Micro Mondays Archives - Page 2 of 31

MICRO MONDAYS: The Olto-8 Infinity II is a high-octane extravaganza of a watch

05.09.22

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Olto-8 Infinity II is a high-octane extravaganza of a watch

For those who buy watches to wear in different situations, what context best suits the Olto-8 Infinity II? It could be in the seat of…

Micro Mondays

29.08.22

8206

MICRO MONDAYS: Julian Michaels’ new releases show the value of breathing space and balance

It’s getting harder and harder to stand out as a microbrand as dozens seem to pop up every week, but the most distinctive examples are…

MICRO MONDAYS: The CIGA Design Blue Planet won a GPHG award, yet is still surprisingly affordable

Hands On

15.08.22

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MICRO MONDAYS: The CIGA Design Blue Planet won a GPHG award, yet is still surprisingly affordable

During my time at Time+Tide, the flow of curious timekeepers coming across my desk has been constant, yet, the CIGA Design Blue Planet stands out…

Micro Mondays

08.08.22

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MICRO MONDAYS: The RZE Valour 38 delivers a titanium field watch for under $300 USD

It’s hard to believe RZE have only been around for two years, but they are one of the ultimate microbrand success stories. Having released their…

Micro Mondays

01.08.22

8167

MICRO MONDAYS: The Retter 22 channels the style of Vacheron’s iconic 222

It’s quite common for microbrand watches to become a competing list of specifications trying to undercut each other on price, with buzzwords thrown around that…

Micro Mondays

25.07.22

14705

MICRO MONDAYS: The Monchard Skytrain Telemeter Chronograph

Vintage military-inspired watches can sometimes seem like an easy path for microbrands to go down, but there are plenty of pitfalls and traps along the…

Micro Mondays

18.07.22

12392

MICRO MONDAYS: Bold and experimental, the Angles Chain of Time is a truly maverick watch

While historically popular watch brands have proven over decades if not centuries that they’re capable of greatness, there’s one edge that microbrands will always have.…

Micro Mondays

11.07.22

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Circula Supersport delivers a reimagined Super Compressor diver at a great price

There are plenty of watch brands that have been resurrected from the past. But Circula set themselves apart with their authentic German heritage and the…

Micro Mondays

04.07.22

11017

MICRO MONDAYS: Put your zest foot forward with the new Vaer A3 Atlas Orange

It’s the middle of the year and already a ton of watches have been released. So much so that we decided to look back for…

Micro Mondays

27.06.22

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MICRO MONDAYS: The timeless design and affordability of the Waldan Heritage Collection

Upon entering this crazy hobby of ours, one tends to immediately be pulled by the allure of timeless design. Watches from the ’60s and ’70s…

Micro Mondays

20.06.22

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MICRO-MONDAYS: The Wolkov W22 shapes up with a truly innovative design

You’ve heard of square watches and rectangular watches. Even octagonal watches are essentially common these days. With around a century of experimentation since wristwatches were…

Micro Mondays

13.06.22

7856

MICRO MONDAYS: The Genesis collection from Adam Benedict can actively help you to feel less stressed

What is the main purpose of a watch? Many would say it’s to simply tell us the time. But I think there are too many…

Micro Mondays

06.06.22

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MICRO MONDAYS: The York & Front Burrard combines military vintage with contemporary style

Eschewing the influence of diving or sports, the pure military inspiration behind the new York & Front Burrard is pretty close to being the perfect…

Micro Mondays

23.05.22

8945

MICRO-MONDAYS: The Biotic Formicidae delivers an original field watch inspired by (wait for it…) ants!

Microbrand releases can often be just an eclectic mix of design trends thrown together, or a wild attempt at doing something different without considering what…

Micro Mondays

16.05.22

10870

MICRO MONDAYS: The Sovrygn Calendar delivers multiple complications and a super-fresh look

Few watches can claim to be truly unique designs, except for those within the wild west that is Kickstarter. Instead of massive brands guessing at…

Micro Mondays

09.05.22

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MICRO-MONDAYS: The AERONOM AeroOne is a street-tough brute of a watch

The AERONOM AeroOne is born from concrete jungles, hardened beneath derelict overpasses and finessed in underground clubs. The brand’s origin, after all, is credited to…

Micro Mondays

02.05.22

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Artel Rotec V2 offers futuristic watchmaking at an accessible price

You’re already familiar with the formula. Exotic material for the tonneau case, openworked dial with a complication or two, a rubber strap and a price…

Micro Mondays

25.04.22

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Makina Gabriel delivers singular looks at a bargain price

The popularity of microbrands is predominantly down to two main reasons. Firstly, there is the fact that they’re often far more affordable than established watch…

Micro Mondays

18.04.22

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MICRO-MONDAYS: The Audric Strider is a stylish diver with hefty wrist presence for under $600 (if you’re quick)

Audric launched their first watch in 2020, deep in the throes of the global pandemic. The SeaBorne stood out from the crowd of Kickstarter-funded dive…

Micro Mondays

11.04.22

8548

MICRO MONDAYS: ROYTER expands its custom offerings with the DR-02 Chrono Sport

What differentiates a high-end watch from an entry-level watch? Is it the movement that’s used? Is it the inclusion of precious metals? Or could it…

Micro Mondays

04.04.22

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Maen Manhattan 37 delivers an integrated-bracelet watch at a bafflingly great price

In case you haven’t received the memo, stainless-steel, integrated-bracelet watches are white-hot. Scratch that: more like a Texas-sized asteroid flying straight into the centre of…

Micro Mondays

28.03.22

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Galvin Watch Company Loimu is a funky-dialled sporty watch at a great price

Galvin Watch Company, a notable Kickstarter success, present their newest creation: the Loimu collection. Affordably priced and with a high-beat Japanese automatic movement, the release…

Micro Mondays

21.03.22

13243

MICRO MONDAYS: A Double Drop with the RZE Resolute 2022 and RZE Resolute Supercompressor

RZE has always created watches that complete the checklist of even the most fervent microbrand fan. Exotic and robust materials. Specifications that place them at…

Micro Mondays

14.03.22

11410

MICRO MONDAYS: MW Timepieces and the musically inspired Legatodiver

Music is one of my many passions. Zoning out on a couch, listening to songs that got me through life, to me, is a Saturday…

Micro Mondays

07.03.22

7745

MICRO MONDAYS: Get red-faced and bronze-cased with the William Wood Valiant Bronze Ruby

Editor’s note: Having turned five last week, we wanted to point out the great timepieces and charitable efforts by our friends at William Woods watches.…

Micro Mondays

28.02.22

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Héron Gladiateur delivers tough, Spartan looks elevated by a cracker of a bezel

How on earth can anyone be expected to choose their next watch these days? It almost seems like there are hundreds of new Kickstarter microbrands…

Micro Mondays

21.02.22

25165

MICRO MONDAYS: The Cyberpunk 2077 x Błonie watch

There’s no shortage of watches that divide opinion and create controversy, but such polarising views are by no means exclusive to the watch world. Polish…

Micro Mondays

14.02.22

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MICRO MONDAYS: Gane Watches takes on minimalist design with the Type C

The everyday watch is an enigma of design. It’s the guiding principal of most designers to create a purpose-built watch. So when you tell them…

Micro Mondays

07.02.22

18483

MICRO MONDAYS: Australia’s border is (finally) opening up again. To celebrate we’re looking back at one of our favourite microbrand GMTs

Editor’s note: Big news today out of Australia today. The hard border closure (in place since March 2020) will be removed as of February 21!…

Micro Mondays

31.01.22

12457

MICRO MONDAYS: Horon Watches makes a splash with the Ocean Hunter, a collection of 300m divers at an affordable price

There is a reason why many microbrands choose a diver as their first offering. It’s a category of watches that is not only robust but…

Micro Mondays

24.01.22

6871

MICRO MONDAYS: Gravithin delivers a stellar performance with the ArgoMatic Series

The stars and navigation have always been linked. As a year progresses, certain constellations command the night sky, aiding those at sea with navigation. On…

Micro Mondays

17.01.22

25395

MICRO MONDAYS: The Phantasos Triclops is that rarest of things – a truly original watch

EDITOR’S NOTE: We have been advised by readers that this watch has allegedly not been sent to consumers despite repeated promises. We have contracted the brand…

Micro Mondays

13.12.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: Betting on black with the Brellum Wyvern GMT LE.1 Ghost Chronometer

What would you do if you were an independent brand and created a specced out sports watch? A sports watch made with limited production and…

Micro Mondays

06.12.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: Well blows me down, it’s the Vario ИAVI x POPEYE Nautical Watches

There are certain mechanisms that bring a sense of child-like wonder to the eyes of a watch collector. There is the twisting and turning of…

Micro Mondays

29.11.21

11287

MICRO MONDAYS: The RZE Fortitude delivers a rugged pilot’s watch for under $500

What is it about pilot watches that makes them so popular? Is it their historically superior legibility? Maybe it’s the incorporation of aeronautical elements into…

Micro Mondays

22.11.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Maurice de Mauriac L3 Sees Red Chronograph exploits coloured sapphire crystal for dazzling effect

In the world of microbrands, it can be hard to stand out amidst the barrage of vintage-style divers and explorer’s watches. What isn’t hard to…

Micro Mondays

16.11.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: Get red-faced and bronze-cased with the William Wood Valiant Bronze Ruby

Perhaps it’s something we take for granted, but one of the things we can always count on is the valour and bravery of our local…

Micro Mondays

15.11.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Mancheront Pacer delivers an ingenious twist on the Pulsometer function

It’s easy to forget that this hobby we love had its origins in life-changing situations. These watches we wear were once more than just physical…

Micro Mondays

08.11.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Isotope Watches Hydrium Burnt Tangerine and Will Return are fresh, bold and unlike anything else

NOTE: This article has been updated to reflect Isotope Watches recently making a change to the movement within both the Hydrium Burnt Tangerine and the…

Micro Mondays

25.10.21

9513

MICRO MONDAYS: Typsim Watches go all in on vintage with the 200M & 200M-C

How do you make enough noise in the large microbrand watch scene to be noticed? Do you ride a wave, presenting a design collectors have…

Micro Mondays

18.10.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Circula SuperSport brings real Super-compressor Diver funtionality

Super-compressor styled divers exist in many microbrand catalogues. The wearability of the design and the integration of the timing bezel are two of the main…

INTRODUCING: The DWISS M3W Wandering Hour Limited Edition

Micro Mondays

12.10.21

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INTRODUCING: The DWISS M3W Wandering Hour Limited Edition

How should a watch brand celebrate its 10 year anniversary? In an industry where peers disappear left and right, something extraordinary should mark such a…

Micro Mondays

11.10.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Arctic Explorer Signature Series from Tool Watch Co.

What constitutes the ultimate tool watch for you? Should the case be made of durable materials? Do you want a movement that’s robust, reliable and…

Micro Mondays

04.10.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: Mitch Mason nails its second chapter with the Maelstrom

The diver is one of the most popular types of watches out there. Reliability and strength, even at lower price points, are reasons why the…

Micro Mondays

27.09.21

15511

MICRO MONDAYS: The new Feynman Fjord Collection delivers blazing colours and radical designs

One of my main reasons for loving microbrands is the lack of limitations they place on themselves when it comes to design. That ability to…

MICRO MONDAYS: Three things collectors still get wrong about microbrands

Lists

20.09.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: Three things collectors still get wrong about microbrands

I remember a time when many within the watch community spoke of microbrands like they were some passing phase – an unfortunate result of someone…

Micro Mondays

13.09.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Brellum Wyvern GMT Chronometer offers a stylish take on the most useful watch complication

I love a good GMT. Who doesn’t? As a guy who works for an Australian watch website, while being based in New York City, there…

MICRO MONDAYS: Built for baristas, the Brew Retrograph Technicolor makes a welcome return

Introducing

06.09.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: Built for baristas, the Brew Retrograph Technicolor makes a welcome return

Design is the language microbrands use best to communicate to collectors what it is they bring to the table. One microbrand who has done an…

Micro Mondays

26.08.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: Go green with the About Vintage x Kristian Haagen 1970 GMT

How many times have you ever turned to a buddy and said: “We should start our own watch brand”. Picture this: two childhood friends on…

Micro Mondays

16.08.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Arken Instrumentum is a titanium tough and future-proof debut

The Arken Instrumentum ref. 1020 might be exactly what you’re after if you are feeling the need for something rugged and fiercely contemporary. With the…

Micro Mondays

09.08.21

25980

MICRO MONDAYS: Straum’s debut combines Viking myths with modern luxury

The Nordic region has only a small clutch of watch brands and they just seem to have a different air about them. Brands like Bravur…

Micro Mondays

02.08.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Zelos Mako V3 Ti delivers a titanium diver for under $500

At Time-Tide, we have a history of covering the new releases of Elshan Tang, the owner and designer behind Zelos Watches in Singapore, and he…

Micro Mondays

26.07.21

23249

MICRO MONDAYS: The Makina Raum is a statement piece that dares to be different

In some ways, the boom of microbrands in the past few years has reignited the golden age of suppliers from the 1950s. Leaf through a…

Micro Mondays

19.07.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: BND Watches show less is more with a minimalist take on the tool watch

The elephant in the room needs to be addressed, are we reaching Peak Retro? Do you feel a pang of frustration by yet another vintage-inspired…

Micro Mondays

12.07.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Brellum Duobox LE.8 Chronometer artfully balances tradition and modernity

This is not the first time we’ve shown you a watch from Switzerland’s Brellum, an independent brand created in 2016 by fourth generation watchmaker Sébastien…

Micro Mondays

05.07.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: The HVD SpectreDiver is a cracking vintage diver for under $400

I do love a good 38-40mm vintage-infused diver’s watch and, while some have come and gone from my box, they always tickle my fancy. But…

Micro Mondays

28.06.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Peren Nera Rogue is a future-proof take on a mythical 60s diver

Gone rogue: UK / US /adjective: “Behaving in ways that are not expected or not normal.” You might think this a tough-talking opening pitch, but…

Micro Mondays

21.06.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: The RZE Endeavour Titanium collection

After their successful debut collection, RZE are back with their second set of hard-wearing tool watches in the Endeavour collection. Despite releasing their first watches…

Micro Mondays

14.06.21

14713

MICRO MONDAYS: Bold field watches for under $500 in the MAS Watches Arcticus range

What’s in a name? Quite a lot in this case. MAS Watches was started in 2019 by Australian Matthew Francis, a watch enthusiast who shares…

Introducing

07.06.21

12962

INTRODUCING: The Isotope GMT 0º is a futuristic GMT with a fascinating twist

It’s all well and good catering to our tastes for vintage nostalgia and I admit that I’m usually wearing some form of field / pilot’s…

Micro Mondays

31.05.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: The DWISS M3 is designed for the people, by the people

Buying a watch is rarely something that you do on a random whim. Much like buying a car, it tends to be an extremely considered…

Micro Mondays

24.05.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Keris from Keaton Time Co. is a futuristic diver with a hypnotic dial

Keaton Time Co. is another new brand from Singapore, that’s fast becoming a veritable hotbed of horological innovation with the likes of Zelos and BOLDR…

Micro Mondays

17.05.21

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Reiser Alpen is a sharp, octagonal sports watch that oozes 70s jet-set glamour

My mum always taught me honesty first, so YES, the fresh and new Reiser Alpen has some octagonal details, and does remind us of a…