The global watch industry might still be dominated by the likes of Rolex, Patek, and Omega, but 2025 has quietly turned into a banner year for the microbrand. Between the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize and the latest GPHG nominations, a new wave of independents has emerged—lean, inventive outfits that thrive on daring design and obsessive craft. Some are one-man ateliers, others are young collectives, but all of them are united by a willingness to take risks where the big boys play it safe. These are the eight names shaping the microbrand conversation right now:
Raúl Pagès
2025 pick: RP2
Founded: 2012 | Home: Les Brenets, Switzerland
A former restorer of automata, Raúl Pagès builds watches with an artisan’s patience and a sculptor’s restraint. His design cues favour balanced proportions, discreet dials, and meticulous hand-finishing, resulting in timepieces that feel timeless rather than trendy. The RP2 has brought him global recognition, admired for its blend of classicism and contemporary sharpness. With GPHG nominations and collector demand rising, Pagès is emerging as one of the defining voices in the independent movement.
Urban Jürgensen
2025 pick: UJ-2 Double Wheel Natural Escapement
Founded: 1773 (revived 2021) | Home: Biel/Bienne, Switzerland
Few names carry as much historical weight, but Urban Jürgensen’s recent revival feels more like a fresh start than a heritage exercise. Under Kari Voutilainen’s guidance, the brand has doubled down on traditional techniques—guilloché dials, hand-finished movements—while introducing genuine technical innovations. Their UJ-2 with its natural escapement is a case in point: centuries of theory distilled into a practical, modern watch. It’s proof that old names can still set new agendas.
Ming
2025 pick: Project 21
Founded: 2017 | Home: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Ming’s strength lies in coherence: every watch, no matter the complication, carries the brand’s layered dial architecture, sculptural casework, and experimental use of lume. As a collective, they’ve been unusually transparent about pricing, production, and design process, building trust as much as hype. The Project 21 is their current showpiece, a pared-back, futurist take on the everyday watch; it demonstrates how microbrands can balance accessibility with genuine horological depth.
Quiet Club
2025 pick: Fading Hours Alarm
Founded: 2021 | Home: Paris, France
Parisian label Quiet Club thrives on contradiction: brutalist design meets whimsical complication. Their “Fading Hours” alarm watch has earned LV Prize recognition for reimagining one of the most traditional functions in a stripped-down, contemporary form. Stark typography, sharp case lines, and clever mechanics make their pieces feel like conceptual art you can wear. For a brand still so young, Quiet Club already has a recognisable identity; a sure sign of staying power in the indie landscape.
Fam Al Hut
2025 pick: Möbius
Founded: 2019 | Home: Shanghai, China
China’s indie scene is beginning to bloom, and Fam Al Hut is its boldest face. Their Möbius timepiece breaks from Western templates with sculptural asymmetry and architectural displays, staking a claim for a distinctly Chinese design language in fine watchmaking. While still working to prove consistency in production and service, the brand’s ideas resonate with collectors seeking fresh aesthetics. Fam Al Hut’s trajectory suggests the next wave of independents won’t just come from Switzerland or Japan.
Kurono Tokyo
2025 pick: Jubilee Sensu EOL “Shiraai”
Founded: 2019 | Home: Tokyo, Japan
Created by master watchmaker Hajime Asaoka as his more accessible line, Kurono Tokyo has become a cult name among collectors worldwide. The brand is known for small-batch runs that blend Japanese craftsmanship with refined Art Deco-inspired design. Pieces often sell out within minutes, a testament to their cult following and Asaoka’s design credibility. The Jubilee Sensu EOL Shiraai, with its intricate fan-motif dial and elegant silver-white finish, shows how Kurono balances exclusivity with charm at a scale larger indies rarely manage.
Lorier
2025 pick: Hydra GMT (2025 Edition)
Founded: 2018 | Home: New York City, USA
Run by husband-and-wife duo Lorenzo and Lauren Ortega, Lorier has built its reputation on vintage-inspired sport watches with modern wearability. Their ethos is democratic: slim mechanical cases, classic proportions, and accessible pricing designed for everyday use. The design language borrows heavily from mid-century divers and chronographs, but always with a cohesive, house style. The 2025 Hydra GMT showcases their appeal perfectly — a compact traveller’s watch with crisp lines and thoughtful detailing that underlines why Lorier has become a collector’s favourite.
Berneron
2025 pick: Quantième Annuel
Founded: 2022 | Home: Biel/Bienne, Switzerland
Sylvain Berneron’s namesake brand has vaulted from breakout debut to serious heavyweight in just three years. His Mirage, an asymmetrical case driven by the movement layout, won the 2024 GPHG Audacity Prize. For 2025, Berneron has gone further with the Quantième Annuel, an annual calendar that blends retrograde mechanics, a jumping hour, and a novel platinum-steel case system. It’s a bold attempt to prove that microbrands can master high complications and not just edgy aesthetics.
