get the assurance of a quality caliber while supporting an American company and, since the slow death of the American watch industry post-World War II, this is about the best you’ll find outside of Roland G. Murphy’s horological sanctuary in Lancaster, PA.
Warning: don’t take this article as an endorsement of every internet watch brand as there’s a lot of disreputable dealers on the web that aren’t worth your time or effort. Thanks to dropshipping and canny con men, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of quartz watches boasting American packaging that are assembled in China and are worth less than a dirty penny. With that out of the way, there are also a lot of good, interesting products worth the hype. Here our five American-based “microbrands” that are worth your hard-earned dollar.
BREW
The New York City area is able to claim Brew Watches and its owner Jonathan Ferrer as residents. The name might give it away but Ferrer’s design inspiration doesn’t come from typical horological concept fodder like high-speed automobiles or jets, but instead from the ubiquitous and quirky coffee-maker. However, instead of what you might find in the corporate office break room, Ferrer draws from luxuriously vintage Italian espresso machines that feature a blend of contrasting colors and textures.
Based on the idea that a coffee break is the meeting ground between hard work and relaxation, a place where the mind can recuperate the creative energies lost during the day, Ferrer built out his brand with funding through Kickstarter and officially launched the company in 2015. The HP-1 is Brew’s current and original offering, with the hero piece being the blacked-out Darkbrew. Using a Seiko NH35A movement and priced at $495, it’s a distinctly urbane look that can work at the office and on the weekend.
OAK & OSCAR
Founded by former commercial real estate analyst Chase Fancher, Chicago-based Oak & Oscar is likely the microbrand that you’re most familiar with. Fancher and his small team have released three highly limited watches in successive years, starting with the time-and-date-only Burnham, followed by the Sandford GMT and, finally, last year’s Jackson Flyback Chronograph. Imbued with trademark Windy City flair, the Jackson is a manual-wound flyback chrono with column wheel and a stacked register.
Inside is the Eterna Caliber 39 with a 60-hour power reserve. There’s no doubt this is the upper echelon of American indies that has earned a well-deserved, national following. The Jackson Flyback Chronograph comes in three different looks: Grey ($2,850), Charcoal PVD ($3,150) and Navy Blue ($2,850).
VORTIC
There’s no doubt that Vortic has the most bonafide American credentials on this list. In fact, the wristwatches being produced by this tiny Fort Collins, CO-based brand are more than just assembled in America, they use actual American movements. How is that possible? Well, founders RT Custer and Tyler Wolfe realized during their time as undergraduates at Penn State that there were still hundreds of thousands of American-made pocketwatches lying unused in storage facilities and inside people’s drawers. Fast forward a few years and Vortic has released multiple lines of watches, all completely unique from one another, secured additional funding and is on the fast track to success.
The brand’s latest release is the Railroad Edition, comprised of railroad-grade pocketwatch movements and dials that have been reproduced for modern-day wristwear. Railroad watches were once the pinnacle of American horology and featured a unique time adjustment system revolving around a locked crown that required you to screw off the bezel and crystal to access a lever actuator before being able to adjust the time. This was necessary to prevent any accidents where the crown might catch on something, changing the time irrevocably and leading to a crash because a trains switched lanes too early or late. The authentic movements and dials used in the Vortic Railroad Edition are sourced from a variety of once-American companies such as Hamilton, Ball, Elgin, Waltham, and Illinois. Prices start at $1,995 if you provide your own railroad-grade pocketwatch and move upwards from there.
MONTA
Monta is the brainchild of Michael DiMartini and Justin Kraudel. Based out of St. Louis, MO, the twosome offer some true Midwestern, horological credentials. DiMartini is the founder of Everest Horology, an online aftermarket supplier of rubber and leather straps as well as other watch accessories, and Kraudel was the founder of the RedBar St. Louis chapter where he met DiMartini and they quickly hatched the plan to launch Monta. With three watches released so far, the highlight is the brand’s take on a traditional diver.
Originally released last summer, the Oceanking was updated after customer feedback during Baselworld 2018 with a slimmer profile and a workhorse Sellita SW300 movement. With those modifications, Monta was able to drop the price from its first generation from over $3,000 to a much more approachable $1,700 on rubber and $1,925 on bracelet. Featuring a patent pending divers’ extension clasp and a 12-part bezel construction, there’s the added value of real innovation present in Monta’s timepieces. For additional color, the brand includes the option for an Oceanking with gilt dial accents.
SEALS
Located in El Dorado Hills, CA, Seals Watch Co. Got its start after its owner Michael Seals began sketching at a bar one night. Doodles of armored tanks soon formed the outline of a bezel and case with the glacis plate and tracks forming the lugs and centerpiece underneath. Soon, an idea formed to create military-inspired wristwatches that evoked a true sense of American identity. That was in 2015. Since then, Seals has released a number of timepieces with the latest being the Model C. Currently in its pre-order stage, the Model C comes in at 40.5 mm and features a Fossil-owned, Swiss-made STP 1-11 movement with hacking seconds and a 44-hour power reserve.
The watch itself has a very utilitarian appeal, but in that practically, it has its own design language highlighted by the hexagonal case, the blocky hour and minutes hands and the raised minutes track. The watch also has a screw-down crown that helps ensure a water resistance to 200 meters. Seals provides multiple case and dial options as well, with the choise of an exposed 316L brushed stainless-steel case with a granulated black or German blue dial or a vintage-finished case developed through tumbling and polishing. It’s currently available for $550.
