MICRO MONDAYS: The Arken Alterum is a dive-ready GMT in lightweight titanium
After two years of waiting, fans of the Arken Instrumentum have finally received a followup from the microbrand. At the time, it was one of the best-specced titanium divers around for the money, and the new Arken Alterum has a lot to live up to. Now that titanium has become a lot more prevalent in … Continued
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You could say there are one of a few ways to make a dive watch stand out – a unique design, a superior movement, an unbeatable price/value ratio, or all of the above. Unfortunately, unique often means expensive, even though the brand cannot always truly justify the why. Often, it’s the fact that something is … 
It’s not often that I get to review watches that haven’t actually been designed yet, but Beacroft Bespoke has given me that opportunity. Watch customisation has been a growing trend lately, departing even from the classics such as Seiko modding. Brands like Certina have experimented with modular cases and dials, but the young British brand … 
We are bound to follow certain trends no matter which industry we look into. Whether it be fashion, cars, music and, for what concerns us the most, watches. In the past 10 years we went through an intense period during which micro and independent brands would release vintage-inspired dive watches. Then, more recently, GMTs and … 
Formex can be seen as an independent brand, but is one of the few that borders the independent and regular watch markets. Independent because it operates, well, independently and outputs loads of innovative technologies and unique designs, and regular because the quality of Formex watches rivals that of established Swiss brands. The Formex Essence 39 … 
South Korea is not typically a country associated with watchmaking, despite a strong culture of manufacturing that has leapt in quality over the last two decades. That said, microbrands essentially exist to challenge our preconceptions of what’s possible for small companies to accomplish. Pitzmann certainly capture the imagination with their two releases The First Pitzmann … 
There is a crucial moment in the existence of an independent brand when it adds mechanical movements to their core collections. This change seems to be as important as removing the training wheels from a kid’s bicycle, or getting that first job after college. This is important because mechanical movements are trickier to use and … 
We don’t need more dive watches. According to some anecdotal data, divers are the most popular type of watches because they are robust, versatile, and can sometimes be handsome to look at, considering personal preference and all. Don’t get me wrong – I love dive watches – and wear them on a mostly daily basis. … 
Vario are one of the most beloved microbrands, and despite the fact that they may not receive as much hype as others, they still hold onto an incredibly loyal fanbase. With an unbelievable ability to deliver quality for budget prices, Vario’s efforts retain a unique signature style while evoking vintage watches effortlessly. As a manufacturer … 
There’s certainly no shortage of creativity in the world of microbrands, but that energy doesn’t always get funnelled into watches that actually look good. Stella, the New York-based brand and brainchild of co-owners Stephen and Marcella (see where they got the name from), are one of the few who have managed to establish a beautiful …