5 Watch Companies you NEED to know about
After last week’s post about Men’s Fashion Trends Autumn 2023, I thought I would look/pick 5 watch companies that should be on every watch aficionado’s radar.
Most people go or think of the obvious, whether that’s Rolex, Tag Heur, Breitling, etc. Although these brands are iconic, for those who want to stand out and showcase something different, keep reading.
If you’re looking for high quality craftsmanship, unique but still traditional, elegant, a mixture of low end and high end price tags, these hand-picked timepieces will certainly whet your appetite.
In no particular order, here are 5 watch companies you NEED to know about including a standout timepiece from their collections.
Enjoy! ⌚
Marnaut
When I was thinking of the brands to feature in this blog post, Croatian brand Marnaut straight away came to mind. Why? The Unique dials for one, which take their inspiration from the humble sea urchin, their Dark Surge 300 model (pictured above) retails at Є749, although that sounds on the low end, compared with the other chosen models in this post, Marnaut’s uniqueness and inspiration from founder Mario Jutronic’s native Croatia and all things nautical scream out with this stunning time piece and if I had a spare Є749 I would be tempted! 😉
This 42-millimeter diver robust specs really is a thing of beauty. One thing that I think is really cool is the serial number system. A QR code which comes with the authenticity card and an app for both Android and iOS systems, the user simply scans it to see if the serial numbers match with the watch. Jutronic is definitely ahead of his time!
A. Lange & Söhne
German brand A. Lange & Söhne also made it on the list. This proud watchmaker from Saxony was founded in in 1845 by Ferdinand Adolf Lange. The Second World War put watchmaking on hold, but it wasn’t until the fall of the Berlin Wall that Ferdinand Adolf Lange resumed creating stunning time pieces.
Since the start of the new millennium, A. Lange & Söhne forms part of the Richemont Group.
Blessed with some many intricate and designs that scream ‘German efficiency’, the chosen watch from the Saxon watch maker has to be the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar Limited Edition (pictured).
A decade ago A. Lange & Söhne released the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar which featured some impressive functions, this limited edition timepiece with its choice of platinum or salmon pink gold with silver dials.
If you love a leather strap, this luxurious watch comes with a hand-stitched alligator leather strap and only 100 pieces are available and sold exclusively via A. Lange & Söhne boutiques.
The watch face is incredibly stunning with main dial features black Arabic numerals and crafted from rhodiumed steel and really shows off the complexity of horology.
Price is upon request, however, according to one source, this luxury timepiece is over Є200,000!
Giuliano Mazzouli
Giuliano Mazzouli is synonymous with attitude and class. According to the company website, Giuliano Mazzouli discovered design when he was older and states that he didn’t discover watchmaking by chance, rather a family member worked in an old artisanal factory owned by the Pistelli family that built tower clocks and fell in love with the craft.
His eureka moment was whe he looked at a pressure gauge of an old air compressor in his typography shop and it was clear to him right away that he had found his ideal watch to create.
“He understood that one should not look for design. He had had the confirmation that inspiration finds you if you approach it with the right spirit.”
I like Giuliano Mazzouli and he clearly stands out even to the extent of using materials that you wouldn’t necessarily associate with watch making such as cement and marble.
The Giuliano Mazzuoli Manometro (pictured above) comes in blue and green dials and is watch that stands out in the Florence watch maker’s portfolio.
The design of the dials are minimalist but are very legible, inspired by his eureka moment from looking at the the pressure gauges, in addition simple hands are added to continue with his ‘less is more’ approach.
Keeping with its proud Tuscan heritage, the watch strap is made and sourced locally.
If you love Italian fashion, minimalism and forward thinking design, the Manometro in for you. The watch retails for around Є2,500.
Skagen
Continuing with the minimalist theme, Danish watch maker Skagen deserves a shout-out.
Skagen created their first watch in the early 90’s and rapidly grew a reputation for Nordic design.
In the past 30 years the company has expanded from being a single owner operator to over 100 employees worldwide. Today, the Danish watch maker is owned by Fossil Inc. after it was purchased in 2012.
As someone who is a fan of Nordic values, Skagen was an instant pick, their philosophy is to bring Danish-inspired ideals to the world through design imbued with purpose, honesty and simplicity.
When it comes to timepieces I really like the Ancher (pictured), if you’re for a minimal, timeless, classic design look no further.
The Ancher models are customisable, so depending on your outfit or mood, you can mix and match.
If you’re looking for something that’s light, offers fair value for its price (retails around £74-£130). For an everyday wearable and versatile quartz watch, you can’t go wrong.
MeisterSinger
MeisterSinger was founded over 20 years ago by self-taught jeweller Manfred Brassler.
Brassler wanted to create something more than a watch, he stressed the consumer’s need for quality not quantity and passionate for creating an instrument of measurement entwined with simplicity and clarity.
The German watch maker approaches time in a distinctly different way to other brands. The brand’s ethos is that we should be approaching time in a more relaxed way and we see this with many of the models having only one hand.
This links to my chosen model for MeisterSinger, the Bell Hora Enamel.
This limited edition timepiece with its enamel dial is the star of the show. Why? For a start its crafted using traditional hot enamelling techniques which consist of using glass and oxide powders which are then dusted onto a base and baked in a kiln at various temperatures and durations, to create a uniform layer. Each intricate dial is created by hand and each individually fired.
The brown leather strap with an alligator styled pattern gives it a classic look. Only 50 were made at the watch retails at Є5,990.
For those who love a bit of history, A ‘Meistersinger’ was a member of a German lyrical poetry guild during the 14th to 16th centuries.
Composer Wagner created an opera by the name of “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” which translates in English to “The Master-Singers of Nuremberg”. The opera tells the story of a musical competition. Whoever managed to strike the best new note won the title of Mesitersinger. This inspired the German watchmaker to continuously strive and to innovate and develop and it’s where their integral concept of having a relaxed approach towards telling the time stems from.
Which of these watch companies interests you the most? I’d love to hear from you, feel free to connect with me via Threads 🧵.
