Top 5 Microbrands To Discover In September 2025
4 min read
The Swiss giants may cast long shadows, but watchmaking’s most exciting stories are often written in smaller workshops, where passion trumps legacy and creativity beats convention. Microbrands have become the darlings of collectors worldwide, offering everything from bold design experiments to finely tuned mechanics at refreshingly down-to-earth prices.
And while these names don’t boast centuries of archives or palatial headquarters, they do carry something more compelling: the vision of their founders. Every microbrand has a personal story, and that’s what makes them fun to follow and even more fun to wear. Here are five of the most talked-about names in September 2025.
Christopher Ward
When three friends Mike France, Peter Ellis, and Chris Ward set up shop in 2004, their goal was simple: make Swiss-quality watches accessible to a wider audience. Headquartered in Maidenhead, England, Christopher Ward quickly became a pioneer of the direct-to-consumer model, selling online before it was fashionable.
The brand has since grown into one of the UK’s most respected names in independent watchmaking. The Bel Canto, with its chiming complication, stunned the industry in 2022, proving that a British upstart could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with traditional Swiss maisons. Christopher Ward is the polished elder statesman of the microbrand scene always reliable, occasionally surprising, and proudly British.
Price: Rs 60,000- Rs 2,50,000 Approx
Ming
Founded in 2017 by Ming Thein, a photographer and longtime watch enthusiast, Ming has become the poster child for microbrand creativity. Based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia the brand makes only a few hundred watches per year, each defined by daring use of materials, bold dial designs, and a distinct design language that collectors instantly recognize.
Ming’s philosophy is simple: watches should be objects of beauty first, tools second. From gradient sapphire dials that glow like galaxies to sculptural case lines, each release feels like a design experiment that just happens to tell the time. The cult following is real new models sell out in minutes, leaving collectors scrambling. If watchmaking were an art gallery, Ming would be its most in-demand contemporary artist.
Price: Rs 4,00,000- Rs 36,00,000 Approx
Maen
Stockholm-based Maen was founded in 2017 by Sebastian Åstrand and Jonas Rönnquist and leans heavily on vintage inspiration, blending Scandinavian minimalism with retro charm. The name itself comes from the Dutch word for “moon,” a nod to the founders’ fascination with space and exploration.
Maen’s Manhattan 37 pays tribute to the integrated-bracelet icons of the 1970s, while the Hudson diver could have walked straight out of a Jacques Cousteau documentary. The watches feel like heirlooms from another era except with the reliability and build quality of modern Swiss production. Maen is the brand for those who love old-school vibes but want them packaged in something crisp, contemporary, and distinctly Nordic.
Price: Rs 95,000- Rs 2,00,000 Approx
Haim
Sometimes the best ideas start with frustration. As a collector, Israeli-American designer and entrepreneur M. Zakir Miah wanted a watch that combined clean aesthetics with mechanical integrity without a five-figure price tag. The result was Haim, launched from New York in 2020.
Haim’s pieces, like the Legacy Automatic and Viajero are elegant yet approachable, modern yet timeless. There’s a quiet confidence about them; they don’t shout for attention, but their well-balanced proportions and thoughtful detailing reward a closer look. In just a few years, Haim has carved out a loyal following among collectors who value subtlety. Think of it as the brand that whispers in a world where everyone else is shouting.
Price: Rs 45,000- Rs 1,70,000 Approx
Studio Underd0g
Every scene needs a wild card, and that’s where Richard Benc comes in. A British product designer by trade, Benc launched Studio Underd0g in 2020 with a simple idea: make serious watches fun again. His debut chronographs, powered by hand-wound mechanical movements, were splashed in colors like Watermel0n, Av0cado and Mint Ch0c Chip.
Collectors initially laughed, then they lined up. Because beneath the playful palettes sits real watchmaking substance, with Swiss movements and solid case construction. Studio Underdog has collaborated with the likes of H. Moser & Cie and Sartory Billard to create some fantastic limited edition timepieces. These watches don’t just brighten up a wrist; they brighten up the conversation. They prove that horology can be equal parts precise and playful.
Price: Rs 65,000- Rs 2,00,000 Approx
The Final Encore
Microbrands thrive because they’re personal. They don’t chase mass appeal; they chase ideas, visions, and the dreams of their founders. Christopher Ward shows what happens when British pragmatism meets Swiss mechanics. Ming proves that design-led watches can become cult icons. Maen reimagines retro elegance for modern wrists. Haim finds beauty in restraint. And Studio Underdog? It reminds us that sometimes, the best way to love watches is to have a little fun. Which one will you choose this time?
