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THERE’S A GREAT big world of independent watch brands out there. Just this week, I was having a conversation with a friend who attended the Intersect Watch Show here in Austin. We got to talking about all the exciting new brands in the independent watch space, and it prompted me to put together a list of all my favorite up-and-comers that I believe should be on every guy’s radar going into 2026.
What’s cool about independent watch brands is you get a ton of unique styles and silhouettes. These makers push watch design forward while preserving a sense of balance—keeping their pieces innovative, yet familiar enough to pair with almost anything in a man’s wardrobe.
Under the hood, independent watch brands are often repping excellent builds and parts. Sometimes they have similar builds as the big brands, and you can actually save money while still getting a watch that looks and performs as good as a blue chip name.
Read more: 34 Coolest Gadgets & Tech I’ve Found in 2025 (So Far)
Some LIVE A LITTLE watch guys might be familiar with the entire list I’ve put together below, but I’d say that’s a small minority of you. The truth is, there’s so many hidden gems popping up these days that it’s impossible to keep tabs on every single one. That’s why I’ve put together this guide to my favorite independent brands that are making a name for themselves in the watch space.
Let’s get to it.
Minimalist to the Core: Unimatic U4 Classic UC4
Unimatic is an Italian brand I became familiar with through Huckberry. The Milan-based watchmaker has an minimalist, utilitarian aesthetic. That’s thanks to the design-savvy of co-founders Giovanni Moro and Simone Nunziato, both trained industrial designers at the Politecnico Di Milano university. My favorite line from Unimatic is the Classic series, and more specifically this UC4 Italian dive watch.
Read more: 23 Watches That Will Never Go Out of Style
The UC4 packs plenty of heavy specs you can catch below. If there’s one detail to point out, it’s the caseback engraving that reads “rosa dei venti,” an Italian phrase that translates to the “rose of the winds” and ties to themes of nautical navigation and exploration. This is just one of the many watches Unimatic is making to stand out in the watch world. Love what they’re doing and can’t wait to see them push the limits of watch design. $655.
Specs: Case size: 40mm | Movement: NH35A Automatic | Case material: Stainless steel | Crystal: Sapphire | Water resistance: 330m
Best Made-in-USA Pick: Weiss Watchmaking Co. Standard Issue Field Watch
Cameron Weiss started Weiss Watch Company back in 2013, when he traded in prestigious stints at Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin to start his company. After a few years of business in California, he moved his HQ to Nashville to better align with his vision of reigniting the U.S. watchmaking industry. I’m thankful I got to interview Cameron back earlier this year for a Gear Check.
This Standard Issue Automatic Field Watch is one of the signature timepieces Cameron makes by hand. Yes, that even includes the movement being made by hand—called the Weiss Caliber 2130. You get to choose the dial color, strap, and engraving. $2850.
Specs: Case size: 38mm | Movement: Weiss Caliber 2130 | Case material: Stainless steel | Crystal: Sapphire | Water resistance: 300m
Kansas City Rooted: Marin Instruments Standard Skin-Diver OS
I remember learning about Marin Instruments from a profile Hodinkee wrote on the brand and founder, Justin Walters. Originally from Kansas City, Walters learned how to repair watches while working at a small shop in college—where he studied visual arts and graphic design. In his 30s, he moved out to Sante Fe to become a technician at Los Alamos National Laboratory. In 2019, he started Marin as a side gig to create his own version of a skin diver watch.
Read more: 19 Best New Style & Gear Releases From Early Fall
Marin has kept chugging along ever since. The Skin-Diver OS refers to that original watch he first built. I like that it comes with both a rubber strap and an orange NATO strap. $1,095.
Specs: Case size: 39mm | Movement: Sellita SW200-1 | Case material: Stainless steel | Crystal: Sapphire | Water resistance: 200m
Texas Tough: Jack Mason Pursuit Pro Hunter
Up the highway from me in Dallas is Jack Mason. They were founded in 2015 by Peter Cho and Craig Carter. Their goal was to be “authentic, original, and fresh in a vast sea of watch brands.”
Fast forward to today, and JM has plenty of watch models well worthy of a purchase. My favorite is this Pursuit Pro Hunter—a rugged tool watch with a 120-click-bi-directional bezel and bezel guard. The green dial and the hook and loop strap are two nice touches. $1399.
Specs: Case size: 42mm | Movement: La Joux Perret G101 | Case material: Stainless steel | Crystal: Acrylic | Water resistance: 200m
Bond-Level Cool: Lorca Model No.1 GMT
You can’t go wrong with any of the brands on this roundup, but Lorca is making a name for itself at rapid pace. And they only make a couple of watches at the moment. They were founded in 2022 by Jesse Marchant, a Canadian performing artist who bases in New York. According to interviews, he was inspired to start Lorca after touring in Europe and noticing he couldn’t find a watch he could wear both on-stage and for traveling.
So Lorca was born with the Model No.1 GMT. It’s my favorite of the Lorca pack—big 1960s energy with sharp lines and that old-school futuristic appeal. The GMT is so well designed it feels Bond-level to me. The Swiss-made watch is one of the more expensive picks on this list, but I find it to be well-worth a look for any type of collector. $1875
Specs: Case size: 36mm | Movement: Soprod C125 R4 (Swiss automatic, date + GMT) | Case material: Stainless steel | Crystal: Sapphire | Water resistance: 200m
The 1940s Throwback: Kuoe Royal Smith 90-008
I first learned about Kuoe through Teddy Baldassarre. The Kyoto-based brand started in 2020 by a man named Uchmua, who fell in love with classic watches while attending college in London. The first watch made was a vintage-inspired Old Smith 90-001.
The Royal Smith 90-008 here is a hand-wound watch that pays homage to 1940s dress watches. I love the gold case and gold indices model. Each watch is assembled by hand by one of Kuoe’s watchmakers in Kyoto—even the numbers on the dial of the Royal Smith here are hand-applied. $760.
Specs: Case size: 34mm | Movement: Citizen Miyota-made Cal.9039 | Case material: Stainless steel | Crystal: Sapphire | Water resistance: 50m
Find Your Zen: Vero Watch Company Open Water 38
Vero is a Portland, Oregon watchmaker that’s been around since 2015. They order their parts overseas, but the brand assembles, services, and warranties every Vero watch in their Portland shop. I recently become familiar with them through their Realtree Tide Tracker watch collaboration—a watch I featured in an outfit in Field Journal 44.
Although I love the camo, a better everyday watch from them would be this Open Water dive watch. The bone white dial and bezel gives it a unique, beach-style look without seeming cheap. In fact, on its got a 60-click unidirectional Cerakote ceramic bezel there to boost its function. The 38mm diameter makes it an appealing size on most wrists too. $795.
Specs: Case size: 38mm | Movement: Sellita SW200-1 Automatic | Case material: Stainless steel | Crystal: Sapphire | Water resistance: 200m
